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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=370224618-22092011>My coworkers and others
in this area have the same views on the BrailleNote versus the PacMate.
The current computer teacher says that the PacMate seems to crash more often
than the BrailleNote. Our local office of the commission for the blind
seems to be more inclined to purchase PacMates.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=370224618-22092011></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=370224618-22092011>Pauline</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=370224618-22092011></SPAN> </DIV><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
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<FONT face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org
[mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>EricGuillory@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, September 20, 2011 12:11
PM<BR><B>To:</B> pibe-division@nfbnet.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Pibe-division]
any suggestions<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV><FONT id=role_document color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV>The BN with an 18-cell display is approximately $4,000, and with a 32-cell
display, it runs approximately $6,500. Many teachers are surprised by the
expense, and I whole-heartedly support the development of lower-cost braille
displays. It has been my experience that many end-users don't seem to like the
PAC-Mate. As a trainer, I have found it has a steeper learning curve than does
the BrailleNote. This is not to, in the verbiage of the young "hate on"
PAC-Mate. Rather, it is an observation which I have witnessed for both high
school students and blind adults.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Eric Guillory, PIBE President</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 9/20/2011 11:04:01 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
sararooz@gmail.com writes:</DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Hi Cindy,</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I definitely agree with Kristien’s
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>suggestion to use the BOP series
grade 1. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I do have a few other
ideas. First, national braille press produces a phonic set with printed and
contracted and uncontracted braille on each page. They have three sets. I
think each set costs $24 but the investment in this phonics series may be
terrific. Another publication that allows one to print stories in contracted
and uncontracted braille is the early reading series also from national
braille press. You can print out the books using duxbury braille translation
software and aa Braille embosser, choose the contractions you want to focus on
and have the child read a meaningful story in the process. Also APH has trade
books from Sunshine with uncontracted braille labels and contracted braille
labels which gives you the ability to choose what contractions to teach. Go to
<A title=http://www.nbp.org/ href="http://www.nbp.org/">www.nbp.org</A> to see
phonics series and early reader series that have stories appropriate for your
student's reading level. Go to <A title=http://www.aph.org/
href="http://www.aph.org/">www.aph.org</A> to look at the trade books
available with the packets of labels. One other website that contains books of
various grade levels in uncontracted and contracted braille files is <A
title=http://www.tsbvi.edu/ href="http://www.tsbvi.edu/">www.tsbvi.edu</A> You
need to requesta pass word from <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>the website administrator <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>to view the books and be able to access
the books.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Regarding using a note taker, I am
unfamiliar if humanware braille note has a curriculum for learning braille.
However, the Pacmate Omni has a program called FS braille coach that teaches
thebraille <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>alphabet, numbers,
punctuation signs <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>and all
contractions in a sequential order. I have been extremely impressed by this
software. For instance when teaching a contraction such as <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>b = but you press the cursor router
button to the right of the letter and hear the word the letter b represents
and how the word is spelled out. The same applies for all contractions. The
only difficulty may be with the reading excercises since they may contain
difficult words to decipher.The Pacmate Omni with a 20 braile display or 40
braille display as well as a Braille perkins keyboard or qwerty leyboard is
abailable at www.freedomscientific.con m Prices are posted on the site. The
pacmate Omni with the braile keyboard and 20 braille display costs $2,795. Go
to <A title=http://www.freedomscientific.com/
href="http://www.freedomscientific.com/">www.freedomscientific.com</A> to look
at their products of note takers which kist each note taker’s price. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Prior to purchasing the
braillenote see if the manufacturer humanware www.humanware.com <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>has aliterary braille curriculum.
Humanware does not list their prices for their products on their website. So
you may have to call the 1800 phone number to find out the price for the
braillenote. I remember being told that it costs $6,000 with a 18 braille
display. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The one thing your student will
have to get used to using any note taker on the market is to read one line and
go to the next line by pressing a button on the braillenotefrom Humanware
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>or a wheel on the pacmate omni
from Freedom Scientific. I hope my suggestions help you with teaching your
student the braille code. I would only suggest that your student knows how to
spell words correctly, so when it comes to assistive technology it will be
easier for this student to write assignments in Microsoft
Word.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sara Rooz</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Certified Teacher of the Blind and
Visually Impaired in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:State></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Independent Related Service
Provider Vision Education Services in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New York City</st1:place></st1:City></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P></FONT></DIV><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Pibe-division
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