[Trainer-Talk] [bits] [blind-philly-comp] Homework Help Hotline for Blind and Visually Impaired Students

[David Goldfield]

David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
JAWS Certified, 2019

WWW.DavidGoldfield.org

 From the Facebook page of Vistas Education Partners, Inc.



      *VISTAS Education Partners Inc
      <https://eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmbasic.facebook.com%2FVISTASEducationPartners%2F%3Frefid%3D52%26_ft_%3Dmf_story_key.940380519698035%253Atop_level_post_id.940380519698035%253Atl_objid.940380519698035%253Acontent_owner_id_new.306494196420007%253Athrowback_story_fbid.940380519698035%253Apage_id.306494196420007%253Astory_location.4%253Atds_flgs.3%253Apage_insights.%257B%2522306494196420007%2522%253A%257B%2522page_id%2522%253A306494196420007%252C%2522actor_id%2522%253A306494196420007%252C%2522dm%2522%253A%257B%2522isShare%2522%253A0%252C%2522originalPostOwnerID%2522%253A0%257D%252C%2522psn%2522%253A%2522EntStatusCreationStory%2522%252C%2522post_context%2522%253A%257B%2522object_fbtype%2522%253A266%252C%2522publish_time%2522%253A1584147148%252C%2522story_name%2522%253A%2522EntStatusCreationStory%2522%252C%2522story_fbid%2522%253A%255B940380519698035%255D%257D%252C%2522role%2522%253A1%252C%2522sl%2522%253A4%252C%2522targets%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522actor_id%2522%253A306494196420007%252C%2522page_id%2522%253A306494196420007%252C%2522post_id%2522%253A940380519698035%252C%2522role%2522%253A1%252C%2522share_id%2522%253A0%257D%255D%257D%257D%253Athid.306494196420007%26__tn__%3DC-R&data=02%7C01%7C%7C01307b45b1aa4a3a73f608d7c85ad835%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637198164803761615&sdata=TFtSKIr9hytjZLtXE%2BeY8vJMrTveF0ARjzGWeUs1e4g%3D&reserved=0>*

In response to the wave of K-12 school closures across the United States 
due to COVID-19, a few concerned teachers of the blind and advocates got 
together to organize a free, homework help hotline for blind/visually 
impaired students. Check out the details below, and share with others.

National Homework Hotline for Blind/Visually Impaired Students (NHH-BVI)

What: Homework telephone hotline for blind/vision impaired students in 
grades K-12 experiencing emergency school closures due to COVID-19.

Areas of hotline help include: navigating accessible websites with JAWS, 
Nemeth and literary braille reading and writing, navigating 
tablet/laptop using JAWS and Over, and using refreshable braille display.

*The hotline does not provide tutoring in non-Expanded Core Curriculum 
content areas

When: Tues -Thurs, 3:30pm - 8pm EST, March 17-
April 16, 2020 (*end date may be adjusted based on
school closure developments)

How: Students submit a support request via email and receive a call-back 
during the designated NHH-BVI times.

Who: NHH-BVI helpers are experienced, TVIs, counselors, blind mentors 
who want to help b/vi students get the support they need to access their 
remote learning programs.

For more info, and to request an initial NHH-BVI support call, please 
email nhh-bvi at vistaseducation.com.


About the NHH-BVI Helpers

Monique Coleman
Monique is a TVI and president of VISTAS Education Partners. She has 20 
years of experience working with students in a range of K-12 public and 
private schools. Monique is currently a doctoral candidate at Rutgers 
University researching the intersection of disability, education, and 
diverse identities. She lives in Highland Park, NJ with her husband, 
three sons, two cats, and her faithful dog. She is an active member of 
her community who serves on the Board of Education and other local 
organizations.

Brianna Murray
Brianna is a visually impaired counselor who currently works for the 
Employment, Development, Guidance and Engagement (EDGE) 2.0 program, 
assisting high school students with pre-employment goals. Brianna also 
serves as a mentor for college students as a part of Learning Ally's 
College Success Program. She lives with her current and retired guide 
dogs, and they keep her very busy. In her free time she enjoys reading, 
writing, and volunteering with various blindness organizations.

Kristen Witucki
Kristen is a TVI who is also blind. She provides itinerant TVI services 
through VISTAS Education Partners, edits content and curriculum for 
Learning Ally’s College Success Program and mentors college students for 
the EDGE Program. She lives in Highland Park, NJ with her husband and 
their three young children. She is the author of two fiction books for 
adolescents which explore blindness in all of its complexity and of 
several nonfiction articles about her journey parenting as a blind 
person. In her snatches of free time, she enjoys reading and writing.

_._,_._,_