[blindkid] [Bulk] Talking typing Teacher

Richard Holloway rholloway at gopbc.org
Wed Sep 30 17:00:32 UTC 2009


Jaws may be a particular software but it is also a brand of a screen  
reader from Freedom Scientific. Some (and I suspect many of not most)  
school systems are hesitant if not unwilling or unable to put a  
specific program name or product name into an IEP. My goal would be to  
get a working solution in place if possible before I went to war over  
the matter.

We had a similar discussion last year over PDA's in our IEP. We bought  
our daughter a PACmate and thought it better to have that at school  
and home (she's not ready to carry one back-and-forth yet.) It was a  
problem to specify a PACmate in the IEP and she has ended up using a  
humanware PDA at school. Less convenient, but we have to choose our  
battles a bit.

The expedient, free workaround to get the desired program (Jaws in  
this case) up-and-running may be the free demo. I was mistaken on the  
demo timeframe BTW-- it is 40 minutes per use. I also failed to  
mention that you can use a demo CD if you have one OR is can be  
DOWNLOADED.

http://www.freedomscientific.com/downloads/jaws/jaws-downloads.asp

This may also be handy for any of us who need this at home but have  
not bought it yet. Be careful to get the right version as far as 32- 
bit or 64-bit friendly. (If your machine is older than a year or so  
you'll likely need 32 bit.)

Personally, I agree that it should be possible to specify a software  
package by name, like Jaws, but again, a fast solution is important  
too. If the hitch is money, a no cost solution might be a productive  
thing to offer, even if it only solves things for a few months or this  
school year, etc.

Richard



On Sep 30, 2009, at 12:06 PM, Brandy W wrote:

> Hi, Wow you have a problem on your hands. Windo Eyes or Jaws is not  
> a brand, but a particular software that works best for yur child.  
> Talking teacher is to learn to type and will be no good to her once  
> she learns to type. I would not except this. You don't have to sign  
> the IEP till you agree with it. I would see if you can get a NFB  
> advocate to help you. Your daughter is falling behind if she is 8  
> and not already had computer instruction. This starts in Kinder for  
> sighted children. There is a law webpage many use that will have the  
> guide lines for the amount of time they have. I'd hold them to it. I  
> apologize my old computer crashed and I lost all that stuff I had  
> saved. That is the same reason this email has miss spelled words  
> because I don't have word. Let me know if I can help you further. Bran
>
> Brandy Wojcik
> Discovery Toys Educational Leader
> www.playtoachieve.com
> (512) 231-8697
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amber Hall" <ahall238 at yahoo.com>
> To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 9:02 AM
> Subject: [Bulk] [blindkid] Talking typing Teacher
>
>
>> Hello, everyone. I wanted to see if anyone knew about the program  
>> Talking Typing Teacher. My daughter  is almost 8  & in the 2nd  
>> grade. She doesn't have a lot of experience with computers yet.( I  
>> put it in her IEP to get training  within 1st 9 weeks). But this  
>> program is what they want to use to replace Jaws or window Eyes,  
>> because of the cost. I am so frustrated with them not wanting to  
>> spend the money for her to get what she needs. Is there another  
>> program out there like Window Eyes or Jaws that isn't so expensive?  
>> Or are they just going to have to break down and buy Window Eyes or  
>> Jaws? I tried to put it in her IEP that she get Window Eyes, but  
>> they came back and said they don't like putting name brands in  
>> IEP's. Is this true? Also, if anybody else  has had  trouble  
>> getting Special Services to get the Technology etc. that  their   
>> blind child needs but finally succeeded, could you give me some  
>> pointers? I  called a case conference the day before school
>> started. It took 28 days from the conference date to get the  
>> revisions wrote up. Even after waiting 28 days the revisions  
>> weren't even close to what I talked about at the case conference. I  
>> had to e-mail my version of rewritten goals and things i had talked  
>> about to be put in there in the first place. i still have not  
>> received the IEp yet. I am told it is on it's way! I'm very  
>> frustrated. How long does Special Services have to get the IEP back  
>> to me after the case Conference? The conference was Aug. 18. It's  
>> almost October and still no IEP. Your suggestions are greatly  
>> appreciated!
>>
>>
>>
>>
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