[blindkid] Technology and Little Kid

[Richard Holloway]

>   I am also not a big fan of the school of thought that an abacus is  
> a good way to teach blind kids some beginning math concepts.  That  
> is bologni.  An abacus is a good way to teach all kids math concepts.

I'm not quite certain I follow this point-- an abacus is an excellent  
tool to teach blind kids certain math concepts from basic to advanced  
and an excellent substitution (when appropriately added to IEP's) for  
scratch paper and pencil in testing, especially certain kinds of  
standardized testing. I know this because my daughter has been using  
one effectively and efficiently since about age three; it works for  
her and she is blind, so it is clearly a workable solution at least in  
some cases. I find it to be an excellent bridge between manipulatives  
and abstract math concepts.

Sometimes BrailleNotes (and the like) are not allowed for testing  
because auto calculations cannot be properly disabled, at least not  
beyond being potentially re-enabled by a student and giving the blind  
student a possible "unfair advantage" in testing. In effect, an  
unscrupulous student could "sneak" a calculator into a testing  
situation that way. An abacus can't be used for auto-anything and  
there can be no question about that in a testing situation. It also  
(like the slate & stylus) works all the time-- no lock-ups, no dead  
batteries.

Were you suggesting that an abacus is not only good for blind kids but  
is potentially a good tool for sighted students as well? Again, a big  
feature that makes it more appropriate for blind kids is that while  
sighted kids can use a paper and pencil in a testing situation, that  
is not an option for blind kids, but if you would have all kids be  
given an abacus at testing time I doubt you'd find many people against  
that option; I certainly approve.