[blindkid] BrailleNote use

Thu Sep 6 14:59:28 UTC 2012

Both freedom scientific and humanware put out good ones---I have the
brailliant and focus 40 blue--go wireless where you can---just easier

Denise

On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 7:51 AM, LZ <lyndaz918 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Denise-- thanks for this! Is there a braille display that you find is
>  particularly durable and useful for your students?
>
> Lynda
>
> On Sep 6, 2012, at 7:43 AM, "Dr. Denise M Robinson" <deniserob at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Do keep in mind that 90% of businesses use a PC. You can get a job if you
> > know how to operate a computer. You cannot get a really good job if you
> do
> > not know a PC and only know a braille note. If you have to choose because
> > of cost, then a PC with braille display will take you anywhere you want
> to
> > go....but a braille note will not. I love the braille note...it is
> > exceptional---and when given the choice, my students get both, but many
> > schools have to decide either or.......choose wisely.
> >
> > Denise
> >
> > On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 7:37 AM, Bo Page <bo.page at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Bernadette,
> >> In what way does one use Ultra Book?  HOw is it unique for the blind?  I
> >> looked
> >> it up, and it appears that is is a laptop.  Can you say more about it.
> >>
> >> Much appreciated.
> >> Bo Page in CT
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: Bernadette Jacobs <bernienfb75 at gmail.com>
> >> To: "Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
> >> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> >> Sent: Thu, September 6, 2012 7:33:34 AM
> >> Subject: Re: [blindkid] BrailleNote use
> >>
> >> Firstly, I'm one who's been burned by the world of notetakers.  I,
> >> myself, will never, ever have another notetaker.  I've found the
> >> drawbacks are as follows:
> >>
> >> 1.  The turn-around time if your notetaker should have to be in for
> >> repair can be a whole six months.  I've heard others' tales of woe
> >> that sometimes even when people have gotten their notetakers back,
> >> they weren't even in the same condition they had previously sent it.
> >>
> >> 2.  In my instance, for example, I had upgraded the software on mine
> >> two years in a row.  Then when I went online to upgrade for a third
> >> time, I was told that there was a serious hardward upgrade problem.
> >> When I called the outfit, they of course informed me that they had
> >> failed to tell me about hardware upgrades that I needed and until I
> >> paid out mukobucks for the hardware, I couldn't even touch the
> >> software.  In essence, the hardware upgrades, in addition to the
> >> software upgrades I needed would cost me three-fourths the price of a
> >> whole brand new machine!!!  NEVER AGAIN!!!  NEVER AGAIN!!!
> >>
> >> 3.  Good news, however, I talked with the folks here at the National
> >> Center and they've informed me that something new called the
> >> "Ultra-Book" has come out.  One can get them through Amazon and almost
> >> anywhere one can purchase computers.  Yah--windows based and all!  You
> >> can use it like your personal PC or laptop.  As for the price, even
> >> that's not too bad!  You can get 'em for around $1300.00ish or so.
> >> Far less also than a notetaker!!!  You don't have to worry about your
> >> machine sitting in some shop on the other side of tim-buck-two for six
> >> months to a year only to have it come back to you Lord knows how.
> >> It's far easier to upgrade software on a PC, laptop, or "Ultra-Book"
> >> and you can connect with any printer or PC VIA usb connection or
> >> whatever.  One could do the same with a netbook.  Just like having a
> >> laptop.  I do know many parents right here on the list whose counties
> >> purchased this equipment, (notetakers and all), for their
> >> blind/disabled students in order for them to continue to compete in
> >> their class rooms.
> >>
> >> That's my take for whatever it's worth!
> >>
> >> Have a great day!
> >>
> >> Bernie
> >>
> >> On 9/5/12, Carly B <barnesraiser at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>> Hello all!
> >>>
> >>> I am hoping to get some thoughts/advice regarding my son's school
> >>> situation. My son is 10 and he just entered 4th grade at the state
> >> academy
> >>> for the blind. He's been there since 1st grade. At his IEP meeting last
> >>> spring, I asked that he be provided with a Braille Note for his home
> >> use. I
> >>> thought I had requested it starting at the beginning of the summer
> (2012)
> >>> but that it would be something he would use at home during the school
> >> year.
> >>> Somehow this was misconstrued and it was entered in his IEP that he
> would
> >>> be provided the Braille Note for the summer only. Sadly, the instructor
> >> in
> >>> charge of technology (even though I had communicated with him *months*
> >>> prior to the IEP meeting and had gotten his "buy-in" then) did not have
> >> the
> >>> Braille Note ready for our son's use until the end of July. It was
> really
> >>> frustrating to be put off for 4-5 months after our initial request, but
> >>> since I thought that once we had it, we would have it indefinitely,
> that
> >>> helped.
> >>>
> >>> Well, we've had the use of it for 4 weeks and I just received a request
> >> to
> >>> return it. Reading the IEP a little more carefully (yes, I glossed over
> >>> portions, including that one) I realize now there was a
> misunderstanding
> >>> about it.
> >>>
> >>> But my question is: how many of you have technology at home provided by
> >> the
> >>> school? I mean, how unusual a request is or isn't this? Early on in
> this
> >>> process I encountered several TVI's who said they provide Braille Notes
> >> to
> >>> their students for use at home and school from an early age. So I got
> the
> >>> idea that it is somewhat standard.
> >>>
> >>> Should I request another IEP meeting and make the request again, being
> >>> clear this time what I want? Should I expect to receive it? I mean, the
> >>> Braille Note is available to my son at school for *maybe* 30 minutes a
> >> day.
> >>> The amount of Braille material we have at home is quite limited. The
> >>> Braille Note is like a Kindle for Braille books... my son is part-way
> >>> through two books he downloaded from BookShare that he would not be
> able
> >> to
> >>> finish. He needs the extra practice time to increase his proficiency
> and
> >>> his reading speed. Of course I'm afraid they will say that he doesn't
> >> need
> >>> that...
> >>>
> >>> Anyway, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I just need to
> figure
> >>> out what to do from here...
> >>>
> >>> Thanks in advance!
> >>>
> >>> :) Carolynn aka Brian's mom
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> blindkid mailing list
> >>> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> >>> blindkid:
> >>>
> >>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/bernienfb75%40gmail.com
> >>>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> blindkid mailing list
> >> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> >> blindkid:
> >>
> >>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/bo.page%40sbcglobal.net
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> blindkid mailing list
> >> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> >> blindkid:
> >>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/deniserob%40gmail.com
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > *Denise*
> >
> > Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
> > CEO, TechVision, LLC
> > Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
> > 509-674-1853
> >
> > Website with hundreds of informational articles & lessons on PC, Office
> > products, Mac, iPad/iTools and more, all done with
> > keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com
> >
> > "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who
> is
> > doing it." --Chinese Proverb
> >
> > Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid: humans are
> incredibly
> > slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond
> > imagination.
> > --Albert Einstein
> >
> > It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
> > --Walt Disney
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindkid mailing list
> > blindkid at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindkid:
> >
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/lyndaz918%40gmail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindkid:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/deniserob%40gmail.com
>

-- 
*Denise*

Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
CEO, TechVision, LLC
Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
509-674-1853

Website with hundreds of informational articles & lessons on PC, Office
products, Mac, iPad/iTools and more, all done with
keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com

"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it." --Chinese Proverb

Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid: humans are incredibly
slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond
imagination.
--Albert Einstein

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
--Walt Disney