Exciting New APH Products Announced!
Read on to learn about these new products - now available!
Fourteen New Unforgettable Videos—Too Many New Stars to Count!
Fourteen is the number of teams that submitted videos to the Unforgettable APH Star Contest. Three teams received cash prizes, three received Amazon.com gift certificates, and all of them will go down in history as Unforgettable APH Video Stars.
The first, second, and third place prizes went, respectively, to the following videos:
- Interactive Periodic Table of the Elements Study Set by Maddie from Minnesota
- The Hundreds Board by Fairfield Elementary School, Winnsboro, SC
- The Gift of Time by California State University Graduate Students
Your participation made the Winter 2012 contest a big success. Watch for a new contest coming soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the Winter 2012 entries here: www.aph.org/contest
National Expert Panel "Investigates" 2011 APH Products
Back row, left to right: Joe Petrosko, (KY), Jennie Mascheck (MO), Diane Wormsley (NC), Linda Lyle, (NM), Cay Holbrook (UBC), and Laura Brown (FL). Front row: John Glenn (WA) and Jim Durkel (TX).
The U.S. Department of Education concluded its 6th Expert Panel Review of APH products on March 12 & 13, 2012. The panel, facilitated by Dr. Cay Holbrook, University of British Columbia (UBC), was under the direction of Annette Reichman, Director/Liaison, Office of Special Institutions, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. The Department purposefully selected 11 products from FY 2011, and evaluated these products on three criteria: Relevance, Research, and Utility.
KAER Discovers the Hidden Treasures of Kentucky
Cumberland Falls State Park was the setting for the 2012 Kentucky AER conference, “Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Kentucky.” We were pleased to welcome AER Executive Director Lou Tutt and to share the treasures of APH with Lou and all the other attendees.
APH's Jane Thompson did a skillful job of facilitating the conference as KAER President. Attendees were also able to discover the talents of APH's Elaine Kitchel as she shared information about ergonomic lighting and color for students and adults with visual impairments. APH's Burt Boyer, Janie Blome, Tuck Tinsley, and Bob Brasher also helped to spread the news with reports and other information. An APH exhibit rounded out the event, with a wide array of products. Conference favorites included TREKS Compass Game, Best for a Nest, Games for People with Sensory Impairments, and Tactile Town.
Bob Brasher, Paula Penrod, Burt Boyer, AER Director Lou Tutt, and Ricky Ricks at the Cumberland Falls.
AER Director Lou Tutt
KAER President Jane Thompson
Photos: Nolan Hulsey
An Accessible Rubik's Cube—Not Too Puzzling to Adapt!
Do you have an off-the-shelf Rubik's Cube handy? If so, there are several easy ways to adapt it for use by a person with visual impairment or blindness using one of the following APH products:
a) Apply a tactile "Point Symbol" sticker to each color square. Select a unique point symbol to represent each color. For example, apply a raised outline circle to each green square, a V-shape symbol to each orange square, a raised bump to each blue square, and so forth. Assorted tactile Point Symbol stickers are available in two separate packages of Feel 'n Peel Stickers [Catalog Nos. 1-08846-00 and 1-08868-00].
b) Would you rather have textures applied than tactile point symbol stickers? Cut and apply small textured squares from the assorted textured sheets included in Carousel of Textures [Catalog No. 1-08863-00] and/or Textured Paper Collection [Catalog No. 1-03275-00]. Assign a unique texture to each color square—soft to blue, rough to red, bumpy to yellow, and so forth. Don't forget that you can leave one color smooth!
Both tactile adaptations can provide a novel design for sighted peers as well!
For some interesting photos and description of other adapted Rubik's Cubes, visit http://puzzleuniverse.com/posts/view/238
Oldies but Goodies: The "Established" APH Product Series
Parents And Visually Impaired Infants (PAVII) is a comprehensive set of print materials designed to help parents of visually impaired infants become engaged as primary members of the intervention team and become deeply involved in their child's education.
The project authors are Deborah Chen, Clare Taylor Friedman, and Gail Calvello. These materials were created as a part of the three-year PAVII Project of the Blind Babies Foundation. The main objectives of the Project were to facilitate the parent's role as primary interventionist and to develop strategies which are ecologically valid and age-appropriate. These materials were first made available by APH in 1989 and are available for purchase using federal quota funds.
The materials are bound in a sturdy three-ring binder and the six major written components include:
- Parent Assessment of Needs: This is an ecological inventory which helps parents identify and prioritize home-based goals for infants.
- Parent Observation Protocol: This section provides direction for using video recording to encourage parent observation of self and child and identifies teaching strategies for facilitating early learning experiences.
- PAVII 'How-To' Papers on Assessment: This is a series of papers for home-based assessment which includes an "Overview of Assessment," "Identifying Visual Impairments in Infants," "Functional Hearing Screening," "Assessing Infant Communication," "Assessing Interaction with Objects," and "Developmental Assessment."
- The Art of Home Visiting: This section discusses the responsibilities of a home visitor and issues encountered in the home visit process.
- Getting Ready for School: This section outlines the learning environment, family factors, child factors, school district factors, expert input, and educational rights.
- Learning Together: A Parent Guide to Socially Based Routines for Visually Impaired Infants: The final section (also available separately) offers home-based strategies for helping parents decide which areas need work and for helping an infant learn during everyday activities.
If you have any suggestions for other products you would like to see highlighted in this monthly feature, please send your comments to Monica Turner at mmturner@aph.org.
From the Field:
BANA Invites Guests to Spring Board Meeting in St. Louis
The Braille Authority of North America (BANA), which meets semiannually, will hold its spring meeting on April 28–30, 2012, in St. Louis, Missouri. This meeting is hosted by the National Braille Association (NBA), a BANA member organization, and will be held following the NBA Conference, which is April 25–28. All meetings will take place at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, located at 1335 South Lindbergh Drive, St. Louis, Missouri.
BANA will host an Open Forum on Saturday morning, April 28, at 9:00 AM. This forum provides an opportunity for participants to learn more about the workings of BANA and to provide feedback to the Board about braille. BANA Board members want to hear participants' views about issues surrounding braille and its future. Braille readers, teachers, and producers of braille are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to participate in a round-table discussion and to engage in a dialogue with the members of the BANA Board. To reserve your space at the Open Forum and to help ensure accurate counts for handouts, contact Frances Mary D'Andrea at 412-521-5797 or by email at literacy2@mindspring.com.
Guests are invited to attend the BANA Board meetings and to observe the discussions. Items on the Board's agenda include reports from all of BANA's committees as well as several presentations in response to BANA's recent article regarding the need for braille code change. Peter Osborne, Chair of the United Kingdom Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF), will be in attendance and will provide an international perspective. To reserve a seat, please contact BANA Chair Frances Mary D'Andrea.
The article referenced above is titled "The Evolution of Braille: Can the Past Help Plan the Future?" and is posted on the BANA website at: http://www.brailleauthority.org/article/evolution_of_braille-full.pdf. For additional resource information, visit www.brailleauthority.org.
NEW University of Kentucky Vision Program Seeks TWO Instructors!
Clinical Professor in Special Education - Visual Impairments (VI)
To develop the VI program; teach four courses per year; assist with summer institute; maintain research agenda; provide technical assistance to local education agencies in Kentucky.
Clinical Instructor in Special Education - Visual Impairments (VI)
To assist in the development of the VI program; locate, develop, coordinate, and supervise field experiences; assist with summer institute; provide technical assistance to local education agencies in Kentucky.
For more information on these new positions in this exciting new program and how to apply, contact Dr. Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Search Committee Chair, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0001; (859) 257-8943; fax 859-257-1325; jgleat00@uky.edu. Review of applications will beginning April 16 and continue until positions are filled.
Onkyo Braille Essay Contest
The Onkyo Corporation is again sponsoring a braille essay contest for people of all ages. Winners receive cash prizes valued from $500 to $2,000. The contest is administered by the National Federation of the Blind on behalf of the North America-Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union. Visit http://www.nfb.org/onkyo-braille-essay-contest for more information and an application. Please contact Trisha Tatam at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2510 or ttatam@nfb.org if you have any questions.
All essays must be received by April 30, 2012.
Treasures from the APH Libraries
The APH Barr Library supports research initiatives at APH, while the Migel Library is the largest collection of nonmedical information related to blindness in the world. Although the collections do not circulate, arrangements can be made to use the materials on site. In addition, an ongoing digitization effort means APH will continue to make materials available through the online catalog at http://migel.aph.org.
From the Barr Library: Protection of Vision in Children—Arnall Patz and Richard E. Hoover, with contributions by Ruth L. Gottesman and Robert M. Worthington. Charles C Thomas, c1969.
Note: both Dr. Patz and Dr. Hoover have been inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Blindness Field
Although written from the point of view of medical professionals, this title also offers some interesting insights into the social and educational issues of the time. The book does deal with the more common vision disorders of childhood, but addresses them in terms of screening and early remediation programs, which the authors advocate for universal adoption. They also suggest that medical professionals should consider visual health as an issue from birth. A chapter on genetic screening talks about using the genetic history to mandate closer screening for early treatment without raising the specter of eugenics that might have been included in similar books written decades earlier.
The book also pushes forward the relatively new concept for the time that existing vision should be used and optimized where possible, and notes that any recommendations should be customized for the needs and comfort of the individual child. The social and emotional needs of the child and family are also addressed.
Although the scientific basis for this book may be dated, the compassion and social awareness of the authors would be absolutely on point today.
From the Migel Library: Seeing Beyond Sight: Photographs by Blind Teenagers—Tony Deifell. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2007.
Chronicling the experiences of Sound Shadows, a photography class conducted at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, North Carolina, Seeing Beyond Sight: Photographs by Blind Teenagers investigates the relationships between photography, education, and perception. Started as an after school photography club, Sound Shadows progressed from the basic premise of teaching students with a range of visual impairments how to use cameras to becoming a valuable tool in supporting the school's reading and writing curriculum. Categorized in five thematic chapters, student photography is featured with captions coming from teaching notes, memories, taped interviews, and writing assignments.
One project participant, who had been struggling with learning to read and write in braille, was a very active oral communicator. Through sharing her photographs and describing them in both oral and written language, she found the words to come much more easily. Subsequently her reading and writing improved. Another student made a deeper connection in his understanding of metaphors. After describing a dream in which he was ambling in a snow storm, he took a blurry picture of a descending staircase, a representation of the feeling he had in the dream. Seeing Beyond Sight provides just enough description and background to invite the reader into the students’ worlds while still allowing for one’s own interpretation of their photographic expressions.
Seeing Beyond Sight has ties to prior acquisitions held in the Migel. The foreword, written by Robert Coles, is adapted from School (Little, Brown, and Co, 1998), a photographic work featuring three Boston area schools, including the Perkins School for the Blind. References are also made to Shooting Blind (Aperture Foundation, 2002), which features adult photographers, as well as to George A. Covington, whose Let Your Camera Do The Seeing: The World's First Photography Manual for the Legally Blind (National Access Center, 1981) is also a part of the Migel collection.
Contact Library staff: library@aph.org, (800) 223-1839, ext. 705
APH Libraries News
APH recently made the catalog for the Barr Research Library available through the same website that hosts the Migel: http://migel.aph.org, creating an easier search experience for APH researchers.
While digitization of the collection will be an ongoing effort, we are especially excited that the Migel Library's Internet Archive page now contains every eligible APH document housed in the Library. Additionally, the Library and Museum have worked together to digitize a collection of APH Annual Reports spanning the years 1857 to 2010. The reports are an amazing look at APH history, including everything from company news, to "new" products, to showing some familiar faces. Shakespeare's King Lear, for example, was offered by APH for $2.50 in 1883. The title continues to be offered by APH today. Of special note is the 1949–1951 volume of the Annual Reports. Included in those years are illustrated "Story of APH" and "Tour Guide" pamphlets.
The Migel Library's Internet Archive page can be accessed at http://www.archive.org/details/aphmigel.
Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan Come to Life at APH!
On March 24th, the Museum at APH sponsored a reader's theater performance of "The Miracle Worker." William Gibson's 1957 play dramatizes the efforts made by Annie Sullivan, an 1886 graduate of the Perkins School for the Blind, to teach the blind-and-deaf Helen Keller how to communicate. Our reading of the play featured actors who are blind—some of them students at the Kentucky School for the Blind—reading the script in braille, without props, makeup, costumes, or stage sets. One of APH's acclaimed Talking Book narrators, Erin Jones, attended the performance, and offers the following review.
A Wonderful Reminder: An Informal Review of William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker
Kentucky School for the Blind students Donnie Risner (Jack), Mari Durrett (Beatrice), Jolean O’Connell (Dora), and APH Vice President Gary Mudd (Michael Anagnos) concentrate on their roles during act one of
The Miracle Worker. Photo credt: Nolan Hulsey
Pam Cox opened the recent reader's theatre presentation of William Gibson's The Miracle Worker at the Museum at APH by admitting that she had reservations. She said she feared a "sappy" factor. She said they re-termed the play a comedy. She was right. Why a comedy? Partly because the opening of the play featured the comedic teeth of Dave Trevino as the father of Helen Keller. He was an audience favorite and helped give a strong start to the presentation. Guided by Katie Carpenter's excellent direction, he went through a transformational arc from bombastic former Civil War leader to sensitive father who truly loves his daughter.
More humor was provided by Shane Lowe as James Keller. We got to watch, through his quiet, sly delivery, a boy grow into man. Lowe's James was a voice of reason and humor. His scenes with Trevino were a delight and his willingness to look out for Helen’s true best interest was clear.
Kristi Sykes as Mrs. Keller was pitch perfect as dutiful wife and mother whose quiet strength helped her entire family accept help for Helen. You understand why, at a loss for how to reach Helen, she rewards her with candy and allows her to misbehave. You understand her internal conflict.
Laura Myers as Viney, a servant of the Keller family, and Aunt Ev, played by Janet Williams, nicely rounded out the family unit at Ivy Green. You felt this was a family with the storm of Helen at the center. Helen was communicated to us in stage directions read by Kathy Szinnyey who despite the ultimate length of the presentation was an excellent tour guide for the Keller world and kept things moving. The presentation was longer than expected, running at two and a half hours, but that was mostly due to audience reaction. Although I have seen the play and two movie versions, I really don't know WHERE one would cut it. Good things take time.
I was reminded what a great play it is, and not just because of Gibson's wonderful words or Helen’s amazing journey and contributions to the wider world. This is a great play because it is a tribute to Annie Sullivan, in this instance embraced by the marvelous Barbara Henning. She truly captured Annie's Irish grit and HUMOR. You understood that Annie's strength came in spite of her own troubled childhood in a poorhouse and the loss of a relationship with her own brother Jimmie, played sweetly by Michael Davis (he really did a lot with just a little). Henning's Annie stood her ground and courageously committed to the difficult work with Helen that needed to be done. This wonderful portrait of Annie Sullivan reminded me to be grateful of all teachers, in school or out.
We all, at various times in our lives, need to be REACHED. Helen's obstacles were greater than ours will ever be. But Annie Sullivan believed she could REACH her. Annie Sullivan worked, worked, worked to find the KEYS and in doing so found an experience of love herself that she greatly deserved. If she had given up, the wider world would never know Helen's story and Helen's reach would not have touched the American Foundation for the Blind, women's suffrage, the reproductive rights of women, the labor movement and the American Civil Liberties Union. Helen didn't do it alone. Nobody does.
Reading Promotion Partners at the Library of Congress
It Takes Teamwork! Kate Herndon (right) received and routed the email that led Becky Snider (left) to send
Goin' on a Bear Hunt—an APH project completed under the leadership of Suzette Wright (center)—to the nominating committee of the Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities.
Once again, The Center for the Book (CFB) of the Library of Congress hosted their annual, invitational forum on March 6. Approximately forty representatives of the Center's Reading Promotion Partners—national organizations that promote books, reading, and literacy—met in Washington, D.C., to present information about current projects, as well as exchange ideas that could lead to future collaboration.
When called upon to report about APH products and services that promote literacy for people who are blind and visually impaired, Becky Snider relayed information about APH's new partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, briefly explaining how APH is making this special collection of books accessible through braille translation and audio recordings.
It was at one of these meetings that APH caught the attention of another Reading Promotion Partner—the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). In fact, the group chose an APH book, Goin' on a Bear Hunt, to be included in their international project, the 2011 Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. Becky further announced that this exhibit of sixty award-winning books has been traveling the globe with an annotated catalog that explains the significance of tactile books in the development of a blind child's literacy skills. A copy of the book was donated to the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress, which has become a destination for thousands of tourists visiting the nation’s capital daily.
University of Northern Iowa Event
Workshop participants determine their dominant eye in an exercise
Field services representative Kerry Isham presented to a very enthusiastic group of students and professionals on March 3 at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. This workshop was part of APH's Collaborative Instructional Partnership (CIP) Program, and was initiated by Assistant Professor Dr. Susan Brennan. The presentation began with an overview of APH's Sensory Learning Kit and then focused on the Envision I and Envision II Kits, programs which systematically teach the use of distance and near magnification devices. The session included instructional videos, a quick "Jeopardy"-type game on vision terms, and group exercises arranged as stations, allowing participants to gain valuable hands-on experience with these products. Everyone’s eager participation helped make this day-long event interesting, useful, and enjoyable.
Focusing on Products in Massachusetts
Field services representative Kerry Isham provided an APH presence at the "Focus" on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference on March 14, in Norwood, Massachusetts. The purpose of the conference was to offer information to help meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and vision loss. Nearly 400 attendees had the opportunity to visit the APH tables and try-out products, ask questions, and discuss therapeutic and teaching strategies. Products of particular interest included the SMAll-in-One Board; Tactile Connections: Symbols for Communication; the CVI Complexity Sequences Kit; Fine Motor Development Materials: Twist, Turn and Learn; and the Tangle Toy.
Meet Our Executives in Residence!
Three APH Executives in Residence pose together at Annual Meeting 2009: Kay Ferrell, Phil Hatlen, and Jane Erin.
APH has launched a new web page devoted to our Executive in Residence program.
From time to time since 2005, APH has been privileged to host several luminaries in our field as Executives in Residence (EIRs), beginning with Dr. Cay Holbrook (University of British Columbia). Of the four EIRs to date, three are university professors who participated while on sabbatical, and one is a former university professor who retired as a residential school superintendent.
By being in residence at APH in Louisville, the executives have access to APH facilities, resources, and staff. In turn, APH staff members have a unique opportunity to interact with and learn from seasoned professionals. We are grateful for the generosity of EIRs in sharing their expertise with APH.
Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2011 Now Available
We have published our latest corporate Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2011, which contains a wealth of information related to our previous fiscal year, October 1, 2010 - September 30, 2011. The report contains such items as an executive summary by president Tuck Tinsley, a photo memory album from Annual Meeting 2011, the reports of the Ex Officio Trustee Advisory Committees, data concerning the distribution of students eligible for Federal Quota funds and the agencies that receive Quota funds, and APH fundraising information.
In order to continue to shepherd APH's funds, we are publishing this report online-only for fiscal year 2011, discontinuing the print edition report.
APH Shopping Site Showcases Teacher's Articles
For those seeking a hands-on explanation about some of APH’s products, author and teacher Kristie Smith is a well-versed and enthusiastic resource. Smith has been an educator for nearly thirty years and teaching children with visual impairments is her passion. Her literary output includes the Abby Diamond series of children’s detective mysteries, and Dottie and Dots See Animal Spots, which is a fun introduction to the braille alphabet.
Recently, the Fred's Head from APH blog has benefited from her articles about experiences she’s had using a wide variety of APH products in the classroom. Her inventive suggestions and insight are also now featured prominently in several product listings on the APH Shopping Site. We are grateful to Kristie Smith for taking the time to share her experience with us!
A few product listings featuring Smith's articles include the following (articles appear at the bottom of page):
"Like" APH at Our Facebook Page!
We invite you to visit our Facebook page and "Like" us! You can find APH at these social media sites: Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and at our blog, Fred's Head from APH.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Printing-House-for-the-Blind/122879984400686
APH Welcomes New Ex Officio Trustees
Rosa M. Gomez, the Orientation Center for the Blind in California, replacing Henry Leng.
Karen Olson, the Board of Education and Services for the Blind in Connecticut, replacing Jeanette Haines.
APH Travel Calendar
April
April 2, 2012
St. Bernard Disability Awareness Workshop;
Louisville, KY
April 2-5, 2012
ESAC Committee Meeting;
at APH in Louisville, KY
April 10, 2012
CIP Event: University of Arizona-Tucson APH Overview & Product Training;
to be held at the University of Arizona-Tucson's College of Education in Tucson, AZ
April 11-14, 2012
CEC 2012;
Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO
April 17, 2012
Fayette County Transition Workshop;
North East Christian Church in Lexington, KY
April 18, 2012
Webcast: Digital Lightbox Product Training;
presented from APH in Louisville, KY, in conjuction with EOT Kim Stiles in New Hampshire
April 20, 2012
Vanderbilt Faculty and Student Site Visit to APH;
Louisville, KY
April 21, 2012
Indiana School for the Blind Spring Conference;
Indianapolis, IN
April 22-26, 2012
EPAC Committee Meeting;
at APH in Louisville, KY
April 23, 2012
AAP Rights Permissions Advisory Committee;
NYU Kimmel Center in New York City, NY
April 25, 2012
NIP Event: Adapted PE;
Baltimore, MD
April 26-28, 2012
AOTA;
Indianapolis, IN
April 26-28, 2012
NBA Spring 2012 Professional Development Conference;
St. Louis, Missouri
April 28, 2012
Early Connections Family Conference: Taking Care of Our Children – Taking Care of Ourselves;
to be held at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA
May
May 3-5, 2012
AFB Leadership Conference/Florida AER;
to be held at Tradewinds Island Resort located at St. Pete Beach, FL
May 4, 2012
Webcast: BookPort Product Training;
presented from APH in Louisville, KY, in conjunction with EOT Kim Stiles in New Hampshire
May 9-11, 2012
Training the Trainers: Teaching and Supporting Users of Access Technology;
NFB Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, MD
May 17, 2012
CIP Event: APH Product Training at California State University;
Huntington Beach, CA
May 26, 2012
APH Product Demonstration: Diversity at University Hospital;
Louisville, KY
June
June 7, 2012
CIP Event: University of South Carolina;
Spartanburg, SC
June 14, 2012
Webcast: Refreshabraille Product Training;
presented from APH in Louisville, KY, in conjunction with EOT Kim Stiles in New Hampshire
June 14-15, 2012
NIP Event: Adaptive PE with Lauren Lieberman;
North Carolina
June 15-16, 2012
CVI – Visions of Change Conference;
to be held at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in Pittsburgh, PA
June 15-17, 2012
Family Café, The 2012;
Hilton Orlando in Orlando, FL
June 18, 2012
CIP Event: North Carolina Central University;
Durham, NC
June 22, 2012
Western Michigan University Product Showcase;
Kalamazoo, MI
June 25-29, 2012
Building on Patterns: Planning the Next Phase;
at APH in Louisville, KY
June 26, 2012
2012 National Conference on Student Assessment: Learning, Instruction, and Assessment for the Next Decade;
to be held at the Hilton Minneapolis in Minneapolis, MN
June 28-July 1, 2012
Visions 2012 National Conference;
Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, MN
June 30 – July 5, 2012
NFB 2012;
Dallas, TX
July
July 7-14, 2012
ACB 2012;
Galt House in Louisville, KY
July 11, 2012
Webcast: Presentation on Technology Products in Collaboration with Hadley School for the Blind and APH;
from APH in Louisville, KY
July 17-22, 2012
AER International Conference 2012;
Bellevue, Washington
July 27-29, 2012
Families Connecting with Families;
to be held at the Boston Marriott Newton in Newton, MA
August
August 20-23, 2012
Blinded Veteran's Association 67th National Convention (BVA 2012);
Galveston, TX
September
September 12-15, 2012
Envisions 2012 Conference;
at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in St. Louis, MO
September 18-19, 2012
Kentucky Office for the Blind Assistive Technology Expo and Conference 2012 AT Odyssey “A New Vision”;
to be held at The Galt House in Louisville, KY
September 21-22, 2012
NIP Event: Adapted PE partnered with EOT Meg Stone and The Kentucky School for the Blind;
Bowling Green, KY
September 29, 2012
2012 Indiana Vision Expo;
at the Indiana State Library, IN
APH Spring Fever Sale
Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH's Spring Fever Sale 2012, April 1—June 30. As always, first come, first served.
www.aph.org/products/springfever.html
NEW! Test Ready: Plus Reading
Book 3, Teacher Guide:
Book 3, Student Book:
Book 4, Teacher Guide:
Book 4, Student Book:
Note: Test Ready: Plus Reading grades 5–8 and Advanced (High School) available soon.
This test prep series offers practice for today's standards-based assessments for grade levels 3 through 12.
Test Ready®: Plus Reading provides preparation and review, in as little as two weeks before testing day. It also provides a program of instruction and remediation.
Students practice test-taking skills for:
- Recalling information
- Constructing meaning
- Evaluating literary forms
- Interpreting fact & opinion
- Evaluating & extending meaning
Test Ready: Plus Reading is a review program that provides practice in test-taking skills in reading comprehension and open-ended writing tasks.
In just 14 days, students can be test ready with:
- Timed pretest to diagnose skills gaps
- Standards-based skill-specific lessons
- Timed mixed-practice post-test, mirroring pretest to show growth
Accessible Formats
The APH Teacher Guides and Student Books are available in several accessible formats, so that the entire class can work on math together in a multi-media approach. The large print and braille editions include a CD with an .html file and a Digital Talking Book (DTB) file with built-in player.
The large print student edition includes a specially formatted large print answer document. However, it is recommended that each student have a book in his or her preferred reading medium, and should feel free to mark answers in the test books. Used this way, the student books become consumable items.
Note: Copies of regular print Teacher Guides and Student Books are available from the publisher at: Curriculum Associates, Inc., 153 Rangeway Road, North Billerica, MA 01862-0901, 800-225-0248, Fax: 800-366-1158, www.curriculumassociates.com
COMING SOON! Test Ready: Language Arts
NEW! Building on Patterns: Primary Braille Literacy Program: Second Grade Level: Unit 4 Kit
Print Kit: 8-78470-U4 -- $199.00
Braille Kit: 6-78470-U4 -- $199.00
Replacement Items
BOP Second Grade Unit 4 Teacher's Edition:
Print: 8-78471-U4 -- $89.00
Braille: 6-78471-U4 --$89.00
Second Grade Unit 4:
- Student Textbook: 6-78473-U4 -- $32.00
- Consumable Unit Assessment Packet (print & braille): 8-78476-U4 -- $37.00
- Lesson Monitoring Sheets (print & braille): 8-78473-U4 -- $32.00
- Worksheets Pack: 6-78474-U4 -- $23.00
"Just for the Fun of It"
Building on Patterns (BOP) is a complete primary literacy program designed to teach beginning braille users all language arts -- reading, writing, and spelling.
Note: Building on Patterns: Second Grade replaces Patterns Second and Third Reader Levels.
The Building on Patterns series addresses phonemic awareness (ability to hear and interpret sounds in speech), phonics (the association of written symbols with the sounds they represent), comprehension, fluency, and oral vocabulary, all of which have been identified as important for reading instruction.
This program also addresses specific skill areas needed by the child who is blind, such as language development, sound discrimination, tactual discrimination, and concept development. Braille contractions are introduced from the beginning along with sound and letter associations. Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) skills such as using tactile graphics and technology are also included.
New Features
- Timed reading in each lesson
- Simplified lesson-monitoring sheets
- More independent reading suggestions
- Spelling Dictionary
- Quick Read for silent reading and reading comprehension practice
BOP Second Grade includes more worksheets, part-word braille contractions and other remaining literary contractions and symbols and rules for using them, emphasis on syllables and multisyllabic words and the effect of certain letter combinations on vowel sounds, and the foreign origin of at least one spelling word in each lesson.
Prerequisite: Building on Patterns: First Grade or equivalent skills.
Recommended Ages: 7 to 8 years
New Downloadable Manual Available
Get the manual you need instantly! APH offers a selected list of product manuals available for free download (www.aph.org/manuals/). You may print or emboss these as needed. We will continue to package hard copies of these manuals with their products and sell hard copy replacements.
Newly added manuals include:
- ToAD: Teacher's Guidebook, Braille
APH offers a number of recreational books in braille (Quota funds can be used). Each of these titles was originally transcribed and produced by APH for the National Library Service which has graciously granted permission for this offering. As usual, these titles have been added to the APH Louis Database where you can find thousands of titles produced in accessible formats.
Note: all books are produced upon receipt of orders, therefore, please allow several weeks for delivery.
Hairy Hezekiah
by Dick King-Smith: T-N1832-60 -- $12.00
Looking for a friend, Hezekiah, a lonely camel, escapes from a zoo in England one night. He crashes through hedges and fences until some cows point him toward a safari park owned by a bushy-bearded gentleman, who figures out a way to help Hezekiah. Grades 2-4. *(AR QUIZ #118927, BL 5.1, Pts. 1.0)
Heart of a Shepherd
by Rosanne Parry: T-N1832-30 -- $29.50
Eleven-year-old Ignatius Alderman, called "Brother", promises to keep his family's Oregon ranch just as it is until his father returns from the war in Iraq. Brother's Quaker grandparents and his own Catholic faith help him face new challenges, like a wildfire that threatens the ranch. Grades 5-8. *(AR Quiz # 128015, BL 5.2, Pts. 5.0)
Winning Chess Openings
by Bill Robertie: T-N1386-90 -- $34.50
Explains the twenty-five essential chess openings from the standard King's Pawn to the counterattacking half-open defenses. Discusses each approach and the thought processes involved from "both white's and black's perspectives, and the possibilities of moves and their strengths (and weaknesses) fully played out."
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
by James Joyce: T-N1833-50 -- $70.50
Largely autobiographical novel portrays the Irish childhood, adolescence, and early manhood of Stephen Dedalus. Stephen's growing self-awareness as an artist forces him to reject the narrow world in which he has been brought up. Fiction.
Clean Cut: An Ann Travis Mystery
by Lynda La Plante: T-N1831-50 -- $119.00
As Anna Travis begins questioning her live-in relationship with sloppy, selfish Detective Chief Inspector Langton, he is badly injured. While Langton recovers enough to track his assailant, Travis works a connected case and, still worried about Langton, secretly tries to do some of his legwork. Violence and strong language. Adult Reader.
*Accelerated Reader quiz number, book level, and point value. For more information on the Accelerated Reader program, see the January 2006 APH News or www.renlearn.com/ar/
