APH News: July 2012

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

Read on to learn about these new products – now available!

• APH Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Sale
• NEW! Building on Patterns: Second Grade, Unit 5
• Cases for Your Electronics: Protect Your Investment!
• Redesigned! MagneTachers Magnetic Labels for Making Braille/Large Print Labels
• NEW! Braille DateBook 2013
• NEW! Giant Textured Beads with Pattern Matching Cards
• APH Braille Book Corner

Announcing the APH Facebook "Like Us" Contest!

Win a $250 APH Gift Certificate!

Have you "Liked" the APH Facebook page? Like us by midnight, Friday October 12, 2012 and you will be entered in a random drawing for a $250 APH gift certificate! Everyone who has Liked our page by October 12 will be eligible for the drawing, subject to the official rules. Drawing will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2012 during the closing session of APH Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky (although we’d enjoy your participation in the meeting, you do not have to be present to win).

By Liking us on Facebook, you’ll get great information about APH products, services, and events, plus you may just win an APH gift certificate!

Challengers Rise To The Occasion

Sixty students from around the United States and Canada competed in the finals of the Braille Challenge® in Los Angeles June 22 – 23. These students and their families, teachers, and friends were treated to many exciting events over the course of the weekend, including the opportunity to visit the APH exhibit booth to check out our new products. Students and adults all enjoyed interacting with Tactile Town and Treks, and other favorites included Games for People with Sensory Impairments, the Refreshabraille 18, and the new MathBuilders unit on measurement and estimation.

Congratulations to all of the contestants, and especially to overall champion Rima Kaddoura of Calgary, Alberta, who took home the top prize. And a special thank you to Ex Officio Trustee Stuart Wittenstein and TVI Donna Wittenstein for their assistance with the APH booth!

Building on Patterns Continues the Journey

APH hosted the Building on Patterns (BOP) and Braille Literacy Summer Meeting June 25-29. Our BOP writers and APH staff met with braille literacy experts to discuss the latest topics and needs in braille literacy. Denise Amos from the Kentucky Department of Education led a presentation and discussion on the Common Core State Standards. Larry Marotta from McGraw-Hill presented the latest trends and future paths in education publishing.

Attendees discussed emergent literacy, multiple disabilities, dual-media learners, technology in education, common core standards and of course, future plans for Building on Patterns.

Early Childhood Focus Group To Meet At APH

The Early Childhood Project Leader is hosting a focus group at APH on August 5–7, 2012. The purpose of this focus group meeting is to identify products that APH might produce to sell on Quota in the future.

The focus group will discuss and prioritize product needs for children, ages birth to pre-k, who are blind and visually impaired. We certainly welcome product ideas from the field for the focus group to consider. Please use the New Product Idea Submission Form to submit an idea. The only idea that will not be considered is one that is not submitted!

If you have questions or comments, please contact Charles "Burt" Boyer, Early Childhood Project Leader. E-mail: bboyer@aph.org, or phone 800-223-1839, ext. 264.

Bill Beavin Puts APH on Firm Financial Footing!

Congratulations to APH Vice President and CFO Bill Beavin, recently honored as Kentucky Business First’s CFO of the Year in the small non-profit business category! We are proud and grateful to Bill for his fiscal leadership.

APH President Dr. Tuck Tinsley shares, “Bill brought a solid financial background to APH when he joined us in 1996. Not only did he immediately address fiscal shortcomings, he also provided guidance in restructuring our computer information technology, was a driver of APH’s successful continuous improvement program, and put strong inventory controls in place. Perhaps his greatest asset is being able to identify the critical issue when addressing opportunities or problems. His commitment to vision programs extends to his support of Visually Impaired Preschool Services and serving as the long-term Treasurer of the Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation.”

Preview the Business First article (full article requires subscription).

CVI Visions of Change

Approximately one hundred teachers, parents, and other professionals gathered at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in Pittsburgh June 15 – 16 for a conference offering a fresh look at students with cortical visual impairment. The event, a part of the School’s 125th Anniversary celebration, featured a dynamic keynote presentation by Jeni Stepanik, who touched the crowd with her message of hope. Additional presentations focused on medical aspects of CVI, intervention strategies and materials, messages from parents of students with CVI, and a variety of vendors, including APH. Highlights of the exhibit included the ToAD and Tadpole assessment kits, the Digital Lightbox Artwork, and the CVI Complexity Sequences kit.

Carolina on APH’s Mind!

As part of APH’s Collaborative Instructional Partnership (CIP) Program, field services representative Kerry Isham visited Spartanburg, South Carolina and Raleigh North Carolina in the month of June. On the 7th and 18th, Kerry presented to two very enthusiastic graduate classes in the field of vision and blindness. These CIP events, initiated by Drs. Tina Herzberg at the University of South Carolina Upstate and Beth Harris at North Carolina Central University, focused on APH products for the core curriculum and expanded core curriculum. The half-day workshops included hands-on time with APH products such as Tactile Town, the VisioBook, the 30-Love Tennis Kit, Sense of Science: Astronomy, Focus In Mathematics, and Life Science Tactile Graphics. Lots of fun and learning took place in the Carolinas as students eagerly listened, asked questions, and tried out products!

Bards and Storytellers at the APH Museum

The Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind announced its 2012 Bards and Storytellers series in February. Since 2006, Bards & Storytellers has celebrated entertainment industry traditions in the blind community and has featured acts as diverse as Bluegrass fiddler Michael Cleveland, Florida deaf/blind storyteller Jag Einhorn, and 70s rocker Turley Richards.

• July 28, 1-2:30 p.m. Join us for an afternoon with Enrique "Henry" Oliu, the Spanish-language color commentator for the Tampa Rays, who was featured in the 2009 documentary Henry O!.
• August 11, 1-2:30 p.m. Dan Kelley is the Director of the Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band, the only marching band of blind and visually impaired students in the world. Since its formation in 2005, the OSSBMB has become a national sensation, a result of its thirty-two members marching in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA. Join Kelley, the band’s founder Carol Agler, and a few former members of the band fresh from 2012 band camp as they relate this fabulous story of the power of music education.
• September 15, 2012, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Join us to celebrate the life and works of Maria Theresia Von Paradis, a performer, composer, and teacher, a contemporary of Mozart’s, blind since the age of three. Although largely forgotten now, von Paradis created a sensation in the eighteenth century wherever she performed.

For reservations, call Katie Carpenter at 502-899-2213.

Oldies but Goodies: The "Established" APH Product Series: Calendar Kits

APH has two available calendar kits recommended for use by students ages 4 through 10. Both of these products are available with Federal Quota funds.

The Classroom Calendar Kit contains a large wall calendar which introduces sighted and blind children to such concepts as measuring time; tracking left, right, top, and bottom; recording the weather; and recognizing and sequencing numerals. This kit includes a blue plastic month grid, large print/braille labels with an orientation corner cut (yellow labels for the year, month, and days of the week; white labels with numerals 1-31; and brightly-colored and embossed holiday and weather symbols). The instructions are provided in large print and on CD-ROM. This product is available in both English and Spanish.

The Individual Calendar Kit allows students to experience the fun and challenge of creating their own calendars. These calendars are inexpensive and consumable. The kit includes twelve brightly-colored embossed/bold line grid sheets, and paper labels showing the month, days of the week, and days of the month. Labels are marked in both large print and braille and are marked with an orientation corner cut.

PLEASE NOTE: Consideration is being given to modernizing these calendar products. If you have any suggestions or ideas that you would like to share, please send them directly to Burt Boyer, APH’s Early Childhood Project Leader, at bboyer@aph.org.

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.

Treasures from the APH Libraries

The APH Barr Library supports research initiatives at APH, while the Migel Library is one of 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.

Two of the many "Treasures from the APH Libraries" are described below.

From the Barr Library: Stanford, Charles W. Art for Humanity’s Sake: The Story of the Mary Duke Biddle Gallery for the Blind. Raleigh: North Carolina Museum of Art, 1976.

This book describes the development and evolution of a gallery dedicated to allowing blind persons to experience original fine art in the context of culture and history. The author, in his role as director of the North Carolina Museum of Art, had cooperatively participated in developing an art program for students at the nearby Governor Morehead School. The success and satisfaction of this work led to the concept of a permanent gallery, which was eventually funded by the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. The Gallery first opened in 1966. The collection includes periodic loans of original works from various sources, as well as its core materials. The book includes many fine quality black and white photographs of visitors enthusiastically enjoying the wide variety of pieces, as well as quotes showing how art affects everyone in different ways.

From the Migel Library: Abel, Georgie Lee, Philip H. Hatlen, and Berthold Lowenfeld. Blind Children Learn to Read. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas, 1969.

With the recent naming of Phil Hatlen to the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field, all three authors of this book are now Hall of Fame inductees. Released in 1969, this was the first work to deeply examine how children learn to read braille since Kathryn Maxfield’s book The Blind Child and his Reading was released in 1928. Based on the U.S. Office of Education’s Braille Reading Study, it filled a 40-year void on literature on the topic. In addition to the Study, chapters on the history of Braille, literature review, Braille promotion in an educational environment, teachers and Braille, and problems in Braille reading are included.

The Migel library holds a unique copy of the book with an inscription from all three authors that reads, "To Josephine Taylor—In appreciation for all you have done, and continue to do, for the education of blind children. Georgie Lee Abel, Berthold Lowenfeld, Phil Hatlen"

Phil Hatlen, an annotated bibliography of items available from the Migel Library

Abel, Georgie Lee, Philip H. Hatlen, and Berthold Lowenfeld. Blind Children Learn to Read. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas, 1969.
"The core of the book is the report of a study which explored the present status of Braille reading in local classes and residential schools for blind children… The book contains five more chapters which are essential for the purpose of giving as complete information as possible on the total challenge of teaching touch reading to blind children."

Bishop, Virginia E. Mini-steps and Milestones: A History of Services for Young Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired. Watertown, MA: Perkins School for the Blind, 2006.
Foreword to the book is written by Phil Hatlen.

Hatlen, Philip H. A Needs Assessment Study of Visually Handicapped Children, Youth, and Young Adults, Ages 0-25 in the Nine Bay Area Counties. San Francisco: Lighthouse for the Blind, 1979.
"The purpose of this study is to identify unmet needs for visually handicapped children… A second purpose is to assist the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind in identifying one or more areas of unmet needs… The third purpose is to assist other agencies who may be interested in initiating or expanding services to visually handicapped children…"

Hatlen, Philip H., ed. Proceedings of a Special Study Institute. Conference for Teachers of Deaf-Blind Children, Southwestern Region Deaf-Blind Center, Berkeley. Sacramento: California State Department of Education, 1971.
Introduction and "A Final Word" authored by Philip H. Hatlen.

Hatlen, Philip H., ed. Proceedings of the Special Study Institute. Effects of Pre-School Service for Deaf-Blind Children, Canterbury Hotel, San Francisco, California. San Francisco: Department of Special Education, State College, 1969.
Introduction, "Are We Honest with Parents," "Implication for Teacher Preparation," and "An Emerging Curriculum" authored by Philip H. Hatlen.

Hatlen, Philip H. "The Role of the Teacher of the Visually Impaired : A Self Definition." DVH Newsletter 23.22 (1978): 5+.
"There is an emerging concern in our profession, that we are just discovering some areas of educational need for the visually handicapped pupils. We are looking at the process of expanding our instructional responsibilities so that visually handicapped children are better prepared to be visually handicapped adults."

Holbrook, M. Cay, and Alan J. Koenig. Foundations of Education, Volume I, History and Theory of Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments. New York: AFB, 2000.
Chapter 1, "Historical Perspectives," is authored by Phil Hatlen.

Sacks, Sharon, and Rosanne K. Silberman. Educating Students Who Have Visual Impairments with Other Disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub., 1998.
Foreword authored by Phil Hatlen.

Contact Library staff: library@aph.org, 800-223-1839, ext. 705

New Video in the Virtual Hall Of Fame

The L O N G awaited 2005 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony of Bill English, William Hadley, Abraham Nemeth, and Max Woolly is now posted on the Hall site!

Take a look at this amazing and very enjoyable historic ceremony, facilitated by Tuck Tinsley and hosted by Bernadette Kappan. Beautifully done! (Click on "full screen" for ultimate viewing pleasure!)

Here is the link: http://sites.aph.org/hall/about/#2005

Thanks to APH’s Ricky Irvine for rediscovering, editing, and posting this important piece of our history. ENJOY!

VisioBook Video Now Available

APH’s in-house video production crew has just completed a 3-minute overview video about our amazing new VisioBook Portable Electronic Magnifier and Distance Viewer. The cast includes several APH staff members, including Will Evans, Products and Services Advisor, in a starring role! Thanks to everyone who helped create this video!

APH Welcomes New Ex Officio Trustees

Cindy Gibson, the Georgia Academy for the Blind, replacing Dorothy Arensman.

Stacy Grandt, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, replacing Daniel Wenzel.

APH Travel Calendar

July

July 7-14, 2012
ACB 2012;
Louisville, KY

July 11, 2012
Webcast: Presentation on Technology Products in Collaboration with Hadley School for the Blind and APH;
hosted from APH in Louisville, KY

July 12, 2012
Webcast: George Mason University Product Training;
hosted from APH in Louisville, KY

July 12-14, 2012
Audio Description Project Training;
Louisville, KY

July 13-14, 2012
NIP Event – SLK with Millie Smith;
Nashville, TN

July 17-22, 2012
AER International Conference 2012;
Bellevue, Washington

July 23, 2012
NIP Event: with Loana Mason, in conjunction with The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Raleigh, NC

July 23-24, 2012
Bias Review for Pearson/Kentucky Department of Education for Reading and Math;
Lexington, KY

July 27-29, 2012
Families Connecting with Families;
Newton, MA

August

August 1, 2012
APH Products for Daily Living; Product Training in conjunction with the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind;
Talladega, AL

August 6-10, 2012
Appropriation: Various Legislative Visits on Capitol Hill as scheduled;
Washington, DC

August 10, 2012
CIP Event: Portland State University;
Portland, OR

August 20-22, 2012
NIP Event: Overview of Math Tools, Materials, and Technology with Susan Osterhaus;
NY

September

September 12-15, 2012
Envisions 2012 Conference;
St. Louis, MO

September 18-19, 2012
Kentucky Office for the Blind Assistive Technology Expo and Conference 2012 AT Odyssey "A New Vision";
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 28, 2012
Human Development Institute: APH Products, Services, and Accessibility Workshop;
University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY

September 29, 2012
2012 Indiana Vision Expo;
Indiana State Library, IN

September 29-October 2, 2012
SOMA/COMA 2012;
Richmond, VA

October

October 17-19, 2012
APH Annual Meeting;
Galt House Hotel & Suites in Louisville, KY

APH Sizzlin’ Summer Savings

Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH’s Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Sale 2012, July 1—September 30. As always, first come, first served.

archive.aph.org/sale

NEW! Building on Patterns: Second Grade, Unit 5

Print Kit: 8-78470-U5 — $239
Braille Kit: 6-78470-U5 — $239

Replacement Items

Unit 5 Teacher’s Edition:

• Print: 8-78471-U5 — $109
• Braille: 6-78471-U5 — $109

Unit 5:

• Student Textbook: 6-78473-U5 — $17
• Consumable Unit Assessment Packet (print & braille): 8-78476-U5 — $37
• Lesson Monitoring Sheets (print & braille): 8-78473-U5 — $17
• Worksheets Pack: 6-78474-U5 — $69

Related Products

Building on Patterns: Second Grade, Unit 1:
Print Kit: 8-78470-U1 — $199.00
Braille Kit: 6-78470-U1 — $199.00

Building on Patterns: Second Grade, Unit 2:
Print Kit: 8-78470-U2 — $219.00
Braille Kit: 6-78470-U2 — $219.00

Building on Patterns: Second Grade, Unit 3:
Print Kit: 8-78470-U3 — $119.00
Braille Kit: 6-78470-U3 — $119.00

Building on Patterns: Second Grade, Unit 4:
Print Kit: 8-78470-U4 — $199.00
Braille Kit: 6-78470-U4 — $199.00

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
• More independent reading suggestions
• Simplified lesson monitoring sheets
• Quick Read for silent reading and reading comprehension practice
• Meet the Authors with information on the BOP writers in each unit

BOP Second Grade includes more worksheets, part-word braille contractions, and other remaining literary contractions and symbols, along with the rules for using them. The curriculum also emphasizes syllables and multisyllabic words, and the effect of certain letter combinations on vowel sounds. For optional map work, each lesson gives the foreign origin of at least one spelling word.

Prerequisite: Building on Patterns: First Grade or equivalent skills.

Recommended ages: 7 to 8 years and up.

Cases for Your Electronics: Protect Your Investment!

ON SALE! APH offers several sturdy cases to store, carry, and protect your valuable APH electronics. All three of these cases are on sale!

• Braille+ and Refreshabraille 18 Combo Carrying Case
• Braille+ Mobile Manager: Leather Carrying Case
• Handi-Cassette II Carrying Case

REDESIGNED! MagneTachers Magnetic Labels for Making Braille/Large Print Labels

1-07416-01 — $12.00

Related Products

MagneTachers Magnetic Labels For:

• Making Larger Print Labels: 1 inch high, 2 Rolls: 1-07418-00 — $14.95
• Making Small Braillable Labels: 2 Sheets, 18 labels per sheet: 1-07415-00 — $12.00

Two discontinued MagneTachers kits (1-07416-00 and 1-07417-00) have been combined and re-designed as 1-07416-01.

MagneTachers are magnetic labels that attach to metal objects, are easily removable, and re-attachable!

A few examples of use include

• Create, store, use, and reuse labels for canned goods
• Read, write, order, and re-order sets of words or numbers on a classroom magnetic board
• Make labels for metal desks and file drawers that everyone can read

The redesigned kit, MagneTachers for Making Braille/Large Print Labels, includes:

• Two MagneTacher rolls, each 120 inches long x 0.5 inches wide, and instructions in print and braille
• Write directly on the smear resistant paper side of the MagneTacher
• Emboss MagneTachers with braille labelers and slates with 1/2 inch wide alignment guides
• Braille on non-magnetic side of label; its white vinyl coating helps braille dots stay firm
• Cut label from the roll and place on metal surface

NEW! Braille DateBook 2013

1-07899-13 — $66.00

Optional Item

Additional Filler Paper and Tabs: 1-07897-00 — $11.00

Replacement Item

Calendar Pages, 2013: 1-07898-13 — $18.00

The Braille DateBook is an attractive planner-organizer designed specifically for braille users!

Keep track of appointments, addresses, family schedules, class assignments, and more with the Braille DateBook from APH. Use it at your desk or on the go; it is sturdy, compact, and fits in a backpack or briefcase.

Includes

• Binder
• Calendar pages
• Blank filler pages and blank tabs
• A Saddle-Shaped Stylus
• Print and braille tips pamphlet

Recommended ages: 11 years and up.

LATE ADDITION TO THE APH NEWS!
NEW! Giant Textured Beads with Pattern Matching Cards

1-03778-00 — $149.00

Replacement Items

• Giant Textured Beads: 1-03780-00 — $71.00
• Pattern Matching Cards: 1-03779-00 — $49.00
• Bead Stringer: 1-03790-00 — $4.25

These 12 large beads vary in color, shape, and texture and include Pattern Matching Cards and Sorting Trays.

The Pattern Matching Cards and accompanying sorting trays extend the usefulness of APH’s original Giant Textured Beads and encourage development of the following concepts and skills:

• Exploring and identifying shapes, textures, and colors
• Sorting and classifying by various attributes
• Recognizing, describing, repeating, extending, and creating patterns that are consistent with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards for Grades K-3
• Fine motor skills such as stringing beads or inserting beads and matching cards into sorting trays
• Vocabulary expansion related to shapes, textures, colors, and spatial concepts
• Interpreting tactile displays within a purposeful context

APH Braille Book Corner

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.

A Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson Burnett: T-N1885-90 — $61.50
In this Victorian story, India-born Sara Crewe arrives at Miss Minchin’s boarding school in London with beautiful clothes and the good manners of a real princess. But Sara’s life changes dramatically when she is suddenly left penniless. Grades 4-8. *(AR Quiz # 124, BL 6.0, Pts. 11.0)

Revolver
by Marcus Sedgwick: T-N1907-60 — $33.50
The Scandinavian Arctic, 1910. After fourteen-year-old Sig Andersson’s father Einar dies, a stranger arrives demanding that Sig and his sister return gold Einar allegedly stole during the Alaska Gold Rush a decade ago. Sig struggles with the dilemma of using Einar’s hidden revolver. Grades 6 and up. *(AR QUIZ # 136706, BL 5.2, Pts. 5.0)

Bit Literacy: Productivity in the Age of Information and E-Mail Overload
by Mark Hurst: T-N1907-30 — $60.00
Offers strategies for dealing with the barrage of information delivered through e-mails, the Internet, cell phones, and other digital devices. Describes ways to maintain an empty in-box, manage and prioritize to-do lists, organize and store digital photos, and work more productively with bits.

A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories
by Flannery O’Connor: T-N1906-90 — $64.00
Ten tales about southerners facing problems of salvation. In the title piece a sarcastic, self-centered grandmother reluctantly joins her son’s family on a trip to Florida and has a run-in with some dangerous men. Includes "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." Fiction.

Under the Dome
by Stephen King: T-N1867-80 — $303.00
The small town of Chester’s Mill, Maine, is faced with a big dilemma when it is mysteriously sealed off by an invisible and completely impenetrable force field. With cars and airplanes exploding on contact, the force field has completely isolated the townspeople from the outside world. Now, Iraq war vet Dale Barbara and a group of the town’s more sensible citizens must overcome the tyrannical rule of Big Jim Rennie, a politician bent on controlling everything within the Dome. Adult situations and strong language.

*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/