APH News

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

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

• Spring Fever Sale
• Refreshabraille 18
• FVLMA Protocols, Large Print
• APH InSights Large Print/Braille 2010 Calendar
• SQUID Tactile Activities Magazine, Issue 6
• APH Braille Book Corner

Advisory Committee Guides APH Product Efforts

The Educational Products Advisory Committee (EPAC), one of two standing Ex Officio Trustee advisory committees, met in Louisville May 10-14. Committee members in attendance (as pictured) included alternate Dean Stenjehem (WA), Stacy Grandt (WI), Chair Jim Downs (GA), Suzanne Dalton (FL), Marty McKenzie (SC), and Nancy Niebrugge (CA). Members Jim Oldham (TN) and Steven Rothstein (MA) were unable to attend.

While at APH, the committee members met with staff to hear reports on the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), Accessible Textbooks, Accessible Tests, Educational Research, the new APH shopping website, activities surrounding the APH appropriation and more. As always, a highlight for the committee was their opportunity to spend extensive time with the Educational Research Project Leaders in individual and small group discussions to learn about ongoing and upcoming product ideas and development. The group also reviewed a number of products for approval for purchase with Federal Quota funds. The committee provided a draft report of commendations for work accomplished over the past year and recommendations for the upcoming year.

APH thanks each of the committee members for their dedication to and support of APH. Their willingness to take time away from their daily jobs to meet with us and provide their good counsel is much appreciated.

Thanks, EPAC, for an outstanding job!

New Infomercial Now Available at APH Products

A new audio enhanced PowerPoint presentation, The APH Perkins Brailler Quickstart Instructions, is now available on the APH website under the heading of Products. This joint effort of Perkins and APH is designed to assist you in understanding the operating differences between the "Classic" Perkins brailler and the new Perkins/APH "Next Generation" brailler.

We hope this brief presentation gives you just the right information to have the most successful experience with this exciting new product.

Stay tuned for announcements regarding the availability of this new, and already improved, Perkins/APH Brailler.

Patrick Henry Hughes Charms and Entertains Large APH Audience

Louisville marching musician Patrick Henry Hughes and his family made an appearance at the Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind on Saturday, May 23rd as part of the museum’s annual Bards & Storytellers Series. Hughes, who has received considerable national attention, is a member of the University of Louisville marching band. His story was first picked up in Sports Illustrated, and later on ABC’s World News Tonight and ESPN’s College Game Day. His fame was taken to the next level when his family appeared on ABC’s Extreme Make Over: Home Edition in 2007. For Bards & Storytellers, Hughes played and sang several of his favorite songs, and was interviewed about his life, education, and dreams for the future by folklorist Sarah Milligan. Milligan is head of the oral history program at the Kentucky Historical Society. Patrick Henry’s father, Patrick John Hughes, and the audience joined the discussion at points. An interesting note, Patrick Henry’s first piano teacher, Deanna Scoggins, is currently a consultant in the APH Educational Research Department, after a long career at the Kentucky School for the Blind. Don’t miss the final Bards & Storytellers program for 2009, featuring deafblind storyteller Jag Einhorn at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 20th. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended. Call 800/223-1839, ext 365 for details.

Did you know…

that APH "intentions" to produce new braille and large print textbook are listed in the APH Louis Database? Be sure to check Louis before ordering your 2009-2010 school year textbooks! http://louis.aph.org

Please note that APH braille and large print textbook intentions are not listed on the APH eCommerce site (http://shop.aph.org) because they cannot be ordered online prior to production.

Summer Workshop Rescheduled for Fall 2009

In our March 2009 APH News, a workshop on "Administering and Scoring the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement for Braille Readers" was announced. This workshop was planned for August 28-29, 2009. It is being rescheduled for Fall 2009. The new date will be announced in our July 2009 APH News as well as being posted on our website. We appreciate your continuing interest in this workshop and apologize for any inconvenience this change of plans may cause. Please visit sites.aph.org/tests for updated information or contact Rachel Goodman (rgoodman@aph.org) or Debbie Willis (dwillis@aph.org) in Accessible Tests.

New Opportunity for Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired: An Online Employment Preparation Program

Attention seniors or recent graduates from high school OR seniors or recent graduates from college who want a job. Mississippi State has a program for you that is being offered online, and it’s free! We know that youth who are blind or visually impaired often have difficulty finding employment, and we want to help by providing a program that specifically focuses on identifying the right job for you and the steps to take to find that job. The program will last 8 weeks, beginning in the Fall of 2009 or the Winter of 2010.

Interested? Please contact the Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University at their website–http://www2.blind.msstate.edu, or contact Lynda Goleman at 800/675-7782 or lgoleman@colled.msstate.edu

MaximEyes Helps Real Students in the Classroom

Here’s a heartfelt letter from student Emily’s mother, Sue Eagle, shortly after Emily received the MaximEyes Video Magnifier from APH.

My daughter, Emily, is a proud user of the MaximEyes CCTV. We are just so impressed with your product! The technology and ease of use far surpasses our wildest dreams, and Emily has just blossomed since getting the MaximEyes in her classroom. All we can say is, "Oh my goodness!" We were blown away and know that this [the remote camera] will only help Emily feel more immersed in her classroom and see things all the other kids can see like posters and even what the teacher writes on the board or [what is on the] overhead projector, things she could not see before. Emily is a bright young lady and the MaximEyes with the camera now gives her all the tools she needs to excel even more to get the most out of her school experience. She now truly feels like she is a part of the class and not on the outside "looking" in. …Your life’s work is opening up the world to a sweet young lady and we truly appreciate you and your company…from the bottom of our hearts. I have attached a photo of Emily [using] her MaximEyes and you can see the joy on her face!

MaximEyes Features:

• PenTracker for improved writing capability
• Access to remote audio-video presentations through the provided inputs
• Optional Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera for viewing distance information
• Mouse control of the camera movement, magnification, and more
• No more X-Y table!

MaximEyes Video Magnifier: 1-03915-00– $3,495.00

Two Legends to Enter the Hall of Fame in 2009

The Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field, founded in 2001, belongs to the entire field of blindness. It is dedicated to preserving the tradition of excellence manifested by specific individuals through the history of outstanding services provided to people who are blind or visually impaired in North America. The Hall is guided by a nine member Governing Board.

To date, forty-two outstanding professionals who made significant contributions to the field of blindness have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Now joining those legends are two remarkable individuals who will be inducted on Friday evening, October 16, 2009 during a ceremony that will be held in conjunction with APH’s Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests, at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Class of 2009:

• Euclid Herie

  

  Dr. Euclid Herie exhibited tremendous leadership and vision as President of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and as President of the World Blind Union. This inspiring and committed leader has continued to exemplify his strong advocacy for braille by establishing, in his retirement, a foundation to help implement braille literacy programs in developing countries. Dr. Herie has received many honors, including his 2001 appointment as CNIB President Emeritus. In 2002 he received AER’s Ambrose M. Shotwell Award. Herie is also the recipient of the Queen’s 50th Anniversary Commemorative Medal and the Canadian Government’s prestigious Member of the Order of Canada.

  "Aside from his technical skills and brilliance as a public speaker, I value most highly his warmth of personality and ability to touch the lives of disempowered people." Dr. William Rowland

  
  

• Dean Tuttle

  

  Dr. Dean Tuttle served as the innovative Principal of the California School for the Blind before joining the faculty of the University of Northern Colorado where he created one of the finest, most respected teacher preparation centers in visual impairment in the country. His 58 publications include the classic text, Self-Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness, co-authored with his wife Naomi. Honors and awards include APH’s Wings of Freedom (2004), AFB’s Migel Medal (2000), and CEC/DVI’s Distinguished Service Award (1991).

  "We should all be thankful that Dean Tuttle is blind. For in being blind, he has given us a legacy of insight and self examination that has provided new understandings about the children we teach." Dr. Kay A. Ferrell

Additional information regarding the 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will soon appear on the APH website, archive.aph.org.

Visit the Hall of Fame website at archive.aph.org/hall_fame/ for information on the Hall and those inducted.

Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field is a project of the entire field of blindness, curated by the American Printing House for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

APH Trustee is Honored with TWO Major Awards

South Dakota School for the Blind Superintendent and Lions Club Member Marjorie Kaiser recently received the Lions International Presidential Medal, the second highest award given by Lions Club International. Marje was also the recent recipient of the Gus Zachte Memorial Award of the South Dakota Association of the Blind.

Congratulations, Marje, on these amazing acknowledgements of your accomplishments and dedication to improving opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired.

APH Travel Calendar

June

June 4, 2009
Kentucky Baptist Association;
St. Matthews Baptist Church in Louisville, KY

June 4-5, 2009
Annual Technology Symposium in Alabama;
Talladega, AL

June 5, 2009
Rights and Permissions Advisory Committee (RPAC) Meeting at New York University;
New York, NY

June 6, 2009
AAP Rights Permissions Advisory Committee Meeting;
New York, NY

June 6, 2009
KSB Alumni Association Event;
KSB, Louisville, KY

June 14-16, 2009
Ex Officio Trustee (EOT) Training;
APH in Louisville, KY

June 19-20, 2009
Braille Challenge;
Los Angeles, CA

June 21-24, 2009
CCSSO: 2009 National Conference on Students;
Los Angeles, CA

June 22-24, 2009
Building on Patterns Writing Group;
APH in Louisville, KY

June 26-27, 2009
Texas Parent to Parent "Many Hearts, Shared Dreams, One Voice";
Austin, TX

July

July 1-3, 2009
NEA Expo 2009;
San Diego, CA

July 3-8, 2009
NFB 2009;
Detroit City

July 4-10, 2009
ACB 2009;
Orlando, FL

July 17-19, 2009
National Family Conference: Families Connecting with Families;
Costa Mesa, CA

July 19-22, 2009
OSEP Project Directors Conference;
Washington, DC

July 20-25, 2009
AHEAD 2009;
Louisville, KY

August

August 1, 2009
Aniridia 2009 "Make A Miracle" Medical Conference and Low Vision Exhibits;
Bloomingdale, IL

August 18-22, 2009
BVA 2009;
Portland, OR

August 20-22, 2009
Discovery 2009 Low Vision Conference;
Chicago, IL

September

September 9-12, 2009
Envision Conference; Westin Riverwalk Hotel;
San Antonio, TX

Fixed! Temporary Problem with a Few Products Using APH Shopping Quick Order

Our customers who order large volumes of products often use APH’s Quick Order feature, which can be found by clicking the link in the dark grey header bar on our shopping site.

We were having a temporary problem with a small group of products if they were entered on the Quick Order page. This problem has been resolved. Please be aware that there are certain APH products that cannot be ordered over the web, such as the Impressor, software downloads, or some warranties. The main product page for these items contains a message stating that the product requires special handling and you must call customer service.

We welcome your feedback on our new shopping site.

Spring Fever Sale

Explore a world of savings on selected APH products with APH’s Spring Fever Sale 2009, April 1 – June 30. As always, first come, first served. archive.aph.org/products/springfever.html

NEW! Refreshabraille 18

1-07445-00 — $1,695.00 plus shipping

Additional Shipping and Insurance Charge: All shipments will include actual UPS shipping rates based on the point of destination.

Note: The Refreshabraille 18 IS available with Quota funds.

Optional Item:
One-Year Extended Warranty: 1-07446-00 — $250.00
— Must be purchased within 90 days of purchasing the Refreshabraille 18.

Related Products:
Braille+ Mobile Manager: 1-07450-01 — $1,395.00
Braille+ QWERTY Docking Station: 1-07452-00 — $600.00

Refreshabraille 18™ from APH is an ideal refreshable braille display and braille keyboard for mobile devices such as notebooks, mobile phones, and PDAs. This small, hand-held unit connects to your mobile device via USB cable or wireless Bluetooth®. Supports common screen readers like Window-Eyes® and JAWS® for the PC and Talks® and Mobile Speak® for mobile phones and PDAs. It combines an elegant design, reliability, and ease-of-use with a rugged metal case.

Features:

• 18 eight-dot braille cells
• 18 cursor routing keys
• Eight-dot braille keyboard input
• Forward and back scroll buttons
• Five-position joy stick
• Auxiliary space bar
• USB or wireless Bluetooth connectivity
• Protected USB charging port
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (not user-replaceable)
• Long battery life
• Reversible operation (operate with braille cells away from you or flip so they are close)

Includes:

• Refreshabraille 18 display unit
• USB Cable
• CD-ROM
• Quick Start, print
• Quick Start, braille
• One-year limited warranty

Dimensions: The Refreshabraille 18 measures only 5.1 x 3.5 x 1 inches.

Refreshabraille, like a computer’s monitor and keyboard, is a device designed to be used with other equipment. Refreshabraille provides the display and keyboard for that other device. Therefore, you must connect Refreshabraille to the device you plan to use. Whether that device is a cell phone, PC, or APH’s own Braille+ Mobile Manager, every effort has been made to make the process simple, reliable, and trouble-free. Be aware, however that the device you plan to use must have software running on it that has the ability to communicate with a braille display. In the case of your PC, that software is the screen reader program, like JAWS® or Window-Eyes®. For phones and off-the-shelf PDAs, screen reader software like Mobile Speak® or Talks® is required. Accessible devices like Icon and Braille+ already have software (as of version 2.0) that integrates with the display.

Refreshabraille 18 Extended Warranty Available!

Your Refreshabraille 18 unit includes a limited warranty against manufacturer defects for one year from date of purchase. An APH Extended Warranty Protection Plan is available to protect you from costly repairs for one additional year. ACT NOW! IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACT NOW BEFORE THE END OF YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS OF OWNERSHIP.

NEW! FVLMA Protocols, Large Print: 7-96154-00 — $45.00

A part of the NEW Functional Vision and Learning Media Assessment Kit: 7-96151-00 — $67.00

Functional Vision and Learning Media Assessment, written by Rebecca Burnett, Ed.D., and LaRhea Sanford, Ed.D., has been revised and made an APH product. This assessment tool helps practitioners gather, store, track, and analyze information regarding students’ functional vision and appropriate learning media.

FVLMA is a user-friendly instrument that provides a framework for the systematic assessment of a student’s visual functioning and needs for adapted educational media. Although not a standardized test, FVLMA has been peer-reviewed by experts in the field of blindness and field tested by teachers and students.

Kit Includes:

• Practitioner’s Guidebook
• CD-ROM containing HTML and .brf files
• An expanded core curriculum
• An expanded core curriculum screening record
• If/Then Chart
• Resource List
• Protocols:
  • Learning media assessment
  • Functional vision and learning media interviews and observations
  • Functional vision assessment
  • Functional vision and learning assessment media report

Recommended ages: For students who are pre-academic or academic in grades K-12.

NEW! APH InSights Large Print/Braille 2010 Calendar: 5-18971-10 — $7.50

Note: The APH InSights Art Calendar MAY be purchased with Federal Quota funds; however, quantity purchases of this calendar for fund-raising purposes MAY NOT be purchased with Quota funds.

This twelve month large print/braille calendar features the artwork of visually impaired artists. Includes months, days, holidays, and moon phases. Use at a desk or hang on a wall. Pages fold over easily.

Makes a Great Fund-Raiser!

Art calendars can be purchased in quantities at a special price for fund-raising projects. Your group’s name can be printed and brailled on a special version of the cover Fund-raising questions and orders should be directed to APH’s Contract Administration Office, 1-800-223-1839.

NEW! SQUID Tactile Activities Magazine, Issue 6: 1-08862-06 — $53.00

SQUID Tactile Activities Magazine contains fun activities that help students build and acquire skills that will enable them become more proficient tactile readers. The new SQUID, Issue 6 includes activities such as:

• Lucky Lady Bugs
• Piñata Party
• Snow Buddies
• Tricky Triangles
• On Top of Spaghetti
• Purr-fect Trap
• Star Maze
• Hot Air Balloon Coloring Page

Other Issues of SQUID Available:

Issue 1: 1-08862-01 — $49.00
Issue 2: 1-08862-02 — $51.00
Issue 3: 1-08862-03 — $58.00
Issue 4: 1-08862-04 — $55.00
Issue 5: 1-08862-05 — $72.00

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 approximately 8 weeks for delivery.

A True and Faithful Narrative
by Katherine Sturtevant: T-N1713-90 — $65.00
London, 1680s. Wooed by her friend’s brother Edward, sixteen-year-old Meg, the writer heroine of At the Sign of the Star, jokingly suggests he get himself captured by pirates. But she is chagrined when Edward is indeed taken prisoner and enslaved en route to Italy. Fiction, Grades 6-9. *(AR Quiz #104747, BL 5.9, Pts. 10.0)

Rowan Hood Returns: The Final Chapter
by Nancy Springer: T-N1668-30 — $30.50
Rowan Hood learns who murdered her mother, Celandine, and hunts for the killers with her outlaw band. When Rowan loses her gift for healing on the path of revenge, she must decide the kind of person she wants to be. Sequel to Wild Boy. Fiction, Grades 4-7. *(AR Quiz #89146, BL 5.6, Pts. 5.0)

Million Dollar Dilemma
by Judy Baer: T-N1634-50 — $82.50
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twenty-eight-year-old preacher’s daughter Cassia Carr inadvertently participates in an office lottery pool and wins twenty million dollars. When Cassia decides to donate her ill-gotten wealth, her neighbor Adam Cavanaugh, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and lapsed Christian, tries to convince her to contribute the money to impoverished Africans. Fiction.

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
by Nathaniel Philbrick: T-N1692-80 — $157.00
National Book Award-winner studies two generations of Pilgrims, from the original 102 passengers who arrived in 1620 to the handful of survivors of the 1675 King Philip’s War. Describes the initial storm-tossed voyage, starvation and disease in the wilderness, and the help–and duplicity–of the natives. Some violence. Non-Fiction-History.

Modigliani: A Life
by Jeffrey Meyers: T-N1662-00 — $91.00
Biography of Italian Jewish artist Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), who settled in Paris in 1906. Highlights his friendships with other artists including Pablo Picasso and poet Max Jacob, his many love affairs, the bohemian lifestyle that led to his early death, and his posthumous significance in the art world. Biography.

*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/