APH News

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

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

• APH Spring Fever Sale
• NEW! Test Ready: Language Arts
• NOW TWO WAYS TO PURCHASE! CVI Complexity Sequences eBook and Interactive Cards
• APH Braille Book Corner

A Special WELCOME from APH President Dr. Tuck Tinsley

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Craig Meador who joins us as the new Vice President of Educational Services and Product Development! This is a new title for the position previously held by Bob Brasher.

Craig comes to us from the state of Washington where he was employed as the Director of Outreach Services/State Vision Consultant. In that position, he served as the State Department’s APH Ex Officio Trustee and member of our Educational Products Advisory Committee (EPAC). Prior to that, he was Principal of the Washington State School for the Blind. All in all, he was with the state school for 24 years, beginning as a teacher.

We are very pleased that Craig has moved to Louisville to take on the important responsibilities of this position! (cmeador@aph.org)

Advice Comes Easily at APH

There are two standing Ex Officio Trustee Advisory Committees that provide ongoing advice and counsel to APH. The Educational Products Advisory Committee (EPAC) focuses their efforts on the development, production, delivery, and performance of APH products; the Educational Services Advisory Committee (ESAC) shares their wisdom regarding services provided in support of APH products.

Each spring the two committees come to Louisville to spend a number of days meeting with APH staff members to hear reports, engage in interactive dialogs, and provide APH with a written report of commendations and recommendations.

Again this year, the two committees traveled to Louisville at the same time for their meetings. On the first day, both committees met with APH staff to hear reports, hold discussions, and provide input on a variety of topics such as the REAL Plan, Accessible Textbooks, Accessible Tests, NIMAC, and more. Both committees had the opportunity to review the progress made by APH on their 2014 recommendations and to exchange ideas with APH staff.

The remainder of the agenda provided time for the committees to meet separately with key APH staff to discuss items of interest to their respective committees. EPAC members met with Project Leaders and others in the Research Department to learn about new and upcoming products and the processes involved in developing and producing APH products. ESAC met with staff from various departments to discuss training opportunities, the APH website and social media, customer relations, the APH libraries and more.

The committees each produced an outstanding report with generous commendations and thoughtful recommendations. We thank the dedicated members of EPAC and ESAC for their time and support!

1st Row, ESAC Committee: Karen Duffy (NE), Carolyn Lasater (UT), Jim Durst (IN), Karen Ross (MA), and Robin King (LA). 2nd Row, EPAC Committee: Collette Bauman (MI), Kristin Oien (MN), Eric Guillory (LA), Craig Meador (WA), Angyln Young (AR), Dorinda Rife (MA), and Madeleine Burkindine (KS).

Dr. Josh Miele Shares with APH Staff

We are excited that Dr. Josh Miele of the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center spent time at APH in May. Miele has worked on many projects at Smith-Kettlewell, including projects related to tactile maps, auditory displays, and crowd-sourced descriptive video.

Miele shared his thoughts with APH staff on a wide range of topics, including descriptive video, way finding, tactile graphics, and adult life, among others. Miele was our 2014 Annual Meeting keynote speaker and were delighted to have him back with us for fascinating roundtable discussions!

Beta Testers Needed for New App!

The Technology Product Research Department is looking for iPad users interested in beta testing our upcoming iOS Talking Typer app. The requirements to qualify as a tester are simple: 1) must have an iPad with iOS version 7.1 or above, 2) have or can install the TestFlight app, and 3) have an external keyboard that will provide the best experience (optional). If you meet these requirements and are interested in being a beta tester, download and complete the form located at archive.aph.org/research/aphfieldtestform.doc and return to: lzierer@aph.org. We appreciate your valuable input.

Sir Francis Campbell and Dr. Alan Koenig to be Inducted into the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field in 2015

The ceremony to induct Campbell and Koenig will take place on Friday evening, October 9, 2015, in conjunction with APH’s 147th Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Joining the 54 outstanding legends previously inducted, are these two remarkable figures who changed lives around the world. Their stories of accomplishment are powerful.

The Class of 2015

• Francis Joseph Campbell (1832–1914)

  

  Sir Francis Campbell’s service began as a music teacher and interim Superintendent of the Tennessee School for the Blind in 1850. In 1872, he established the Royal Normal College and Academy of Music for the Blind (RNC) in London where he served as Principal until retirement in 1912. His school was built on the belief that blind people can accomplish great things with good instruction. Today the school is known as the Royal National College and continues to be an extremely effective school and training program for people who are blind.

• Alan J. Koenig (1954–2005)

  

  Dr. Koenig revolutionized the way educational teams approach the decision regarding whether a student with low vision should begin reading and writing in braille, print, or a combination of braille and print. Prior to his landmark work on Learning Media Assessment (LMA), teachers and parents struggled with the decision of whether to teach a child braille or print. For the first time, teachers and parents had a systematic guide for gathering pertinent information and using that information to support ongoing educational decisions.

Additional information regarding the 2015 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 for information on the Hall and those inducted.

Fresh Insights from a Legend!

Josephine Taylor interviewed by Michael Bina, May 1987

For the first time, you can enjoy a never before published 1987 interview with Josephine L. Taylor, gently edited by the original interviewer, Michael Bina. This historic narrative provides the reader with a unique glimpse into the life and motivation of one of our most legendary figures. You will most assuredly enjoy and gain valuable insights from this fascinating find.

Our sincere gratitude to Dr. Bina for giving the Hall this amazing gift.

From the Field:

Today’s Students Provide Tomorrow’s Solutions: STEM Innovation Contest

Could your middle-school students and teachers use a Fab School Lab? Does your current lab include accessible tactile and/or audio-sound equipment, tools, materials and supplies such as talking computers equipped with refreshable braille displays, tactile graphic embossers, and tactile or talking thermometers/stopwatches? In an effort to support this priority, the Northrop Grumman Foundation is making five grants up to $100,000 available to schools that serve students in grades 5-8. See www.fabschoollabs.com for more information, complete rules, and details. June 12 is the deadline for submission—so act now! If you apply for and/or are awarded one of these grants, APH would appreciate hearing from you about your vision for an accessible Fab School Lab.

NAPVI International Family Conference

The National Association of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) is organizing a phenomenal conference program which is being held at the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind on July 10-12, 2015, in Chicago, IL. The NAPVI International Family Conference welcomes parents of children of all ages with visual impairments, blindness, and additional disabilities as well as siblings, extended family, and friends.

Features of this conference

• Interactive sessions and panel discussions to address parents’ needs
• Networking with other families and professionals
• Day program for children of all ages, including sports, recreation and arts activities
• Fun for the whole family with special receptions and events

APH will exhibit at this conference and Field Service Representative Monica Turner will present "Quick and Easy Expanded Core Curriculum." For more information about this conference, including the full program, schedules, the complete list of exhibitors, registration and travel information, please visit www.lighthouseguild.org/events/napvifamily2015 or contact Susan LaVenture, Executive Director NAPVI, at napvi@lighthouseguild.org or 800-562-6265.

BANA Meets in Boston; Welcomes New Officers and Perkins as New Member

Jennifer Dunnam, current chair; Mary Nelle McLennan, Vice Chair; and Frances Mary D’Andrea, past chair.

The Braille Authority of North America (BANA), which meets face-to-face semiannually, held its 2015 spring meeting May 7–9 in Boston, MA. National Braille Press (NBP) hosted the meetings, which were held in the Boston Symphony Orchestra building.

Items on the Board’s agenda included updates of BANA’s numerous ongoing projects and the implementation of Unified English Braille (UEB) as well as reports from all of BANA’s technical and general committees and task forces. The three-day agenda was filled with detail and deliberation.

The Perkins School for the Blind joined BANA as a full member in January 2015. Kim Charlson serves as the Perkins representative.

BANA officers for 2015 are Chair Jennifer Dunnam, representing the National Federation of the Blind; Vice Chair Mary Nelle McLennan, from the American Printing House for the Blind; Secretary Ruth Rozen, representing the Hadley School for the Blind; and Treasurer Jackie Sheridan, from National Braille Press. Frances Mary D’Andrea, representing the American Foundation for the Blind, happily serves at Immediate Past Chair!

A number of actions resulted from the recommendations of the various BANA committees. Among the approvals and decisions were the adoption of a Provisional Guidance for Transcribing Foreign Language Materials in UEB and a minor change to the Nemeth Code. These items are being prepared for distribution and will be available on the BANA website in the next few weeks.

You can follow the work of BANA by signing up for BANA-Announce, a one-way email list that disseminates news and information. To join this list, send a blank email message to bana-announce-subscribe@brailleauthority.org and follow the directions in the confirmation email that will be sent in response. You can also follow BANA on Facebook and Twitter!

Around the House:

Beth Gray

Jason Wilson

Welcome Elizabeth (Beth) Gray to the CTS Department. Beth is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and also studied in Osaka, Japan for a semester. She is skilled in the setup and maintenance of computer hardware and software as well as audio/video equipment.

Welcome Jason Wilson to the APH Braille Transcriber Apprentice Program. Jason comes to APH with Literary, Literary Proofreading, and Nemeth Certifications. He is making good progress with the UEB Code and Duxbury Translation Software.

Quick Tips Corner

Have you noticed how June is busting out all over? Did you happen to see that this is taking place all over the meadow and the hill? Have you observed that buds are busting out of bushes, and the rompin’ river pushes every little wheel that wheels beside the mill?

All allusions to Rodgers and Hammerstein aside, doesn’t all of this summer talk make you want to grill out and have pool parties and show APH Quick Tips on a giant outdoor screen while eating popcorn and s’mores? It certainly makes me feel that way!

And just in time, here are the latest four brief, APH-centric videos that are must-see Quick Tips for ANY summer movie night!

• EOT Duties, Part III – Find out yet more responsibilities of APH Ex Officio Trustees.
• EOT Duties, Part IV – The duty of APH Ex Officio Trustees to maintain effective communication with those who serve registered students is covered in this fourth part in the series.
• How to Find Your EOT – We’ve talked a lot about Ex Officio Trustees lately. Now, perhaps the burning question on your mind is: “How do I find the EOTs for my state, and how can I contact them?” Watch this Quick Tip to discover how!
• Chameleon – Chameleon is APH’s new tactile book created especially for adults to read with young children. To find out more about this adorable book, watch this Quick Tip!

Call me a cockeyed optimist, but I say stay tuned for even more great Quick Tips at archive.aph.org/quick-tips! And, as always, if you have any feedback to offer, contact Kerry Isham, the Quick Tips producer, at kisham@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 collections 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 migel.aph.org.

From the Barr Library: Richard, Abbot H. The Rural Work of the Blind and of Those Visually Deficient. The Fifth Quinquennial Conference of the International Council of Educators of the Blind, Madrid, Spain, July 1972.

Rejecting the theory that “the end of agriculture” was imminent, Abbot H. Richard’s research concerns the performance of farming-related jobs by the visually-impaired in 1970s France. Examples of these careers include everything from gardening to beekeeping to representing an agricultural machinery business. Drawing on statistics submitted by 38 services for the blind, the author found that more than 29% of the employed blind population were rural workers. While mobility might be an issue with tasks such as driving a tractor, he emphasized that those who worked as exploiters had the ability to delegate such work to sighted individuals. Richard viewed horticulture as a perfectly accessible profession for the blind. He advocated for the establishment of a Protected Rural Center, for the benefit of blind youth whose other limitations had prevented them from discovering suitable vocations.

From the Migel Library: Lewis, Lawrence Quick. Blind Workers in U.S. Industries; Photographs and Letters from Their Employers. Washington, D.C.: National Society for the Blind, 1943.

This compilation was created to share the experiences, successes, and various duties of workers who were visually impaired and entering the wartime workforce. The book is filled with more than 70 photos and even more letters on company letterhead. Each describes the expertise and skill of visually impaired employees from companies such as Harley-Davidson, Goodyear, Lockheed, and the U.S. Army Air Force. It was hoped that agencies for the blind could use the book as a guide in offering employment services to their members, and to help strengthen their case with companies hesitant to hire visually impaired workers. This work has been digitized for the Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/blindworkersinus00lawr

APH is working with the Internet Archive to digitize portions of the M.C. Migel Library. Search the phrase “full text” to find these items at migel.aph.org. The digitized texts are available in a variety of formats, including DAISY, Kindle, EPUB, PDF, etc.

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

New Instructional Products Catalog Now Available!

The new APH Instructional Products Catalog 2015-2016 is now available! Eighteen major new products or product families are featured in this catalog, which is a complete listing of APH products other than textbooks. Find new products in the areas of early literacy, reading instruction, mathematics, assessment, assistive technology, and more.

To request your free print catalog with the blue cover, please email catalogs@aph.org or call 1-800-223-1839 M-F, 8am to 4:30pm Eastern time.

Accessible editions of this catalog are available on our website. Products listed in the catalog are available for purchase on our shopping site.

Order Fall Textbooks Now!

It’s not too early to order your fall 2015 textbooks!

Braille Textbooks formats available:

• Hard copy braille
• Downloadable braille-ready files (.BRF) from the APH File Repository that are ready to be embossed at your location

Large Print Textbooks formats available:

• Hard copy large print
• Downloadable digital files to be used on computers, iPads, Book Port Plus and other digital players
• Downloadable digital files with image descriptions

Check out all the options by visiting the Accessible Textbook Department or calling 1-800-223-1839. Order your textbooks now for timely delivery for the upcoming school year!

Social Media Spotlight

APH on YouTube

Have you checked out our YouTube channel recently? Watch videos in our weekly Quick Tips series, or view our spotlight video, “No Other Place Like It.” Share and leave a comment!

https://www.youtube.com/user/aphftb

"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, Google+, YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest, and at our blog, Fred’s Head from APH.

APH Welcomes New Ex Officio Trustees

Dawn Jackson, the State Department of Education in Delaware, replacing Dorothe Mumford.

Toni Harrell, the Kansas State Board of Education, replacing Cheryl Manuel.

Barbara Peterson, the Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh, replacing Erika Arbogast.

Patrick Hayden, the Ohio State School for the Blind, replacing Cynthia Johnson.

Emily Coleman, the Washington State Department of Public Instruction, replacing Craig Meador.

APH Travel Calendar

June

June 2-3, 2015
139th AAIDD Annual Meeting
Louisville, KY

June 2-5, 2015
32nd Annual Opening Doors to parents and their young Children with Vision Loss
Jacksonville, IL

June 3, 2015
Transforming Braille Group Managing Members Meeting
Arlington, VA

June 6, 2015
KSB Alumni Weekend
Louisville, KY

June 8-10, 2015
APH Exhibit on Capitol Hill
Washington, DC

June 17, 2015
National Braille Challenge Advisory Committee Meeting/National Braille Challenge Finals
Los Angeles, CA

June 19, 2015
Conference for Families of Children with Blindness
Janesville, WI

June 20, 2015
Braille Challenge Finals
Los Angeles, CA

June 22-24, 2015
CCSSO/NCSA (National Conference on Student Assessment)
2015 San Diego, CA

June 25-28, 2015
Visions 2015
Baltimore, Maryland

June 26-27, 2015
Pediatric CVI Conference
Omaha, NE

July

July 4-8, 2015
ACB 2015
Dallas, TX

July 5-10, 2015
NFB 2015
Orlando, FL

July 10, 2015
WMU CIP Event
Kalamazoo, MI

July 10-12, 2015
NAPVI-National Family Conference of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
Chicago, IL

July 19-24, 2015
Yale Publishing Course
New Haven, CT

July 27-29, 2015
2015 ACTS Conference
St Louis, MO

July 30-August 2, 2015
12th International CHARGE Syndrome Conference
Chicago, IL

August

August 3, 2015
Illinois Summer Vision Instructional Partnership (ISVI-P)
Jacksonville, IL

August 17-21, 2015
BVA 2015
Louisville, KY

APH Spring Fever Sale

Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH’s Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Sale 2014, April 1—June 30. As always, first come, first served.

archive.aph.org/sale

NEW! Test Ready: Language Arts

Book 3, Teacher Guide:
Large Print: 7-00535-00 — $12.00
Braille: 5-00535-00 — $25.00

Book 3, Student Book:
Large Print: 7-00536-00 — $28.00
Braille: 5-00536-00 — $51.00

Book 4, Teacher Guide:
Large Print: 7-00537-00 — $12.00
Braille: 5-00537-00 — $25.00

Book 4, Student Book:
Large Print: 7-00538-00 — $28.00
Braille: 5-00538-00 — $51.00

This test prep series offers practice for today’s standards-based assessments for grade levels 3 through 8. Test Ready®: Language Arts provides preparation and review, in as little as two weeks before testing day. It also provides a program of instruction and remediation.

Students practice in three areas:

• Spelling–cloze items and spotting misspelled words
• Language–mechanics, expression, and use of resources
• Rubric-scored writing–narrative, expository, or descriptive passages

Objectives for each of the above key concepts have been aligned with standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). These lessons correlate to basal and standards-based tests.

Accessible Formats

The APH Teacher Guides and Student Books are available in several accessible formats, so that the entire class can work on language arts together in a multi-media approach. The large print and braille editions include a CD-ROM 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

Note: Each Teacher Guide includes a Teacher CD-ROM. Each Student Book includes a Student CD-ROM.

Note: Test Ready: Language Arts Books 5–8 available soon.

NOW TWO WAYS TO PURCHASE!
CVI Complexity Sequences eBook and Interactive Cards

Quota Purchase through APH: D-03610-ED — $9.99

Non-Quota Purchase through Apple’s iBooks — $9.99

Related Products

CVI Complexity Sequences Kit: 1-08156-00 — $53.00

This digital (EPUB) version was specifically developed for use with tablet devices.

In January, we introduced CVI Complexity Sequences eBook and Interactive Cards, which has the same information and content as the CVI Complexity Sequences Kit (1-08156-00). The eBook edition also includes an interactive feature: successfully touching the target image results in an audio response that acknowledges the action.

Digital Edition Includes:

• Guidebook, electronic format
• Same ten sets of eight images as the print kit, in an electronic format

Two Ways to Purchase

1) iBooks, Non-Quota

You can now buy this publication on a computer or an iPad directly through Apple’s iBooks store. Simply search in iBooks or iTunes for "cvi complexity sequences" to locate the publication. Sales through iBooks are for non-Quota purchases only.

2) APH, Quota

We will continue to sell this digital publication on Quota. When purchased using Quota funds, you may read this publication on an iOS or Android device, or on a Mac or PC. Purchase CVI Complexity Sequences on Quota by sending APH a Quota order signed by your EOT.

Note: Users are allowed to load the CVI Complexity Sequences ePub onto two devices simultaneously for the purpose of using the complexity images on one device while referring to the electronic guidebook on the other device.

Recommended ages: Preschool and up.

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.

Humphrey’s World of Pets
by Betty G. Birney: T-N2035-10 — $33.50
Humphrey, the pet hamster of Longfellow School’s Room 26, provides facts, puzzles, and other information about different animals and pet care for prospective pet owners. Grades 2-4. *(AR Quiz No. 162443, BL 5.9 Pts 3.0)

The Sea of Monsters
by Rick Riordan: T-N2024-30 — $91.00
After a summer spent trying to prevent a war among the Greek gods, Percy finds seventh-grade unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, who follows Percy everywhere. Grades 5-9. *(AR Quiz No. 105933, BL 4.6 Pts 9.0)

Inflight Science: A Guide to the World From Your Airplane Window
by Brian Clegg: T-N1950-50 — $66.00
A guide to the science of an airplane trip, focusing on the passengers’ experiences. Begins at the airport with bag checking and body scanning, then proceeds to takeoff, covering fueling, navigation, and wing work; cabin life, including jet lag and in-flight technology; and exploring the landscape below.

This is How You Lose Her
by Jonot Diaz: T-N1961-10 — $59.00
Nine short stories by the Pulitzer Prize winner that deal with love in its varied forms. Most of the stories focus on Yunior, a professor and writer, at different stages of his life. In "Nilda", Yunior reminisces about his brother’s girlfriend. Some adult content.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green and David Levithan: T-N1961-40 — $113.00
Two Chicago teen boys, one gay and one straight, meet accidentally and discover that they share the same name. One of them begins to date the other’s best friend Tiny. Then Tiny produces a musical extravaganza about their lives. Some adult content.

*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/