APH News: October 2015

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

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

• APH Fall Harvest Sale
• New Downloadable Manuals Available
• NEW! UEB-Compliant Building on Patterns: First Grade: Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5 –PLUS– Updated Posttest Teacher’s Manual
• NEW! Refreshabraille 18
• NEW! The Joy Player
• REVISED! Parents and Their Infants with Visual Impairments (PAIVI), 2nd Edition Kit
• NEW! Braille DateBook 2016
• NEW! EZ Track Calendar, 2016: A Low Vision Appointment Book and Calendar with Binder
• REVISED! Stereo Headphones with Ear Cushions and Volume Control
• APH Braille Book Corner

It’s Show Time, Folks!

Well, not quite, but very nearly! We are putting the finishing touches on the 2015 APH Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests, and we are hoping you’ll be there when we raise the curtain on Thursday, October 8!

One of the many stars in this year’s extravaganza is keynote speaker Dr. Chuck Wall, who is sure to receive rave reviews for his performance of “Kindness: A Way of Life.” Following the keynote address is another main event, when we present Carl Augusto with the 2015 Wings of Freedom Award. Since no opening night is complete without an after party, we invite you to join us for the President’s Reception immediately after these presentations. We’ll talk about the reviews as we honor our keynote speaker and award winner along with retiring APH President Tuck Tinsley.

Also taking the main stage during Annual Meeting will be Linda Andries, Director of Digital Project Management at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, sharing her thoughts regarding APH, HMH, and accessible tests. Other performers will share their talents through product input sessions, product development sessions, outstanding performances in the information fair and poster sessions, and much, much more.

We will be in “previews” on Wednesday, October 7 with the Prison Braille Forum and COSB meetings, and our pre-curtain activities on Thursday will include the standing room only UEB Transition Forum, National Agenda meeting, and other opportunities for a host of related meetings.

Online registration is now closed, but you may register at the “APH Box Office”, located on the second floor of the Louisville Hyatt Regency Downtown, any time after 4:00 pm on Wednesday, October 7. For more information, please see our website, sites.aph.org, or contact Janie Blome, jblome@aph.org

APH Welcomes New Executive in Residence

Dr. Martin Monson joined APH as Executive in Residence in July, 2015. He will be with us until late October, 2015. While at APH, Martin shared his expertise—particularly in the area of product development—and concentrated on issues surrounding braille and transition. When asked about his experience, Martin is quoted as saying, "The ability of APH to take suggestions from the field and then work with a group of consultants from around the country to develop a product to meet a need from the field is unparalleled.” For more information on the Executive in Residence program please go to archive.aph.org/about/executive-in-residence/

APH Hosts AVRT Professional Development Conference

The Association of Rehabilitation Therapists (AVRT) was graciously hosted by APH for their annual professional development conference in August. Nearly 70 rehabilitation professionals from coast to coast landed at APH for the two-day conference. APH President, Tuck Tinsley welcomed the group, along with AVRT President, Ian Shadrick.

Keynote speaker, Millie Smith, shared tips on working with consumers who are blind and have multiple disabilities, helping participants learn how to build meaningful and productive lives for their consumers. In addition, the agenda was filled with presenters from Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Smyrna, Georgia, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, Salus University, TransVision, APH,and more.

This annual professional development conference is held in a different city each year and is designed to let participants take home information that they can put to immediate use or share with their organizations.
For more information about AVRT go to www.avrt.org.

Nearby Explorer Online: Free Talking Accessible Android GPS App for the Blind

Nearby Explorer Online contains many of the features of Nearby Explorer; it is a GPS app designed for use by people who are blind. Nearby Explorer uses online maps, so a data connection is required.

Nearby Explorer lets the user select from different location related options giving the user preference regarding announcements as you move. These include typical items like street names, address, nearby places, as well as the distance and direction. All announcements are optional, always available, and the information is shown on the main screen.

The user can also create favorites, name them, and share them back to the Google Places Service so others can benefit from the places marked and identified.

Nearby Explorer Online includes a transit feature that provides detailed mass transit schedules for many metropolitan areas in the U. S. and Canada. When you open the Transit menu, Nearby Explorer Online shows a list of all the transit stops near your current location and tells the distance and direction to each stop. It also provides the user with the time and travel direction of the next bus or train serving that stop. The user may follow any of the trips through their entire route as Nearby Explorer provides the user with the time, location, and direction of each stop along the trip.

The "Geobeam" feature lets allows the user to point their device and receive audio, haptic, and verbal feedback about points of interest. The haptic feedback allows the user to focus on a point and follow the vibration feedback to the marked location. Warning: there could be obstacles between the user and the desired location that Nearby Explorer cannot know about.

Nearby Explorer allows the user to virtually move to any area and explore the road network, search, or use the transit maps for that area.

The online version of Nearby Explorer contains no onboard map data, so there are no licensing fees to pay. Therefore, it is free to you. While this is potentially very useful as a tool everywhere, the online version does require a device with a network connection to use. The original Nearby Explorer is still available and APH plans to continue supporting and developing the original version. The original includes detailed NAVTEQ map data for the United States and Canada that is downloaded to your device, so it does not require a network connection.

For complete details about Nearby Explorer Online, see http://tech.aph.org/neo_info.htm

To install, see https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.aph.nearbyonline

Visual Brailler App – Updated

Visual Brailler has recently been updated to support iOS 9. Now users can once again email their brf documents straight from the app.

Visual Brailler is the simplest braille editor! It’s a braillewriter for your iPad and it has a place in every braille transcriber’s toolbox. It displays a traditional six-dot keyboard and simulated braille on your iPad screen. You can edit and save your work, which makes Visual Brailler perfect to use for on-the-go practice for NLS certification exercises. Visual Brailler supports any code you wish to use, because it makes no assumptions about what you are writing. Use it to help learn new codes, such as Unified English Braille (UEB), and to record your progress.

For transcribers who are blind, Visual Brailler also works with Bluetooth refreshable braille displays with keyboards, such as APH’s Refreshabraille 18.

Visual Brailler can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store.

New! Possibilities: Recreational Experiences of Individuals Who are Deafblind

Read today on the APH Physical Education Website

This is a collection of stories that highlights recreational and leisure pursuits of individuals who are deafblind. The reader will see the "possibilities" associated with recreation for individuals with dual sensory impairment. Each essay inspires the reader to share his or her own recreational experiences with others.

• Use Possibilities to launch class discussions on self-determination.
• Challenge your students to share personal triumphs.
• Design a joint English and Physical Education class assignment.

The possibilities are endless!

Read Now!

Plan now for Winter Sport Camps!

Summer is over, school is in session, and there is no time like the present to plan for winter fun! Add one of these winter ski festivals to your calendar.

If Dreams Could Come True…

It’s Friday afternoon and your principal or director tells you a new student is arriving on Monday morning. The sticky note in your box states the student is a blind/visually impaired student. The principal wants you to assess the student and place the child in the right level for his/her classes.

After the panic ceases, you think for a moment and begin to ponder all the assessments which are available in the real world. Big question marks and red flags are flying all around. What assessments are accessible for your new student? If dreams could come true, which assessments would you like to magically appear for you to use with your new student?

Here’s your chance to share your thoughts on what you consider to be the top three needs in assessments for students who are blind and visually impaired! Just email your wish list to Carolyn Zierer, Test and Assessment Project Leader. (czierer@aph.org ) Be sure to include your name, school or agency, and email address.

Field Evaluators needed for the Transforming Braille Display

The Transforming Braille Group LLC was established in 2012. The goal of this international group is to develop a stand-alone, 20 cell refreshable braille display to enable braille readers to become part of the eBook revolution at a fraction of the current cost of refreshable braille displays.

Three of the nine managing members of the Transforming Braille Group LLC will be conducting field evaluations in the United States. The American Printing House for the Blind, National Federation of the Blind, and Perkins School for the Blind will be conducting field evaluations from November 2015 through January 2016.

The Transforming Braille Display (TBD) works on its own by displaying braille from files on an SD card or by connecting to devices such as the iPhone. The display is designed to work through USB and Bluetooth connectivity with smart phones and tablets. It is not intended to compete with high specification refreshable braille displays already on the market, primarily used in education and employment, but is intended to bring braille displayed e-books to a wide audience at an economical price. Libraries will be able to send braille formatted titles to patrons on an SD card. Users can also employ apps on their existing smart phone.

The Transforming Braille Display

• Contains 20 eight-dot refreshable braille cells that conform to NLS specifications for height and spacing
• Interfaces with host devices through USB and Bluetooth
• Bluetooth and USB connections are compatible with current devices
• Supports Portable Embosser Format (PEF), Text, BRL and BRF file types only
• Eight braille input keys plus braille space key, used to enter file names or perform other functions, when connected to a smart phone or other device
• Five-way cursor pad with arrows and center select, used to navigate the file system, move within a title, or for use when connected to another device
• No note taking or translation capabilities
• Suggested retail of under $500

American Printing House for the Blind

The American Printing House for the Blind is seeking field evaluators who will be able to field test the unit within a two week timeframe and complete an online evaluation. The dates for evaluation are:

• Nov 16-Dec 4
• Dec 7-18
• Jan 4-15

Target populations include:

• Elementary students who are braille readers
• Braille students who have mild cognitive disabilities
• Braille students reading below grade level
• Teachers of the Visually Impaired
• School libraries that provide braille materials for patrons
• Home setting – Parents and young students

Complete an on-line application for field evaluation with APH

National Federation of the Blind

For information about field testing through the National Federation of the Blind, contact Clara Van Gerven at CVanGerven@nfb.org

Perkins School for the Blind

For information about field test opportunities with Perkins School for the Blind, contact Luiza Aguiar at Perkins School for the Blind

Visit this section of APH News in the months ahead to find a list of available APH products helpful in the development of important tactile skills necessary for meaningful interpretation of tactile graphics by young children and students with visual impairments and blindness. This issue’s focus is on APH products (or individual product components and activities) that reinforce SPATIAL CONCEPTS.

• Boehm-3 Preschool Tactile Edition Kit (1-03882-00)
• Games of Squares (1-08430-01)
  • Games recommended for spatial skills: Corner Chase, Trading Places, and Zigzag
• IntelliTactiles: Pre-Braille Concepts, Classroom Suite Edition (1-08516-00)
• Moving Ahead Series:
  • Goin’ on a Bear Hunt (6-77903-00)
  • The Boy and The Wolf (6-77900-00)
• On the Way to Literacy Storybooks:
  • Bumpy Rolls Away (6-77500-03)
• Picture Maker: Wheatley Tactile Diagramming Kit (1-08838-00)
• Rolling Into Place storybook (1-08450-00)
• Setting the Stage for Tactile Understanding (1-08853-00)
  • “Intermission” chapter focuses on spatial understanding
• SQUID Tactile Activities Magazine with these activities:
  • “Here, Kitty!” (included in Issue 1: 1-08862-01)
  • “Different is Best!” (included in Issue 2: 1-08862-02)
  • “Diamonds, Hearts, and Clovers, Oh My!” (included in Issue 3: 1-08862-03)
  • “Paige Turner’s Bookshelf” (included in Issue 4: 1-08862-04)
  • “Across the Pond” (included in Issue 6: 1-08862-06)
  • “Table Sitting” (included in Issue 7: 1-08862-07)
• StackUps: Spatial Understanding Using Cubes and Isometric Drawings (1-08960-00)
• Tactile Town: 3-D O&M Kit (1-03135-00)
• Tactile Treasures: Tactile/Color Edition (1-08842-01)
• TREKS: The Game of Compass Directions (1-08910-00)
• Web Chase (1-08460-00)

Do you have other recommendations for products or activities encouraging the development of spatial concepts? Share your ideas with Karen J. Poppe, Tactile Graphics Project Leader, at kpoppe@aph.org as she builds a comprehensive “Tactile Skills Matrix” for future reference on APH’s Website.

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 http://migel.aph.org.

From the Migel Library:

The Migel Library recently digitized its collection of foreign language editions of Helen Keller’s books. The collection includes copies of “The Story of My Life” in Urdu, Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Thai, Spanish, and Tamil. Croatian and German editions of “Optimism” are also included. Many of these editions are paperbacks that were printed in extremely low numbers, and on paper of very poor quality. We are excited to share these fragile items with the world while still using the best preservation practices on the physical copies. Each of Helen Keller’s works that have been digitized by the Migel Library are available at https://archive.org/details/aphmigel?and[]=creator%3A%22Helen+Keller%22

From the Barr Library: Kansas State Department of Education. Collective Wisdom: An Anthology of Stories and Best Practices for Educating Students with Severe Disabilities and Deaf-Blindness. Rochester: Scholar’s Choice, 2015.

Written by a group of Kansas instructors and other experts on the special needs of children with severe disabilities and deaf-blindness, this compilation examines effective educational practices for students and serves as a reference for teachers and parents. The resource is split into eight sections that include a personal story and a summary of standards relating to each issue. The following themes relating to best practices are addressed: belonging; self-determined lives in terms of values, planning, and transition; collaborative teaming and systems change; teaching and learning; life activities, adaptations, and supports; communication; positive behavioral supports; and sensory experience.

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 http://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

Social Media Spotlight

Annual Meeting is only a few days away! Be sure to follow @APHfortheBlind on Twitter and APH on Facebook to keep track of all the Annual Meeting activities. We’ll also be live-tweeting part of the National Prison Braille Forum on Wednesday, October 7. Follow hashtags #APHAM15 and #NPBF15 on Twitter.

"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 Trustee

Laurie Garcia, the California Department of Education

APH Travel Calendar

October

October 21-23, 2015
GVEST – Georgia Vision Educators Statewide Conference

October 22-23, 2015
CVI: What Works and What’s New

October 22-24, 2015
National Braille Association Fall 2015 Professional Development Conference

October 26-27, 2015
Arkansas AER 2015

November

November 4-6, 2015
AER – Vision Loss in Older Adults and Veterans: Leveraging our Collective Wisdom

November 5-7, 2015
BANA Board Meeting, Fall 2015

November 9-13, 2015
Legislative Visits on Capitol Hill as scheduled

November 18-21, 2015
Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference

November 20, 2015
Independence Science: Learning a New Direction (ISLAND) Conference

December

December 7-11, 2015
Legislative Visits on Capitol Hill as scheduled

December 11, 2015
VRATE Conference 2015

APH Fall Harvest Sale

Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH’s Fall Harvest Sale 2015, October 1—December 31. As always, first come, first served.

archive.aph.org/products/harvest.html

New Downloadable Manuals Available

Get the manual you need instantly! APH offers a selected list of product manuals available for free download (archive.aph.org/manuals/). You may print or emboss these as needed. In most cases, we will continue to package hard copies of these manuals with their products and sell hard copy replacements.

Newly added manuals include:

• Building on Patterns UEB Teacher Supplements
• The Joy Player Product Guide

NEW! UEB-Compliant Building on Patterns: First Grade: Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5 –PLUS– Updated Posttest Teacher’s Manual

BOP Teacher’s Posttest Manual – UEB:
Print: 8-78562-00 — $28.00
Braille: 6-78562-00 — Coming Soon!

Note: Each First Grade student kit listed below includes Lesson Monitoring Sheets, Assessment Check-up Forms, Student Textbooks, and Worksheets Pack.

BOP First Grade, Unit 3, Animal Tales

Student Kit – UEB: 6-78560-U3 — $139.00

Teacher’s Edition:
Print: 8-78561-U3 — $65.00
Braille: 6-78561-U3 — $75.00

Building on Patterns UEB Teacher Supplement, First Grade, Unit 3: (.docx) (.brf coming soon!)

* Note: The supplements do not cover the Reference Volumes.

Replacement Items, First Grade, Unit 3:
Student Textbook – UEB: 6-78563-U3 — $24.00

Assessment Check-Up Forms (print & braille): 8-78466-U3 — $18.00

Lesson Monitoring Sheets (print & braille): 8-78463-U3 — $22.00

Worksheets Pack – UEB: 6-78564-U3 — $24.00

BOP First Grade, Unit 4, At School

Student Kit – UEB: 6-78560-U4 — $139.00

Teacher’s Edition:
Print: 8-78561-U4 — $65.00
Braille: 6-78561-U4 — $75.00

Building on Patterns UEB Teacher Supplement, First Grade, Unit 4: (.docx) (.brf coming soon!)

* Note: The supplements do not cover the Reference Volumes.

Replacement Items, First Grade, Unit 4:
Student Textbook – UEB: 6-78563-U4 — $24.00

Assessment Check-Up Forms (print & braille): 8-78466-U4 — $18.00

Lesson Monitoring Sheets (print & braille): 8-78463-U4 — $22.00

Worksheets Pack – UEB: 6-78564-U4 — $24.00

BOP First Grade, Unit 5, This and That

Student Kit – UEB: 6-78560-U5 — $139.00

Teacher’s Edition:
Print: 8-78561-U5 — $65.00
Braille: 6-78561-U5 — $75.00

Building on Patterns UEB Teacher Supplement, First Grade, Unit 5: (.docx) (.brf coming soon!)

* Note: The supplements do not cover the Reference Volumes.

Replacement Items, First Grade, Unit 5:
Student Textbook – UEB: 6-78563-U5 — $24.00

Assessment Check-Up Forms (print & braille): 8-78466-U5 — $18.00

Lesson Monitoring Sheets (print & braille): 8-78463-U5 — $22.00

Worksheets Pack – UEB: 6-78564-U5 — $24.00

Related Items

BOP Kindergarten:
Student Kit (Teacher’s Materials in braille): 6-78550-00 — $199.00

BOP First Grade, Unit 1, Not Far From Home:
Student Kit – UEB: 6-78560-U1 — $139.00

BOP First Grade, Unit 2, Going and Doing:
Student Kit – UEB: 6-78560-U2 — $139.00

Building on Patterns – UEB

APH is now offering UEB-compliant Building on Patterns (BOP) so teachers can continue to use the current Building on Patterns program while teaching Unified English Braille (UEB)! The student materials have been re-transcribed in UEB as needed and teacher supplements have been created inform the teacher about UEB changes.

Note: You do NOT need to buy new Teacher Editions. Just download the free-of-charge supplements and use them to mark up your existing manuals: http://archive.aph.org/manuals/#alpha-b

We are also now packaging all the materials needed for a student in a “Student Kit.”

• Kindergarten Student Kit includes: Posttest Consumables, Textbook Assessment Check-up Forms, set of 7 Student Textbooks, and Color Me Book.
• First Grade Student Kits include: Student Textbook, Worksheets Pack – UEB, Lesson Monitoring Sheets in print and braille, an Assessment Check-Up in print and braille.

The print and braille teacher’s editions and other posttest materials are sold separately.

Future BOP Releases: The remainder of BOP First Grade Units will be released over the next several weeks. BOP Second Grade materials will be released by early 2016.

Note: The English Braille American Edition versions of BOP Kindergarten and First Grade are no longer available for sale.

About Building on Patterns

Building on Patterns (BOP) is a complete primary literacy program designed to teach beginning braille users all language arts — reading, writing, and spelling.

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.

BOP Kindergarten lessons include a selection to be read to the student, questions to discuss, and an activity for the child to complete. Textbooks are consumable. First Grade lessons require students to read selections themselves with emphasis on decoding skills, comprehension, and fluency. Creative writing, related to the reading selections, is included with each lesson. Spelling is based upon phonics skills. Worksheet packs, lesson monitoring sheets, and unit assessment packs are consumables and are available separately.

Recommended ages: 6 to 7 years and up.

Prerequisite: Building on Patterns: Kindergarten or equivalent skills.

Reference Volume for BOP First Grade Level — Included with Unit 1 Teacher’s Edition (and also available separately)! The Reference Volume is packed full of features to help a teacher understand the program and teach a young braille reader.

Posttest Assessment for BOP First Grade Level — updated for UEB

Unlike the Unit Check-ups, included in the child’s textbooks, the posttest is an important, separate item that assesses the concepts and skills covered throughout the First Grade Level of BOP. A set of consumable forms is provided in braille for the student and in print and braille for the teacher. The teacher’s manuals, available in both print and braille editions (sold separately), give complete instructions for administering and scoring the tests and analyzing the results. Results can be recorded tactually on an accompanying line graph showing target scores for each subtest. This sheet makes it easy to see areas where the child is excelling as well as areas where remediation may be needed.

NEW! Refreshabraille 18

1-07445-02 $1,695.00 + shipping

Additional Shipping Charge: All shipments will incur UPS shipping charges based on actual destination.

Optional Items

USB Charger (2 Amp) 1-03966-00 — $32.00

Refreshabraille 18™ is a unique handheld refreshable braille display and braille keyboard for desktop computers and mobile devices that has now been made even better. From a more ergonomic design to improved Bluetooth® security and simplicity, this revision of the Refreshabraille 18 has been crafted by customer input to be the best on-the-go braille display. From being able to customize the display by flipping the braille and all of the input keys to being able to reverse just the advance bars so that the left bar advances and the right goes back, this display has been designed so that YOUR preferences decide its function!

Supports common screen readers like Window-Eyes®, NVDA, System Access, and JAWS® for the PC; VoiceOver for the Mac®, iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch; and Talks® and BrailleBack for smartphones and tablets. It combines an elegant design, reliability, and ease-of-use with a rugged metal case.

Use Refreshabraille 18 to Access Other Equipment

The Refreshabraille 18, like a computer’s monitor and keyboard, is a device designed to be used with other equipment. It provides the screen and keyboard for the primary device. Whether that device is a cell phone, PC, or tablet, 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. These include screen reader programs such as JAWS, VoiceOver, Window-Eyes, NVDA, and BrailleBack.

Features

• 18 eight-dot braille cells
• 18 cursor routing keys
• Eight-dot braille keyboard input
• Forward and back scroll buttons
• Five-position directional pad
• Auxiliary space bar
• USB connectivity
• Two kinds of Bluetooth pairing, simple or secure
• Protected USB charging port
• Long battery life
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (not user-replaceable)
• Customizable: flip the braille display so the braille is closer to you or flip the scroll bars so you can read with the right hand and advance with the left hand or both

Updates to Refreshabraille 18, Version 3

• Choose secure or simple Bluetooth pairing. Simple pairing lets the Refreshabraille automatically pair with any device you initiate pairing on while secure requires that a code be confirmed on both devices before pairing can take place
• Reverse the advance bars. Reversing the advance bars lets you advance with your left hand while reading with your right hand
• Directional pad allows for one hand operation and ease of use
• More ergonomic ridged space bar
• Now uses industry standard micro USB which is easier to plug in and also to replace if lost
• New PC software means that updating and using the Refreshabraille 18 via USB has never been easier

Includes

• Refreshabraille 18 display unit
• USB cable (Standard-A to Micro-B)
• CD-ROM
• Quick Start Guide, in UEB braille
• Quick Start Guide, print
• One-year limited warranty

Dimensions

The Refreshabraille 18 measures 5.12 x 3.54 x 0.98 inches.

NEW! The Joy Player

1-07089-00 $349.00 + shipping

Additional Shipping Charge: All shipments will incur UPS shipping charges based on actual destination.

Easy-to-load, switch-activated music player makes listening to MP3 and WAV files accessible!

The Joy Player is a personal electronic device that allows individuals with visual and multiple impairments to access music and audio books. It is designed to use with the personal music player routine in APH’s Sensory Learning Kit (SLK). The Joy Player differs from other music playing devices on the commercial market and from the National Library Service’s Digital Talking Book Player because it is designed to accommodate individuals who have limited mobility, a lack of fine motor skills, and cognitive disability in addition to a visual impairment.

The Joy Player plays audio from three different types of portable electronic storage devices: SD card, USB flash drive, and Digital Talking Book (DTB) Cartridge. The player comes with five blank DTB Cartridges. Simply copy any WAV or MP3 file to an SD card, USB flash drive, or DTB Cartridge.

Includes

• Hook and Loop Strap, 65 inches
• Bag of black caps and black rings
• Recharger
• USB Cable
• DTB Cartridges (5)
• Braille note on downloadable instructions
• Instruction Book, Large Print

Note: The Joy Player does not play pre-recorded books on DTB Cartridges from the National Library Service (NLS) because NLS uses 3GS files, not WAV or MP3 files.

Product Features

The chute is designed to help students with limited mobility skills guide the cartridge into the player. The product has twist-on caps (with accompanying rings) to temporarily reduce the number of button switches on the device; this reduces visual and cognitive complexity.

Modes of Operation

The product features multiple modes of operation to accommodate a diverse range of cognitive and physical abilities and environmental settings. The player operates with AC (plugs into the wall outlet) and DC (batteries).

Button Switches

The Joy Player features five button switches that operate—from left to right—the following tasks:

• decrease volume
• back to the previous song (reverse)
• play/pause
• advance to the next song (fast-forward)
• increase volume

External Switches

Direct switch use. The back of The Joy Player has jacks to accept external switches. As many as five switches can be added—one each to provide the function of each button switch. External switches operate whether the player is using AC or DC.

SLK mode

The Joy Player operates with the SLK Power Select when the main power switch on the back of the player is set in the SLK mode position. In the SLK mode, and when using a sip and puff switch, the student may play and pause the audio; he will not be able to control song choice or volume.

The Joy Player comes with six, rechargeable, AA metal hydride batteries.

Measures: 13 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 2 inches, includes belt-loop feet and cartridge chute.

REVISED! Parents and Their Infants with Visual Impairments (PAIVI), 2nd Edition Kit

7-96149-00 — $42.00

PAIVI: Parent Booklet Set with CD: Learning Together and Getting Ready for Preschool 7-96148-00 — $18.00

Parents and Their Infants with Visual Impairments (PAIVI), 2nd Edition Kit

PAIVI, written by Deborah Chen, Gail Calvello, and Clare Taylor Friedman, is an updated version of the original Parents and Visually Impaired Infants (PAVII).

This set of materials is designed to help parents and teachers of infants who are visually impaired become involved as primary members of the intervention team.

The original materials (PAVII) were created as a part of a 3-year project of the Blind Babies Foundation with support from the U.S. Department of Education.

New PAIVI Practitioners Manual Includes

• Parent Assessment of Needs (PAN): An ecological inventory that helps parents to identify and prioritize home-based goals and objectives for their infants, which may be identified as outcomes on the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
• Parent Observation Protocol (POP): This section encourages parent observation of self and child through video and identifies teaching strategies to facilitate early learning experiences.
• PAIVI Assessment Guides: When appropriate, very young children may be assessed on their functional use of vision, hearing, communication, and on their interaction with objects using PAIVI screening checklists.
• The Art of Home Visiting: A resource for teachers certified in visual impairments, early childhood special educators, public health nurses, and others who work with families in their homes.
• CD-ROM contains a BRF in Unified English Braille (UEB) and an HTML file of the manual and PDF files of the assessment forms.

PAIVI Parent Booklets (included in kit, also sold separately)

• Learning Together: A Parent Guide to Socially Based Routines for Very Young Children with Visual Impairments: This booklet offers strategies for parents to embed learning opportunities within everyday activities such as mealtime, bathtime, bedtime, playtime, storytime, and going out.
• Getting Ready for Preschool: A Parent Guide to Transition: This booklet discusses moving from early intervention to preschool services.
• CD-ROM contains a BRF in Unified English Braille (UEB) and an HTML file of each booklet.

PAIVI materials are available as a complete kit or as a set of parent booklets only.

Age Range: Birth to 3 years.

NEW! Braille DateBook 2016

1-07899-16 — $79.00

Optional Item

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

Replacement Items

Calendar Pages, 2016: 1-07898-16 — $18.00

Braille DateBook 2-Ring Binder: 25-070-001 — $23.60

Related Product

Braillable Labels and Sheets: Small Label Pack: 2 lines, 15 cells, 10 sheets: 1-08872-00 — $13.00

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 brief case.

Binder

The Braille DateBook is housed in a small, rugged binder. The binder opens from the top to make it easier to use when you are in narrow spaces. The binder holds one hundred pages, including the calendar and other tabbed pages. Its hook/loop fastener keeps all materials together and gives added protection to brailled pages.

The binder includes a slate pocket that is on the inside of the front cover. This pocket will hold many types of nineteen to twenty-two cell slates, including APH’s 19-cell, 6-line Slate and 4 x 6 Interpoint Slate. Note: A slate is not included with the Braille DateBook. The pocket on the inside spine of the binder includes an APH Saddle-Shaped Stylus.

Calendar

The tabbed calendar pages are made of durable yellow plastic. Organize your appointments by brailling on the included filler paper and placing the filler sheets behind the calendar pages. Note that you will need to buy a new calendar for each year.

Filler Paper

The included filler paper pack contains 250 sheets of punched, 4 x 6 inch braille paper. You can purchase replacement filler paper/tab packs from APH or you can use standard 4 x 6 inch file cards that you hole punch yourself. Eight lines of braille will fit on one page.

Blank Tabs

Blank tabs are packaged with the filler paper. The tab pack includes three sets of bottom tab sheets and one set of side tab sheets.

Use tabs to create sections such as addresses, family schedules, financial transactions, emergency contacts, medical information, travel itineraries, shopping lists, or to do lists. Tabs are made of plastic and will not hold braille, but you can label them with Dymo® tape or other labeling material, such as APH’s Braillable Labels and Sheets.

Included Tips Pamphlet

The Braille DateBook includes a pamphlet in braille and print that contains numerous suggestions on setting up the DateBook to meet your needs.

NEW! EZ Track Calendar, 2016: A Low Vision Appointment Book and Calendar with Binder

1-07900-16 — $52.00

EZ Track Calendar 2016: Insert Pages Only: 1-07901-00 — $45.00

EZ Track is a multi-faceted line of low vision products to help you get organized…and stay that way!

Designed for people with low vision, EZ Track products utilize large print of at least 18 points, easy-to-use binder formatting, and special accessories as aids in organizing important day-to-day activities. There are four products in the EZ Track series: Address Book, Calendar, Financial Record Keeper, and Medical Record Keeper.

This calendar offers a systematic and organized way of keeping track of appointments, holidays, and other events.

Each large print page holds four days, with enough room to write notes and appointments. The calendar comes with a three-ring binder.

REVISED! Stereo Headphones with Ear Cushions and Volume Control

1-18986-01 — $14.50

Now with improved ear pads and a new volume control! These lightweight, fully adjustable stereo headphones feature leatherette ear cushions that sit on top of the ear, a standard 3.5 mm plug, and a volume control. Use these headphones with APH technology products, such as Orion Calculators, Book Port Plus, Book Port DT, Joy Player, and others.

Features

• Fully adjustable, lightweight headband
• Convenient in-line volume control
• 3.5mm plug connects with APH media players
• 8-foot straight cord
• Rugged ABS plastic headband and ear cups for durability

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.

Fourth Grade Rats
by Jerry Spinelli: T-N2060-70 — $29.50
In the fourth grade, Suds Morton is supposed to leave his angelic past behind and become a rat — the next step up to becoming a man. His friend Joey tries to teach him the ropes, but the results are disastrous. Grades 2-6.
*(AR Quiz No. 6361, BL 2.6 Pts 2.0)

Girls Like Us
by Gail Giles: T-N2060-50 — $62.50
Graduating from their school’s special education program, Quincy and Biddy are placed together in their first independent apartment and discover unexpected things they have in common in the face of past challenges and a harrowing trauma. Grades 8-12. *(AR Quiz No. 166181, BL 4.0 Pts 5.0)

Villains, Scoundrels, and Rogues: Incredible True Tales of Mischief and Mayhem
by Paul Martin: T-N2062-90 — $191.00
Thirty portraits of little-known scoundrels throughout history whose misdeeds range from unspeakable acts of evil to unscrupulous behavior. Includes the notorious Ed Gein, the Wisconsin serial killer who was the inspiration for Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Some adult content.

Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream
by Joshua Davis: T-N2068-10 — $104.00
Contributing editor from Wired recounts how four undocumented Mexican immigrants in Arizona put together an underwater robot named Stinky from scavenged parts, and went on to win the National Underwater Robotics Competition at UC Santa Barbara in 2004.

Enter Pale Death
by Barbara Cleverly: T-N2070-10 — $172.50
Detective Joe Sandilands suspects foul play when Lady Truelove dies after an encounter with a dangerous horse. He must, however, separate his suspicions from personal grievances with her widower. With Lily Wentworth’s help, Joe’s investigation yields surprising secrets about both the Truelove family and Joe’s own love, Dorcas Joliffe. 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/