APH News: September 2016

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

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

• APH Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Sale
• NEW! Video Mag HD
• NEW! Color-by-Texture Marking Mats
• Reader’s Digest® Magazine Now Available on Digital Flash Cartridges!
• NEW! Little Paths
• NEW! Tactile Compass for Math & Art
• NEW! Geometro: GS10 Cylinder and Cone
• NEW! Draw2Measure Protractor app for iOS devices: FREE
• Nearby Explorer app
• APH Braille Book Corner

Bold. Strong. Together! Register Now for Annual Meeting 2016!

Today, Tuesday September 13, is the final day to register! Register now for Annual Meeting, or contact APH Field Services Director Janie Blome, jblome@aph.org, for additional information. Deadline for conference registration is September 13, 2016, so don’t delay! We invite you to review the 2016 Annual Meeting agenda.

We regret to report that the Hyatt Regency Downtown Louisville is completely sold out for APH Annual Meeting.

There are a limited number of rooms available at the historic Seelbach Hilton Hotel, located one block from the Hyatt Regency. Rooms are available until Friday, September 16.

You may reserve a room at the conference rate of $169 per night by calling the Seelbach directly at 502-585- 9273. Please use Group Code APHB to receive the special rate

At this year’s Annual Meeting you will have the opportunity to hear our exciting keynote speaker, Denna Lambert, Program Manager with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), visit the Product Showcase, learn about the latest APH products and services, provide input for products in development, participate in discussions about the field of blindness and visual impairment, attend related meetings, and more! Ex Officio Trustees will find multiple opportunities to build on your knowledge and skills as you network with other EOTs. There will be hands-on product demos of our new groundbreaking technology products, and special sessions for professionals providing services to adult clients. Working together does indeed make us bolder and stronger, so register soon!

You Can "Touch Tomorrow" Annual Meeting 2016!

APH touched on three groundbreaking digital braille and tactile graphics technologies in July at the AER International Conference in Jacksonville. Join us for Annual Meeting 2016 for your chance to see demonstrations of each of these amazing products!

• Orbit Reader 20™: A 20-cell refreshable braille device with a breakthrough low cost! Use as a stand-alone device via SD card or connect to a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Available later this year!
  
  
• BrailleBlaster™ Software (beta): A revolutionary editing tool for braille transcribers that gives them the ability to quickly and efficiently produce quality braille.
  
  
• Graphiti™ A revolutionary dynamic multilevel tactile touch display developed by Orbit Research for the American Printing House for the Blind. Graphiti allows students and adults to access a wide variety of on-screen graphics by touch. This includes pie charts, bar graphs, geometric forms, maps, floor-plans, flow-charts, line drawings, and dynamic graphical content

  Graphiti does so much more, come see and interact with it at in Louisville at Annual Meeting!

  .

Sir Charles Frederick Fraser and Dr. Randall T. Jose to be Inducted into the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field on October 7, 2016

The ceremony to induct Fraser and Jose into our field’s Hall of Fame will take place on Friday evening, October 7, in conjunction with the APH Annual Meeting. These two remarkable figures, whose innovations changed many lives, will join the 56 previously inducted members of the Hall. Their stories of accomplishment are powerful.

• 

  Charles Frederick Fraser, 1850-1925

  Sir Frederick Fraser was a dedicated and innovative educator of the blind. In 1873, at age 22, he became the first superintendent of the Halifax School for the Blind. During his inspirational career, Fraser established a provincial circulating library of braille books, was successful in persuading the Canadian Post Office to handle braille books postage-free, and founded the Canadian Printing House for the Blind. In June 1914 He was knighted and referred to as the “the blind Knight of Nova Scotia.”

• 

  Randall T. Jose, 1943-

  Dr. Randy Jose is the founding chairman of the Diplomate of the Low Vision Section of the American Academy of Optometry. The author of over 50 articles, Jose authored the low vision text Understanding Low Vision, which received the American Association of Workers for the Blind (AAWB’s) Bledsoe Award. He also co-authored The Art and Practice of Low Vision and has received AER’s McFarland Award and the American Optometric Association’s Vision Care Award.

To learn the incredible stories of the heroes in the Hall of Fame, please visit our Inductees page

Please make your plans to join us in Louisville to celebrate these two legends!

Enquiring Minds Want to Know!

The APH/Ex Officio Trustee partnership is at the very center of our shared national work. It is our goal to build that relationship in ways that enable us to better understand the needs of the EOTs and the students and clients they serve, and to respond to those needs.

We will soon be reaching out to Ex Officio Trustees to gain more information about you and those you serve. As we revamp our EOT database, we want to include information and details that will lead to a better understanding of your roles and needs. This will allow us to, seek input from EOTs involved in specific types of programs and organizations.

Our new EOT Information Form will be asking for information about the population of students or clients your organization serves, the size and scope of your agency or organization, your special areas of expertise and interest, and more.

Thanks in advance for your time and information as we move forward to build stronger partnerships and collaborations!

Customer Notification
Building on Patterns Kindergarten Student Textbooks (6-78553-00)
Building on Patterns Kindergarten Student Kit (6-78550-00)

This notice applies to products shipped from July 2016 to the present.

Some of the copies of the book Ready in the sets of BOP Kindergarten Student Textbooks are missing a tactile line at the right of the middle bed tactile graphic on page 10. This error does not significantly affect the lesson activity. We apologize for any inconvenience this error may cause. Please contact Customer Service (800-223-1839) if you need a replacement.

Adults Jamming to The Joy Player!

The Joy Player is a personal electronic device that allows individuals with visual and multiple impairments to access music and audio books. 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 are developing fine motor skills, have limited mobility, or cognitive disability in addition to a visual impairment.

Recently, APH visited Zoom Group, a local service provider for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Watch as team members learn to operate The Joy Player for the first time!

Field Test Opportunity: Tactile Five and Ten Frames

APH is currently seeking field evaluators for the Tactile Five and Ten Frames. These graphic organizers are designed to help young students in kindergarten through second grade develop an understanding of numbers, place value, addition, and subtraction. Many mainstream math textbooks incorporate the use of five and ten frames into math activities.

Field testing will begin in October and extend through the end of January 2017. Ideal field test sites will be able to use the Tactile Five and Ten Frames with multiple students with visual impairments and blindness. All evaluators will be asked to complete a Product Evaluation Form and related student outcome data at the end of the field test session.

If you would like to be considered as a field evaluator of the Tactile Five and Ten Frames, please forward the following information to Jeanette Wicker, Core Curriculum Consultant, at jwicker@aph.org:

• Your full name
• Your professional title
• School or Agency Name
• Type of setting (e.g., Residential, Resource, Itinerant)
• School or Agency mailing address including city, state, and zip code
• Email address
• Best phone number to reach you
• Number of your students who are able to participate
• Students’ ages/grade level

APH Needs Your Feedback about All Aboard! The Sight Word Activity Express

In February 2016, APH released All Aboard! The Sight Word Activity Express, Catalog No. 1-03558-00. If you have used this product with your students with visual impairments and blindness, we would love to hear from you in order to find out how this product is meeting your needs. Please consider taking this Consumer Feedback Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7WJGVKH

UltraLens: Please take a few minutes to complete a survey!

APH is asking for your feedback on its UltraLens product line. Currently APH offers the UltraLens in yellow in a junior size that clips on, a junior size with a headstrap, an infant size with a headstrap, and an adult size. The UltraLens was initially developed to protect a student’s eyes while participating in black light activities. While black light activities are no longer recommended and their use has been discontinued, the yellow lenses still offer some benefit to individuals with certain types of eye conditions to reduce glare and address contrast issues.

APH is exploring the possibility of offering additional colored lenses so customers can have more options to ameliorate issues associated with glare and contrast. To that end, APH is considering a topaz colored lenses. These lenses would be offered in the same sizes as the current yellow UltraLens. They would be developed for indoor use with tablets, computers, and other blue light intensive devices. Additionally they could be used in environments that have fluorescent or LED lighting sources that are high on the "cool" portion of the lighting spectrum.

Please take a couple of minutes and answer this brief survey concerning the product offerings in the colored lens area. The survey can be accessed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UltraLens

Thank you!, Martin Monson, Ed.D., Project Leader, APH, mmonson@aph.org (502) 899-2325

Progress on THE YEAR OF BRAILLE

Back in the February APH News, we proclaimed 2016 as the "Year of Braille." With the official U.S. adoption of Unified English Braille (UEB), APH’s support of UEB in Liblouis, development of BrailleBlaster™ software, and development of the Orbit Reader 20™ and Graphiti™ devices, 2016 is indeed becoming one of the most important years in the history of braille evolution!

With more than half the year gone, it’s time for an update on those items is in order:

Liblouis

First, Liblouis 3.0, with full UEB support and more liberal licensing terms, was officially released in July. Liblouis is an open source braille translator, usable with much of the software with which you are probably familiar. Some of the applications using Liblouis’ braille translation services include the following:

• JAWS® screen reader
• NVDA screen reader
• Orca Linux screen reader
• DAISY Pipeline online translation system
• Bookshare.org® accessible library
• BrailleBlaster transcription system
• Send To Braille Windows shortcut for quick and dirty translation
• Index® Braille Embosser quick and dirty translation system on the embosser
• Tiger® Software Suite tools to work with ViewPlus® embossers

The staff at APH made major contributions to make proper UEB possible, and as each of these products updates its software or firmware to use the latest version of Liblouis, full UEB support will make its way into these products.

As the Liblouis page at liblouis.org indicates, the combination of UEB support and better licensing terms means more companies can quickly and easily add accurate braille translation capabilities to their products.

For a complete list of enhancements for version 3.0, see http://liblouis.org/liblouis/2016/07/15/release-3.0.0.html

BrailleBlaster

The second major news update to the activities associated with the Year of Braille is the upcoming public beta of BrailleBlaster.

BrailleBlaster is the braille transcription system APH has been working on for several years to provide textbook transcribers the tools they need to quickly and accurately transcribe high quality textbooks. It takes advantage of the rich markup found in NIMAS and EPUB titles to automate much of the formatting decisions a transcriber often faces. In addition, it enhances the transcription experience with a host of useful tools like volume creating, table editors, contents and special symbol generation, and many more.

APH plans to provide this software at no cost and continue its evolution, so that students can get a high quality braille textbook at the same time it is available to their print-reading peers. BrailleBlaster is also suitable for simpler braille translation and transcription duties.

Orbit Reader 20

Third, the game-changing low-cost Orbit Reader 20 will be available in October. Orbit Reader 20 revolutionizes braille access by providing a refreshable braille display and reader for less than $500. Simple editing capabilities also come as part of the package.

Graphiti

Finally, APH announced the development of Graphiti, the first affordable, interactive tactile graphics display, at the AER International conference in Jacksonville earlier this summer. Graphiti contains 2400 pins that can each adjust to one of four heights. These can represent varying aspects of an image, such as color, to provide a highly interactive and configurable tactile graphics image.

Expect big announcements and presentations at this year’s Annual Meeting on all of these revolutionary braille products, and keep watching these pages for additional information!

New PE Feature! The “I Am” Challenge: Olympics/Paralympics

In honor of the Olympic/Paralympic season, we encourage you to assign an “I Am” poem to your students. This creative challenge allows students to engage in a topic through the imagined experience of another. This activity fosters dreams, compassion, and explores alternative points of view.

http://archive.aph.org/physical-education/features/

Engineers Without Borders

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is a nonprofit humanitarian group focused on supporting community-driven development programs worldwide through partnerships that design and implement sustainable engineering projects. The University of Louisville chapter of EWB has started work on a project to construct a bridge in Costa Rica. This bridge will help connect the villages of Riyitos, Banegas, and Alto Laguna to a main road. The current bridge used by these villages is made out of wood and is very unsafe. The new bridge will be able to accommodate both vehicles and pedestrians.

Edgar Menendez, Mechanical Engineer Coop, APH Operations Engineering Department, was elected by his peers as the International Officer of the UofL chapter, as well as the project leader for this project. He will be leading this project as well as coordinating all efforts in Costa Rica. Edgar looks forward to using his engineering knowledge, as well as his out of the box thinking to help make this project a reality.

Louisville Goes International for "Tailoring the Reading Experience"

Rio de Janeiro wasn’t the only city hosting an exciting international event in July — the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) hosted the conference "Tailoring the Reading Experience to Meet Individual Needs" in Louisville.

A diverse group of speakers, exhibitors, partners, and attendees came together to discuss ways to improve library and related services for readers who are print disabled. Presenters originated from countries across the globe, including Sweden, Serbia, Japan, South Africa, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada, Croatia, Chile, Philippines, Israel, and more. Many of the attendees went on to Columbus, Ohio for the 2016 World Library Information Congress, (WLIC) being held this week.

We were pleased to tell the story of APH’s library-related services provided by our Resource Services Department and to learn about the amazing services being provided by other organizations. It was great to meet new friends who are passionate about making information of all kinds accessible to readers who are visually impaired, blind, or otherwise print disabled.

In the near future, we will be posting a link to the papers that were presented at this unique conference!

Falling Leaves, Cooler Temperatures, Pumpkins, and Quick Tips!

Hey, Quick Tippers, have you noticed that Autumn is just just around the corner? Leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, birds are flying south, there’s a nip in the air and a pot of hot chocolate on the stove…AND…there are new Quick Tips to be watched! Check them out here in all their autumnal glory!

• EZ Track Products – EZ Track products are designed particularly for people with low vision, and feature large print, easy-to-use binder formatting, and special accessories as aids in organizing important day-to-day activities.
• World Maps – Find out all about these thermoformed tactile maps representing countries, continents, and regions of the world!
• Using the Menu on the Interactive US Map – Project leader, Karen Poppe, tells us all about the menu bar on the bottom margin of the Interactive US Map with Talking Tactile Pen.
• Swirly Mat Sets: Version II – Kristie Smith, a TVI, discusses fun uses for Swirly Mat Sets: Version II!

And as you know, these videos don’t just FALL into our laps here at Quick Tips HQ, so feel free to take a break from pumpkin-carving and email kisham@aph.org with your ready-made videos or ideas!

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: A Faithful Account of Catharine Mewis, of Barton-under-Needwook, In Staffordshire: Who Is Deprived of Her Eyesight Six Days Out of Seven and Can Only See on the Sabbath. Nottingham: C. Sutton, 1815.

After having contracted scarlet fever at the age of two, Catharine Mewis is said to have been “totally blind” for six days a week. Every Sunday, her vision was restored from morning until night. Several specialists attempted to treat the condition, which had been witnessed by the entire district in which she lived. The author argues that, even though some might claim it to be a trick, there would be no reason for her to do so, and that her upstanding parents were open to any investigation. The pamphlet then describes her blindness as a severe light sensitivity, and explains that she holds her hand over her eyes until a silk blindfold can be placed over them every day, the Sabbath being the exception.

Almost as fascinating as the story is the artifact itself. British pamphlets of the 19th Century are scarce due to their small size and limited print runs. They were often published by individuals or interest groups, so they can have a great cultural significance. The pamphlet’s paper was made of acid-free rag pulp. While it is as thin and soft as tissue paper, at 200 years old it is as sturdy as ever. When held to the light, an impression is visible from the mesh screen that it had laid upon during printing, along with rag fibers from when the paper was made. This pamphlet was digitized in-house with the Migel Library’s table top scribe, and can be viewed at Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/faithfulaccounto0000unse

From the Barr Library: Exploring Prejudice: Suggestions for Developing Attitudes in the Mentally Retarded. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Dept. of Public Instruction, 1969.

This document served as an early attempt to fill the informational gap on how teachers could positively shape the attitudes and self-concepts of children with intellectual disabilities. The authors proposed that racial hatred and prejudices are learned, rather than innate, and that differences between individuals should be celebrated rather than shamed. The guidelines for encouraging the formation of constructive perceptions require that teachers do the following: emphasize that all people are basically the same, while fostering a sense of reverence for individuality; acknowledge the ways in which their own racial biases influence the students’ race relations; communicate that fear and hatred are rooted in ignorance. Although it was geared toward instructors of special education, this manual contains timeless advice, history, and exercises, for teachers of all grades and ages.

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

Fred’s Head: New Posts in Our "Better Living" Blog!

Have you checked out APH’s Fred’s Head blog recently? Besides posting our weekly Quick Tips videos and our Throwback Thursday objects, we post articles on varying topics of interest to persons who are blind and visually impaired. Some recent posts include:

• Customize Your White Cane with Kustom Cane
• Paid Resources Available to Persons Who Are Blind and Visually Impaired for Learning to Use Apple Devices
• Blind Alive Provides Accessible Exercise Information and Routines for Persons Who Are Blind and Visually Impaired
• Coloring Outside the Lines: Coloring Books for Persons Who are Blind and Visually Impaired
• Free Resources for People Who Are Blind to Learn to Use Apple Products
• Beautiful Braille: Show Your Love of Braille with Braille Jewelry

On the Fred’s Head homepage, http://www.fredshead.info/, you can subscribe to receive blog updates via email. In addition, we welcome ideas for future Fred’s Head posts as well as articles for Fred’s Head. Email suggestions or articles to fredshead@aph.org or tweet @aphfortheblind, and we will do our best to implement your suggestions or include your articles!

"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

Complete directory of Ex Officio Trustees of APH

• Steven Buras to the South Dakota Department of Education
• Kristen Rex to the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind
• Michael Bina to The Maryland School for the Blind
• Robert Hair to the Maryland State Department of Education
• James Caton to the Arkansas School for the Blind

APH Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Sale

Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH’s Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Sale 2016, July 1—September 30. As always, first come, first served.

archive.aph.org/sale/

NEW! Video Mag HD

1-03914-00 — $499.00 + shipping

A robust, kid-friendly handheld video magnifier available on Quota!

American Printing House for the Blind and Freedom Scientific have partnered to develop the Video Mag HD, a durable, handheld high definition video magnifier available using Federal Quota funds!

About Video Mag HD

Video Mag HD combines a high-definition camera with a rugged, lightweight body to bring you crystal-clear images in a small package. It can magnify whatever appears under its auto-focus HD camera from 2x to 13x. Video Mag HD provides sharp images on its full-color, 4.3-inch LCD screen. It supports five default color modes and 15 additional contrasting color modes.

This magnifier has a fold-away handle that has been ergonomically improved to fit the smaller hands of students. It allows the user to hold the magnifier close to an object, press the magnification buttons for continuous zoom (2x to 13x with the handle open, or 4x to 10x with the handle closed), and then freeze the image on the screen. This is ideal for viewing clothing labels, prescription labels, price tags, receipts, business cards, and more.

Video Mag HD can save and store approximately 80 images that can easily be copied to a computer through a simple USB connection. The unit also has a reading line and reading mask feature that can be used to quickly locate and maintain one’s place while viewing an image or reading text on the LCD screen.

Features

• Continuous zoom with 2x–13x magnification
• Full-color LCD screen, 4.3 inches diagonally
• Fast reading with no blur
• 20 high-contrast customizable color modes
• Image capture of approximately 80 images
• Auto shut-off after no use
• Ergonomic, fold-away handle
• Lightweight, portable – carry to classes

Includes

• Video Mag HD handheld video magnifier
• Convenient carry case with strap
• 4 AAA standard NiMh rechargeable batteries
• Power adapter
• USB cord
• User guide
• One-year limited warranty

The Video Mag HD is distributed only through APH in the U.S. and Canada.

NEW! Color-by-Texture Marking Mats

1-03332-00 — $119.00

Replacement Items

Raised-Line Coloring Pages, set of 25: 61-114-012 — $5.00

These fun, educational textured mats facilitate a variety of art activities for young children and students who are visually impaired and blind.

Color-by-Texture Marking Mats include an assortment of textured mats which encourage students to independently select embellishments for their personal artwork and coloring pages, as well as for art creations made with clay, foil, and more!

The primary goal of this product is to invite tactile learners to be active participants in art activities by making their own choices based on color and texture preferences. The textured mats and related items can also be used by adults for more sophisticated art creations. The kit is ideal for promoting shared art experiences within a variety of instructional settings with sighted peers.

How to Use

Place a chosen mat underneath a coloring page and rub with a waxed crayon. A wider assortment of textures and shapes can be generated by using different coloring techniques as described in the accompanying instruction booklet.

The coloring pages incorporate large blank areas that will capture the rubbed pattern(s). To create a stable working surface, insert a textured coloring mat into the provided non-skid tray and place the coloring page on top. The textured mats can also be used in combination with quick-drying clay, modeling compound, or heavy-gauge diagramming foil.

Recommended ages: 3 years and up.

Reader’s Digest® Magazine Now Available on Digital Flash Cartridges!

Patrons who are blind and visually impaired have been able to receive accessible editions of Reader’s Digest® from APH since 1928. Those early patrons could hardly have imagined our latest offering: Reader’s Digest Magazine on digital flash cartridges! These cartridges are compatible with the NLS Digital Talking Book Cartridge Players and APH’s Book Port DT digital cartridge player.

APH now offers Reader’s Digest® in these media:

• Braille
• Cassette Tape
• Digital Download
• Digital Flash Cartridge

Note: Due to the cost of the cartridges, subscribers must return the cartridge in the postage-free supplied mailing container after they are finished with each issue.

These subscriptions are offered at no charge to eligible readers. Optional donations are accepted to help ensure that all readers who want to receive accessible Reader’s Digest® may do so.

Subscribe to Reader’s Digest® by calling APH’s Magazine Department toll-free at 1-800-223-1839. If you are currently receiving Reader’s Digest® in braille or on cassette tape, and wish to change to the digital cartridge format, you may call and we will change your subscription.

NEW! Little Paths

Large Print and UEB braille: 6-77953-00 — $149.00

"There are paths"… begins this simple tactile book with more than 10 diverse textures for the young child to trace with is fingers. Set against a black background, the colorful paths are easily seen and felt. The print/braille text, contracted Unified English Braille (UEB), tells the story of rough, rugged paths, paths that zig and zag, and paths like waves. Some paths climb mountains, some lead nowhere, and others offer choices…"And then there is the path of life, the most beautiful path of all."

Little Paths was written by Catherine Colin and is ideal for promoting tracking skills and encouraging texture discrimination. It is intended to be read aloud and shared with children who are visually impaired.

Reading aloud can be one of the most powerful contributions adults make to a young child’s development of literacy. Awareness of written language is developed. Sharing books in an interactive manner, talking about the text and illustrations, has been demonstrated to build vocabulary and strengthen oral language skills. Not least important, reading aloud from a book enjoyed by both child and adult connects reading to pleasure.

For Emergent Print Readers

Pictures act as an important bridge for a child who is a visual learner, helping him take a more active role in reading, as a listener and as a reader. Books with tactile illustrations support the child who is a tactual learner in similar, important ways, offering him opportunities to:

• Build exploratory skills
• Build tactile discrimination skills
• Encounter spatial relationships
• Conventions of 2 dimensional graphics

The clear, silk screened braille is of high quality and extremely durable. Originally produced in French, the English version is produced for APH by Les Doigts Qui Rêvent (LDQR) workshop in Dijon, France. Since its beginning in 1994, LDQR has produced more than 40,000 tactile illustrated books in multiple languages.

Recommended ages: 3 years and up.

WARNING: Choking Hazard—Small Parts. Not intended for children ages 5 and under without adult supervision.

NEW! Tactile Compass for Math & Art

1-08894-00 — $62.00

This assistive tool enables students who are visually impaired to draw tactile circles for their math and art classes.

Tactile Compass for Math & Art allows students to draw tactile circles up to 6 inches in diameter and includes tactile markings in inches and centimeters, so students can measure circle radii. Two different spur wheels are also included allowing students to draw both single-line and double-line circles.

The compass should be used in combination with braille paper or plastic film and a rubber mat, which are not included with this product.

Tactile Compass for Math & Art Includes

• Tactile compass
• Storage pouch
• User’s Guide in print and in braille

Recommended ages: 7 years and up.

WARNING: This product contains a sharp point and should be used with caution. and only under adult supervision.

NEW! Geometro: GS10 Cylinder and Cone

1-03030-00 — $131.00

Related Products

Geometro Sets:
GS16 Mini (8 triangles, 6 squares, and 2 pentagons): 1-03022-00 — $97.00
GS22 Medium (12 triangles, 6 squares, 2 pentagons, and 2 hexagons): 1-03023-00 — $126.00
GS56 Large (24 triangles, 12 squares, 12 pentagons, and 8 hexagons): 1-03024-00 — $319.00

Student Workbook Kit for Geometro: 1-03021-00 — $329.00

These materials provide hands-on experience with manipulatives that aid in teaching 3-D geometry. Can be used independently of the other Geometro sets offered by APH.

Geometro: GS10 Cylinder and Cone provides students with flat plastic shapes (six circles, two rectangles, and two circle sectors) that can be readily joined to form two cylinders and two cones. Each have the same base, but different heights. The pieces use hook & loop material to adhere to each other and are easy to handle, sturdy, and safe. Even the youngest learners quickly master them. For more information, please visit www.geometro.net

Kit Includes

• 6 circles
• 2 rectangles
• 2 circle sectors
• Storage container

NEW! Draw2Measure Protractor app for iOS devices: FREE

Available on the App Store

This handy, free-of-charge app allows students to measure angles in two ways.

Draw2Measure Protractor for iOS® devices is designed for students who are blind and visually impaired, and can be used by sighted students too! It gives all students an alternative way to measure angles, thus meeting students’ diverse needs in math and science classrooms. Works with devices running iOS 8 or later.

First, students can place an angle over the screen of a device, such as a phone or tablet, and trace along the sides of the angle with a fingertip or stylus. The app records the locations of the sides and then calculates the angle. For objects that may not fit on a screen, students can find measurements by rotating the device itself, which utilizes the built-in gyroscope sensor to measure the angle.

Watch a short video to see the Draw2Measure app in action!

IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Nearby Explorer app

Online, Android, and NEW! iOS Devices

Please see special purchasing information below for iOS devices. This app is available for purchase with Quota funds!

A full featured GPS app for iOS® and Android® devices that empowers users to independently explore with confidence! More than just providing directions, this app describes the environment in ways comparable to reading signage or observing road characteristics. It includes onboard maps for the United States and Canada, so a data connection is not required.

Nearby Explorer™ is a powerful location exploration app that uses onboard maps; it includes complete maps for the United States and Canada covering millions of points of interest (POIs).

Available in three versions

• Purchased App (2 options): purchase on the Google Play™ store or on the App® Store online store; downloads all mapping data and does NOT require a network connection.
• Free Online App: free-of-charge on Google Play; mapping data is stored on the web, so the free version DOES require a network connection. This is a "lite" version of the Purchased App.

Use Nearby Explorer to add and share your own POIs. Nearby Explorer uses GPS and your phone’s compass to speak real-time information about your surroundings. It also displays maps on the screen that provide audio feedback with touch. The program enhances its onboard data with Google Places™ business listings and Foursquare® (iOS only), if you have a mobile network connection.

Independently Sense Your Surroundings

Nearby Explorer has several different location-related options. You can select which ones to set to announce information as you travel. These include common options such as street name and address, as well as specialized options such as approaching streets, intersection configurations, and nearby places. The app can also announce the distance and direction to locations. All announcements are optional. While you can elect to have information displayed on the home screen and available at any time, you can also lock the screen and put the device away. This keeps both hands free and lets your preferred voice speak the characteristics of the environment as you move.

GeoBeam Feature

You may also use the device’s position and orientation to obtain additional targeted details. For example, you can point the end of the device to scan for businesses (even in a moving vehicle), or tilt it vertically to function as a compass, including a listing of streets in the indicated direction. You may even mark a point, then use the position of the device to get information about the location of that point through haptic feedback. Think of this feature as a virtual "beam" emitting from the end of your device that "scans" your environment! This feature requires a device with a compass.

Transit Feature

Nearby Explorer also includes a transit feature that provides detailed mass transit schedules for over 60 metropolitan areas in the U. S. and Canada. The app announces the name of the stop and the relative position as you move. Additionally, the transit feature announces the next vehicle stop time, direction of travel, and route name. You can use the transit schedules to look up times or even follow a route.

WARNING: When walking, Nearby Explorer should be used along with a sighted guide, dog guide, or cane because it does not provide sufficient information to act as a substitute for your preferred O&M method.

Requirements to Run Purchased App

Nearby Explorer requires an Android or iOS device with the following:

• Android 4.1 or later; iOS 9 or later
• GPS receiver on phone or tablet. If the device does not contain a GPS receiver, like most iPads and iPods, you must use an external GPS receiver
• 4 GB of available memory for locally stored maps

Note: A built-in compass is not required, but will add additional functionality.

Android, Google Play, and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc., Foursquare® is a trademark of Foursquare Labs, Inc. ("Foursquare") in the U.S. and other countries, IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

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.

Hello Olaf!
by Andrea Posner-Sanchez: T-N2122-30 — $14.50
Details Olaf, the lovable snowman from Disney’s Frozen! Rhymes, rhythmic story-telling, and clues help beginner-level readers decode the story. Grades K-3. *(AR Quiz No. 171449, BL 1.4 Pts 0.5)

Nancy Clancy Sees the Future
by Jane O’Connor: T-N2122-40 — $20.50
Third-grader Nancy tries her hand at fortune-telling but quickly learns it is a bit more complicated than she thought. Grades K-3. *(AR Quiz No. 162373, BL 3.5 Pts 1.0)

If You Feel Too Much: Thoughts on Things Found and Lost and Hoped For
by Jamie Tworkowski: T-N2099-20 — $57.50
A celebration of hope, wonder, and what it means to be human. From personal stories of struggling on days most people celebrate to offering words of strength and encouragement in moments of loss, the essays in this book invite readers to believe that it’s okay to admit to pain and it’s okay to ask for help.

Beauty: A Modern Wicked Fairy Tale
by Sarah Pinborough: T-N2116-00 — $57.00
A contemporary retelling of the classic story of Sleeping Beauty. While the handsome prince, the evil fairy, the beautiful girl and of course the spindle all appear, Sarah Pinborough’s charming and provocative spin on the story will captivate fans of the fairy tale all over again. Some adult content.

Girl in the Spider’s Web
by Alfred A. Knopf: T-N2123-50 — $192.50
Journalist Blomkvist receives a phone call from a source claiming to possess information vital to the United States. Blomkvist turns to super-hacker Lisbeth Salander for help in chasing a secret that is at the center of a tangled web of spies, cybercriminals, and governments around the world. 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/