Braille Bits is a correspondence-guided class conducted by the Library, providing braille lessons online or by mail. This podcast highlights each Braille Bits lesson and features an interview with a special guest to discuss all things braille. Check out the Braille Bits page for more information.
Free Online Trainings Available
We wanted to share a few free online trainings that have been made available.
From OBJECTIVE ED
ObjectiveEd has free distance learning tools for the remainder of the 2019/2020 school year.
We’ve heard from over 1000 teachers, and we’ve been working non-stop to get everyone provisioned and ready to use our digital curriculum with their students. Many are already giving remote lessons using our tools. We have training videos and we’re offering webinars twice a day. Our distance learning system helps with O&M, Assistive Technology and Braille Literacy. And it’s so much for fun for the students: they will improve their skills in the games between your remote sessions.
More information about ObjectiveEd’s distance learning system is here:
www.objectiveEd.com/distance
From Bookshare
FREE 45-Minute Bookshare Webinar this Thursday
Topic: School closed? How to support students with learning differences online with Bookshare
· Date: Thursday, April 2, 2020
· Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM PDT
Is your school shifting to online learning due to COVID-19? Do you teach students with IEPs, 504 plans, or learning differences that require accommodations? Do you know how you will support them in an online environment? Join us for a free 45-minute webinar to learn how you can help students with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers to read and learn independently at home with FREE Bookshare ebooks. In this webinar, you will learn:
- How to easily and remotely assign books to students to read on their own at home
- How to give students individual access so they can find and read books on their own
- How to access free and paid reading apps for computers, tablets, smartphones, and AT devices
- And much more!
Can’t make it to the webinar? Register to receive a recording after the webinar ends. Register Now
From the IMC and the Library:Braille Bits and Braille Bits Online It’s not too late to join us for Braille Bits Online! On Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:00 pm we will start our Braille Bits Online program. It will be conducted over Zoom, an online meeting platform that is very easy to use. Join us twice a week for 45 minutes as we listen to a Braille Bits podcast and have a fun and lively conversations surrounding all things Braille. Please contact Denise Bean at 515.452.1338 for more information or to register. You can also register by completing this registration form For a self-paced option, Braille Bits and the lessons are available any time. Check out the Braille Bits blog page for more inforamtion |
Weekly Dose of Braille
This type of play on print happens quite often in grammar worksheets or even poetry, this week’s dose is all about punctuation with emphasis.
New Weekly Dose: Emphasized Punctuation
For more information and to see past Weekly Dose of Braille topics check out our Weekly Dose of Braille Page.
The Weekly Dose of Braille is created by our Braille Transcriber, Denise Bean, with the help of our Instructional Materials team. It gives you a taste of braille examples that may be used in worksheets or textbook formatting. This insightful Weekly Dose of Braille brings your attention to the common use of Unified English Braille and how to implement these rules and formats used by braille transcribers and proofreaders. It is a miscellaneous mixture of tricky, sometimes challenging circumstances, that a braille transcriber may come across or question, but are neatly put into a Weekly Dose of Braille for your easy access. Provided each week is a downloadable PDF file on each topic, a brf file can also be made available for your convenience.
Paraeducator and Associate Training Opportunity (One Starting Next Week)
Paraeducator and Associate Training by the Library at the Iowa Department for the Blind
We know more than most the important role that paraeducators and associates play in successful student learning. We want to help make sure that you have the information you need to make that success happen.
The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled is accepting registrations for a two week training opportunity (approximately 15 hours) held Monday – Friday. This is an incredible chance to sharpen your skills in a short amount of time. To make this learning advancement even more convenient, training will be available the Spring and Summer of 2020. These instructional sessions work within a 1-hour class using a Zoom classroom and will include some “homework” outside of class. The training will focus on topics related to accessible educational materials.
Topics will include; ordering materials in alternative formats for students, braille, Universal Design for Learning, creating accessible documents, screen readers, and information about the Instructional Materials Center. A $200.00 stipend will be available to those who successfully complete the training.
Spring Training
March 30th – April 10th
9:00am – 10:00am
Zoom Classroom
Registration for Spring due by Friday, March 27th 12:00pm
Summer Training
June 8th – June 19th
9:00am – 10:00am
Zoom Classroom
Registration for Summer due by Friday, June 4th 12:00pm
Register Here for 2020 Spring or Summer Trainings
For more about the Iowa Department for the Blind and the Library and the Instructional visit us here:
Iowa Department for the Blind
Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled
For more information contact:
Sarah Willeford
Library Director, Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled
Iowa Department for the Blind
sarah.willeford@blind.state.ia.us
515-494-8439
News from the IMC and Library
We hope this finds everyone safe and healthy. Although we are asking the public not to come to the Iowa Department for the Blind building, library staff are continuing to work (some in the building, some at home) to continue to provide services through all avenues as best we can such as mail, email and phone calls.
Student Materials
The IMC is continuing to take and process student material orders for the current year and next year. We know some students are receiving supplemental materials or using online learning platforms during this time away from school. Please let us know if alternative formats are needed. Just submit the order using the material order form.
The library has also has old and new programs that can help students stay connected and reading.
Books for Kids
Join the Books for Kids program designed to provide kids daily access to books throughout the year. We want to motivate kids to help develop a love of reading, spark the imagination and provide tools for future success in school and beyond.
The program provides Braille, print/Braille, large print and/or audio books each to participants, including summer months. It allows for the child to choose the books they want in as many formats as they would like to receive. The books can be sent to the child’s home, school and/or other addresses.
Braille Bits Online.
Monday and Wednesday at 2:00 pm. starting March 30th. It will be conducted over Zoom, an online meeting platform that is very easy to use. Join us twice a week for 45 minutes as we listen to a Braille Bits podcast and have a fun and lively conversations surrounding all things Braille. Please contact Denise Bean at 515.452.1338 for more information or to register. You can also register by completing this registration form
Tech Time with Tyler
Wednesdays from 8:00am-11:00am you can call Tyler Swett, Accessible Media Specialist, and get your tech questions answered. The phone number to call is 515.452.1343.
You can follow the Library Blog and this IMC blog for up to date information.
Stay safe, stay connected and happy reading!
The IMC Team
Weekly Dose of Braille
Well, what is the difference between the dot locator for “mention” and the dot locator for “use,” this can be so confusing, well not a problem, this week’s dose will most certainly help you see the light on the difference.
New Weekly Dose: Dot Locator for Mention or Use
For more information and to see past Weekly Dose of Braille topics check out our Weekly Dose of Braille Page.
The Weekly Dose of Braille is created by our Braille Transcriber, Denise Bean, with the help of our Instructional Materials team. It gives you a taste of braille examples that may be used in worksheets or textbook formatting. This insightful Weekly Dose of Braille brings your attention to the common use of Unified English Braille and how to implement these rules and formats used by braille transcribers and proofreaders. It is a miscellaneous mixture of tricky, sometimes challenging circumstances, that a braille transcriber may come across or question, but are neatly put into a Weekly Dose of Braille for your easy access. Provided each week is a downloadable PDF file on each topic, a brf file can also be made available for your convenience.
Weekly Dose of Braille
Questions come up from time to time and I am incredibly grateful for them. A question was asked about contracting the lower wordsign “enough”, should it be contracted or not? When rules are looked up just to confirm how to answer the question it is important to share with all of you!
New Weekly Dose: Lower Wordsign and Apostrophe
For more information and to see past Weekly Dose of Braille topics check out our Weekly Dose of Braille Page.
The Weekly Dose of Braille is created by our Braille Transcriber, Denise Bean, with the help of our Instructional Materials team. It gives you a taste of braille examples that may be used in worksheets or textbook formatting. This insightful Weekly Dose of Braille brings your attention to the common use of Unified English Braille and how to implement these rules and formats used by braille transcribers and proofreaders. It is a miscellaneous mixture of tricky, sometimes challenging circumstances, that a braille transcriber may come across or question, but are neatly put into a Weekly Dose of Braille for your easy access. Provided each week is a downloadable PDF file on each topic, a brf file can also be made available for your convenience.
March 28th S.O.A.R. Saturday Canceled
Due to health concerns and our desire to make sure we keep everyone healthy and safe, we will be cancelling our S.O.A.R. Saturday on March 28, 2020. The library will also cancel its extended hours on Saturday, March 28th form 10:00am – 2:0pm.Please continue to watch our blog and the Iowa Department for the Blind website, https://blind.iowa.gov/ for updates.
The Braille ISASP Just Arrived!
The ISASP in Braille format has arrived. In the up and coming days, we will be sending out the received orders for the ISASP.
What is included with the set of braille ISASP materials?
Print answer sheet, print instructions, and print test book, braille test book, braille notes documents for each subject, plus the following:
- Reading – unlabeled braille paper
- Language/writing – unlabeled and labeled braille paper
- Mathematics – formula/reference sheet (grades 6-11 only), unlabeled and labeled braille paper, duplicate pages if required
- Math formula/reference sheet will be detached so that students do not need to flip back and forth between the question and formula/reference sheet. Remember to return this formula/reference sheet with other materials to the Iowa Department for the Blind
- Science (grades 5, 8, 10) – unlabeled braille paper, duplicate pages if required
Here is a link to the ISASP FAQ document provided by Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
IMC Team
Weekly Dose of Braille
When working on worksheets for exercise material we will often encounter lessons that contain fill in the blank Q and A. Follow along with today’s Dose to know when to stick with the rules!
New Weekly Dose: Omitted Letters
For more information and to see past Weekly Dose of Braille topics check out our Weekly Dose of Braille Page.
The Weekly Dose of Braille is created by our Braille Transcriber, Denise Bean, with the help of our Instructional Materials team. It gives you a taste of braille examples that may be used in worksheets or textbook formatting. This insightful Weekly Dose of Braille brings your attention to the common use of Unified English Braille and how to implement these rules and formats used by braille transcribers and proofreaders. It is a miscellaneous mixture of tricky, sometimes challenging circumstances, that a braille transcriber may come across or question, but are neatly put into a Weekly Dose of Braille for your easy access. Provided each week is a downloadable PDF file on each topic, a brf file can also be made available for your convenience.