Workshop 204 Notes
How It Started
First it was a student with RP. He was losing his sight rapidly. Not knowing enough braille and Nemeth to go totally touchy-feely, he was having trouble seeing the diagrams visually, from his large print Geometry books. The VI teacher and I got together to figure out how to help him.
Then, we had a student who had been blind, a little better than counting fingers. She had either retinas or corneas replaced. Her vision was getting better, but the brain needed time to catch up with what she was seeing. So this one could read braille, but was having trouble figuring out the diagrams in her Geometry books. We decided to try what worked with the first student.
Do bigger, bolder, and tactile.
I have set materials to be shared on the tables. We will get to play in a few minutes. First, let’s go through your
goodie zip-locks. These are things that I use on a regular basis:
1 Clear Plastic Ruler--I also have a 6” at home
1 Safe-T Compass--A Most wonderful thing!
2 Sharpie Permanent Markers--1 Fine, 1 Ultra Fine
1 Roller pen
1 Ink pen
2 Pencils--1 Tri-Write, 1 mechanical
1 Strip of Drafting Dots
In the ‘Useful Little Box’:
1/8” Dots--I make my own
Pencil Pillow
Sticky Flag
Binder Clips
Stuff on Table
White braille paper--If you don’t have a Light-Box,
you can start your diagram looking up at a light
or lamp.
Gray Colored Pencils for shading--I would suggest
colored pencils as opposed to drawing pencils.
Drawing pencils rub off.
Eraser pens save eraser on pencils
Graphic Art Tape--3 widths
1/8”-hole punch--Have 1/4” also
(Remember, braille dots are 1/16” inch)
Textured and smooth sticky-back sheets for
dot making--APH, and make your own
Rubber Mats--many choices
Areal Plates
Awl--screw drivers
Tracing Wheels
Freehand Drawing Stylus
Xyron Creative Station--Martha Stewart has one, too.
“Measure Twice, Braille Once”
Show Moon Writing if time allows
Comment that was made at the last conference.
Why not use a PIAF?
PIAF is a a cooker, or oven, that heats a special paper that raises black lines to be read. The reason I don’t, is because these diagrams are throw-away, and the special paper is about $1.25 per page.