FIMC-VI Professional Development
FIMC-VI continues to offer many opportunities for professional development specific to Teachers of the Visually Impaired, O&M Specialists, agency personnel, and/or parents of children with visual impairments.
Working with the Experts
Registration is open for “Moving on Up … to the Digital Age – Strategies for Students with Visual Impairments” April 2, 2014, at FIMC-VI/Manhattan Center in Tampa, Florida.
Join us for this one-day workshop as we learn to download and manage digital textbooks using the BookPort and/or the iPad. Sessions will be led by teachers of the visually impaired currently teaching the use of the BookPort or the iPad in the school setting. If you need hands-on learning and practice with these devices, this is the workshop for you!
 
To register for Working with the Experts, please use the links in your emailed invitation sent March 4, 2014, or contact Kay Ratzlaff at kratzlaff@fimcvi.org if you did not recieve the email. (The registration link will be posted on the FIMC-VI website after spring break.)
Webinars
Previous webinars are now posted on the FIMC-VI website under the training tab. Grab a cup of coffee, sit in your PJs, and click on the links to watch and listen to all the updates and information from FIMC-VI this year. All session except the final New Teacher and New Program Supervisor Webinar scheduled for May 15, 2014, are now posted. (Dates and times for the upcoming sessions are Eastern Time.) Click here for an overview of the webinar topics.
1. Orientation for New Teachers and New Program Supervisors
(a) Session 1 - September 24, 2013 (Introduction to FIMC-VI Services and Book Ordering)
(b) Session 2 - January 10, 2014 (Annual Census, Braille Challenge, Book Orders, and Florida and Virgin Island Deaf-Blind Collaborative Census
(c) Session 3 - May 15, 2014, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Returning Materials to FIMC-VI at the End of the School Year
2. Eye Conditions and Impact on Learning
(a) Session 1 - September 10, 2013 (Review of Common Eye Conditions)
(b) Session 2 - October 1, 2013 (Low Vision Students and Learning Media)
(c) Session 3 - November 13, 2013 (Progressive Eye Conditions)
3. FCAT 2014; What Teachers of the Visually Impaired Need to Know
(a) Session 1 - September 27, 2013 (FCAT Preparation - Exemptions, Waivers, and Computer Based Testing)
(b) Session 2 - February 18, 2014 (FCAT Resources for Administering the Test)
* Use this link to access the archived webinars.
Regional Workshops
To schedule a workshop on the Sensory Learning Kit from the American Printing House for the Blind, please contact Kay Ratzlaff (kratzlaff@fimcvi.org) The Sensory Learning Kit contains research-based assessment and instruction strategies for students with visual impairments functioning cognitively under the age of two. The two-day workshop is designed for teams of teachers of the visually impaired, classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, and therapists to attend together. The workshop and materials are provided at no charge to districts for students registered with FIMC-VI.
Upcoming Conferences
VAVF April 28-30, 2014; Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida Conference; Orlando
WHERE: Staybridge Suites, Orlando, Florida
VAVF members include volunteer transcribers/consultants with expertise in specialized areas of braille and digital/audio production. Conference topics include: Nemeth Code, Unified Braille Code, Braille2000, Introduction to Using Microsoft Word with Duxbury Braille Translator, Tables/Columns, Transcribing K-3 Mathematics, Tactile Graphics, Scanning, Lower Grade Transcriptions, etc. To download the Conference Registration Packet, click the following link: http://www.vavf.org/conference.htm
National Federation of the Blind Convention
The 2014 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will take place on July 1-6, 2014, in Orlando, Florida, at the Rosen Centre Hotel. The hotel is now accepting reservation at (800) 204-7234. Preregistration is also now open at www.nfb.org/registration. Visit www.nfb.org/nation-convention for more details.
Florida Council of the Blind State Meeting
The 2014 State Conference of the Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) is scheduled for June 5-8, 2014, in Tampa, Florida, at the Airport Hilton. For more information, monitor updates via www.fcb.org.
The Annual Family Cafe
The “Sweet Sixteen” 16th Annual Family Cafe is set for June 6-8, 2014 at the Hilton Orlando in Orlando, Florida. This three-day event provides a venue for people with disabilities and their families to learn about available services, connect with policy makers and network with each other. It features dozens of breakout sessions, a full Exhibit Hall, a series of Keynotes and multiple opportunities to interact with other families informally.
Register Online for The 16th Annual Family Cafe
 
FIMC-VI wants to thank everyone for your help in making the Florida Regional Braille Challenges such a ROCKIN' Success! Our sponsors include Lions Eye Institute, FAER, Braille Works, Florida Reading and Vision, HumanWare, Seedlings and Braille Institute.
The teachers and volunteers that worked in each location are ROCK STARS in our book! Thanks to Paul Odham and Darren Porter for your words of wisdom that you shared with parents in Orlando and Tampa.
To see more pictures and results from the Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, and Tampa events, please go to the Florida Regional Braille Challenge Facebook page.
A big thanks to Sue Glaser for her leadership, hard-work, fundraising, great ideas, and organizational skills in developing, managing, and coordinating these fabulous events. We know how to CELEBRATE braille here in Florida!
We are awaiting news to see which students qualify for the National Braille Challenge in June, 2014, Los Angeles, California. Each year Florida has sent more students and we hope that trend continues. Watch future newsletters for those announcements. For more information about Braille Challenge please visit the webpage of the Braille Institute.
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Kathee's Korner-- FIMC-VI Book Order Specialist
Annual Census is completed! Thanks for your quick responses in updating your students. Everything has been submitted to the American Printing House for the Blind.
Now it is time to begin book orders for 2014-2015. As always, the earlier you order braille books the better. FIMC-VI data shows that for braille books ordered in April, 96% of them were shipped with all volumes complete by the end of August! Here is the data for last year's book orders that were completed by August 2013:
Braille books ordered in April = 96% complete
Braille books ordered in May = 87% complete
Braille books ordered in June = 75% complete
Braille books ordered in July = 70% complete
Braille books ordered in August = 49% complete
The data is clear, if you want your braille books ready to go when school starts, it is best to order early.
If you have questions about book orders or need additional assistance, please contact Kathee Cagle at kcagle@fimcvi.org or 1.800.282.9193.
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Scholarship Opportunity - Deadline is March 31, 2014 |
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2014 Florida Council of the Blind Scholarships: There are four (4) scholarships available for part-time college students, graduating college-bound high school students, or students currently enrolled in a college. More information, applications, and eligibility requirements are available on line at www.fcb.org.
The deadline for all required documents is March 31, 2014. Contact Sheila Young, at sayoung125@att.net or by phone at 407-425-9200 with additional questions.
All About Braille
FREE Scholastic Braille Books: Don't forget to send in your orders for the print/braille SCHOLASTIC books--they're FREE to you!! The Pinellas Braille Group (PBG) of volunteer certified braille transcribers continues to offer you the opportunity to get brand new SCHOLASTIC books and used "kiddie lit" books in braille. Click on the PBG Letter to TVIs 9-13 for more information about the program and the order form. Then make your selections from the PBG Early Literacy Brailled Book List 10-13 and/or the Scholastic Catalog 2013, an Excel spreadsheet with grade-level tabs. Send your Scholastic book order to Teresa Gutierrez. Send your Early Literacy book order to Mary Klein. We want our students to have lots of opportunities for braille reading!!
Change is coming to the Braille Code ... BANA Affirms Date for Implementation of Unified English Braille Code (UEB)
The Braille Authority of North America (BANA), at its November 8–10 meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, affirmed January 4, 2016, as the date by which the United States will implement the general use of UEB.
BANA recognizes that the implementation of UEB will require major adjustments to the infrastructures that produce, deliver, and teach braille, as well as time and strategies for braille users to become familiar with changes in the code. BANA continues to work with leaders throughout the field to build a carefully designed timeline and coordinated plan … for a smooth transition to UEB.
To see the changes, open this document: Overview of Changes from EBAE to UEB (Overview of Changes from Current Literary Braille to Unified English Braille Code).
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AER International Orientation and Mobility Conference
December 2013, in New Orleans, Louisiana
Recap by JoAnne Chalom, COMS, Ed.S.
Oh, the places you go and the people you meet, so much to do when you are on your feet. I recently had the opportunity to attend and present at the AER International Orientation & Mobility Conference 2013. Over 700 orientation and mobility specialists, researchers, university professors and agency leaders attended the conference. To read about many of the new ideas and innovative techniques that were discussed at the conference, click here: AER International Orientation and Mobility Conf
SURVEY for Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Dear Teacher.
The Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness at Louisiana Tech University invites you to participate in a study to evaluate the services and to understand the educational experiences of blind and/or visually impaired youth in grades K through 12. Your feedback will improve future policies and practices that prepare teachers in the future. Participation in this study allows us to gain a much richer and robust understanding of factors that impact service options and academic performance of blind and/or visually impaired youth.
You must meet the following criteria to participate in the study:
1. Currently be a certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired TVI/TBS;
2. Have a caseload of one or more students with low vision or blindness as his or her primary diagnosed disability on his/her Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Participation in this study is voluntary and you may quit the survey at any time. We appreciate your participation in this research. You may access the survey by visiting the link: Survey for Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Feel free to forward this invitation.
Sincerely,
Edward Bell Ph.D. Principal Investigator
Casey Robertson, Research Associate
Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness
Louisiana Tech University
PO Box 3158, Woodhard Hall 201
Ruston, LA 71272
318-257-4554
E-mail Institute on Blindness if you need help with this survey. (The link will also be posted on the FIMC-VI website.)
* Disclaimer: FIMC-VI is not necessarily endorsing any of the products or websites mentioned in this newsletter. We are simply sharing the information.
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