Talking LabQuest Product Giveaway!

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

Add accessible science to your curriculum for Fall 2012!

The experiment possibilities are endless with the Talking LabQuest

One lucky person will be randomly selected to win this new technology that assists a student with visual impairments in accessing scientific data. It is simple to enter the competition, just sign up for the newsletter and you are automatically placed in the running. Every sign up since January 1st, 2012, has been automatically entered. The winner will be announced in the August Newsletter and via personal email.

If you were already on our list prior to January 1, 2012 and would like to be entered. Email: info@independencescience.com

Contest ends August 1st, so sign up today! 

Enter the Talking LabQuest Giveaway here

ISci Voice Access Software allows you to hear scientific readings with this hand-held, mobile device

Talking LabQuest with Stainless Steel Temperature Probe

 

Items included:

  • 1 LabQuest Data Collection Device
  • ISci Voice Access Software
  • On-board Periodic Table
  • Stainless Steel Temperature Probe
  • Differential Voltage Sensor
  • SD Card Intsruction Manual
  • USB Keyboard
  • HeadPhones

Youtube Product Demonstration

You may ask yourself, why we are giving away this product? The answer is that we are working to get this accessible solution into as many people’s hands as possible, and it is our mission to bring accessible science to the mainstream for students with visual impairments.

With this device, a student is empowered to explore a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields of study. A greater level of confidence and comfort can be seen in the attitude of the student. With the use of the Talking LabQuest, students with blindness or low vision (BLV) can use their natural inquisitive nature to conduct experiments independently and without the use of a visual aid.

For more details on the Talking Labquest.

Other Articles for TVI Tips, Techniques and Instructional Methods:

Using a Microscope

How to Make Accessible Tactile Diagrams

Strategies to Prepare your Student for the Science Classroom

Visit www.independencescience.com for more information on how we make science accessible or watch this demonstration of Logger Pro with Window-Eyes

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How to Graph and Analyze Scientific Data for a Person who is Blind or has Low Vision

Posted on May 14, 2012 by admin

The ability for a person with low vision or blindness to analyze tables and graphs has always been a challenge and has undoubtedly caused great frustration for a teacher.

From the Assistive Technology Blog http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu

Some options a student can use would be to use a screen reader with excel to navigate a data table.

An option for a student to interpret graphs would be to use low-tech methods like wikki-stix on paper, which create a tactile representation of the graphed data. As important as using tactile methods to relay concepts, these can only be used as examples, they are not an effective way to describe specific data points.

 

 

Use the ISci software to make this advanced data analysis program speak keystrokes, navigation, data tables and graphs

Use the ISci Voice Access software to make this advanced data analysis program speaks keystrokes, navigation, data tables and graphs

Our best recommendation for a student to analyze a data table and its perspective graph without vision would be to use the Talking Logger Pro Solution, made available by ISci Voice Access Software.

Once the student has input their data manually, or imported it through the Talking LabQuest data collection device, they can then analyze the data with voice access. This will allow very detailed analysis of the data and the ability to add curve fits, linear fits, and apply statistical analysis to the data.

For more information on the Logger Pro Software Analysis Solution by Independence Science please email our lab consultants or visit our website.

 

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Tactile Drawing Solutions for Producing Diagrams in Physics Classrooms for Students who are Blind

Posted on May 3, 2012 by admin

Generally, physics lessons are taught in a visual format with a lot of questions left unanswered for a student with visual impairments. The proper way to relay these concepts would be through tactile diagrams with raised line drawings, the use of Braille to label drawings, hot glue, and verbal descriptions. With all these techniques, it is easy to relay advanced physics concepts to a student without vision.

Every experiment is different, like every student is different and should be adapted to their best method of learning. Consistent and open communication between teacher, TVI, and student is important to prepare materials in advance and keep the student on track with their sighted peers.

Here are a few options to develop tactile diagrams for use in the science classroom and beyond!

DRAFTSMAN Tactile Drawing Board $177

Create instant tactile drawings easily!

Use forTactile drawing board with stylus, pen and ruler shown with instruction manual

  • Producing simple raised-line graphics
  • Demonstrating math concepts and tasks
  • Demonstrating science concepts
  • Practicing handwriting skills
  • Playing games (e.g., tic-tac-toe)
  • Facilitating tracing activities
  • Creating art drawings

Use this versatile tactile drawing board in combination with special film and a stylus to create instant raised-line drawings. The drawing board is intended for a wide audience, such as visually impaired students, teachers, parents, and adults. This board has a plastic frame that encases a double-layered rubber surface. Clamp a sheet of included drawing film onto the board and use the included stylus or a ballpoint pen to quickly draw a raised image.

Includes

  • DRAFTSMAN Tactile Drawing Board
  • Two-ended tactile drawing stylus
  • Tactile inch-ruler
  • 25 sheets of drawing film (also available separately)
  • Braille/print instruction book
  • Carrying case
 
Video: How Window-Eyes and Logger Pro work to create accessible science data analysis for the student with visual impairments
 

Sensational Blackboard $29.95Black background and white chalk style lettering are the logo of the Sensational Blackboard

Sensational BlackBoard offers a fun, fast, easy and inexpensive way to get tactile access to images. Draw your own raised line pictures or you can have photo copy images of text book or research materials quickly traced. Because you can use regular printer paper, this solution is very portable and cost effective. It can fit easily in a back pack or binder to be available throughout the school day.

Video Demonstration

Features

  • Light weight at just 7 ounces.
  • Flexible enough to not break in your backpack but rigid enough to draw on your lap.
  • Smooth surface holds the paper in place. No clamps makes it easy to tuck into a briefcase or binder 11 1/2” x 9”.
  • Inexpensive since it is designed to be used with a regular ball point pen and standard copy paper.

 

Tactile Adaptation Kit $184

magnets show scientific diagram on white board with multi-colored letters and cut out felt shapes.

Use this kit to

  • Introduce & reinforce concepts tactually
  • Modify lessons in all subject areas
  • Present circle charts, bar graphs, shapes, molecules, DNA structures, Venn diagrams, incline planes, concept maps…
  • Reach more multi-sensory students

Includes:

  • A CD containing suggested uses, photographs, ideas & adaptations for teaching difficult concepts
  • 11″ x 14″ magnetic dry erase board with carry case
  • Mini glue gun & glue sticks
  • Print magnetic numbers & letters
  • 12″ magnetic flexible ruler
  • Various magnets & magnetic strips to create your own adaptations
  • Magnetic backed felt & foam sheets
  • Textured dots for coding
  • And much more…

This kit is developed to be fully adaptable, reusable and easily transported. By using hot glue, magnets and a dry erase board, anything is possible with the Tactile Adaptation Kit.

Raised Line Drawings in Conjunction with an Audio Book

By using Braille paper and a Braille writer with a hot glue gun one can make labeled diagrams. This technique involves a sighted student, art major preferred, to draw the figures from the text book an on 11 x 11.5 inch Braille page. Then work with that student to insert Braille labels onto the page. Lastly, the student puts hot glue on the pages and then puts them in a 3 ring notebook for reference later. This technique works particularly well when instructing a student with an audio book, and they can feel diagrams while listening to the audio descriptions.

Keeping it all Organized

It is extremely important to develop a system of organization to make reference to the diagrams a simple and easy task. It is important to communicate with the teacher on the best way to organize the figures based on lessons to be learned in the classroom. Our best suggestion would be to organize by lecture and to keep the drawings in a 3 ring notebook and numbered based on the order the occurred in the lecture. By using a note taker a student who is blind should mark the figure numbers and descriptions to refer to later.

 

If these techniques still do not answer your question, please email our lab consultants and we will work with you to find the right solution for your laboratory or classroom environment. Remember, every student learns differently and open communication is essential to finding the right solution.

Email us at info@independencescience.com or visit us at www.independencescience.com for more information. 

For other TVI Tips:

How to make Tactile Diagrams for Enhanced Science Learning

Laboratory Guidelines, Testing and Field Experiments

Making a Tactile Graduated Cylinder


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Part 2: Chemists with Disabilities Teaching Practices for Students who are Blind or Low Vision

Posted on April 24, 2012 by admin

Part 2

Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities:
A Manual for High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs, 4th Edition

Tactile version of an atom for a student to feel and understand through touch

Tactile models are essential to explaining atom structure and chemical bonds

Dorothy L. Miner, Ron Nieman, Anne B. Swanson, and Michael Woods, Editors Kelley Carpenter, Copy Editor. American Chemical Society Committee on Chemists with Disabilities Copyright 2001, The American Chemical Society

Download Full ACS Publication

A basic understanding about visual disabilities by high school and college classroom chemistry teachers can be very useful in making a classroom more accessible for learning.  It is important for teachers to be flexible and accommodating, but to also understand that most students with visual impairments function independently except for reading or other sight-essential tasks.

Excellent classroom communication techniques as well as proper preparation must be carefully considered to promote the best atmosphere for learning when accommodating any students with disabilities.  Preparing materials before the lesson for the student and open communication about the lesson plan will lead to an increase in confidence and concept development in the classroom.

Here are some important things to consider to make your educational environment as accessible as possible while teaching students with visual disabilities:

  • Talk directly to the student, just as you would any other individual, giving them your full attention.
  • Be as unambiguous as possible, avoiding confusing pronouns and gestures, by simply calling on the student by name and referring to compounds and structures by their proper name, such as, “benzene ring” rather than, “this structure.”
  • Make all classroom materials available digitally that can be manipulated into alternative formats, students who are blind may be more tech savvy than you.
  • Accept e-mails of completed assignments, enter appropriate comments and grading, and return it back via e-mail for the student. The digital era has replaced email and digital Braille displays with most physical Braille outputs.

Perhaps the most relevant suggestion of all, is to prepare your course assuming multiple students with any type of disability will enroll.  This will allow you to prepare ahead of time and take the appropriate steps to making your classroom accessible to the many different types of students who will enter with an eagerness to learn. Just like their sighted peers, every student learns differently, and open communication will help find the best strategy.

Of course assistive technology helps to, view our website to learn more about how ISci Voice Access Software and the Talking LabQuest create a boundary free lab environment.

Interested in accessible science solutions? Sign up for our newsletter and be placed in the running for a Talking LabQuest Solution in your 2012 curriculum.

Read part 1 on Chemists with BLV in the Laboratory or say tuned for the next part of the Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities, in regards to better practices for high schools, colleges, and graduate programs to increase the levels of learning for students with disabilities.

Contact our lab consultants for more info on how to include ISci Voice Access Software into the classroom: info@independencescience.com

Green IS on the left side, looks like a periodic symbol, and in gold Independence Science, with tagline "empowering a new vision"

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News Release: GW Micro and Independence Science Make Science and Engineering Accessible to Blind Worldwide

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GW Micro and Independence Science Make Science and Engineering Accessible to Blind Worldwide

New Video: How Window-Eyes and Logger Pro interact to create a data analysis program accessible to the student with visual impairments

Fort Wayne, Indiana (April 19, 2012) – GW Micro, Inc. (www.gwmicro.com) and Independence Science (www.independencescience.com) are excited to announce a collaborative effort to make science and engineering accessible to  students who are blind around the world. 

A few years ago, the idea of students with visual impairments (VI) accessing scientific laboratory equipment and performing advanced data analysis independently was considered impossible, because most observations and manipulations of data were presented in a visual way. Students who are blind or visually impaired have been underrepresented in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields due to the limitations of access to scientific curricula in the classroom.  The new collaborative effort between GW Micro and Independence Science strives to provide a solution that will enable more students who are blind and visually impaired to enter the STEM fields.

Research by Dr. Cary Supalo, Independence Science, and GW Micro has led to the development of a text-to-speech package that acts as the missing link between the technology and students who are visually impaired.

This comprehensive package is known as the ISci Lab Solution, which includes the following hardware and software components:

Hardware:

  • Vernier LabQuest (stand-alone data collection interface)

Software:

  • ISci Voice Plug-in (for LabQuest)
  • Vernier Logger Pro (data collection and analysis application for PC)
  • Window-Eyes (an advanced screen reader application for PC)
  • Window-Eyes app for Logger Pro (enhances Logger Pro accessibility with Window-Eyes)

The ISci Lab Solution enables students who are blind to participate in hands-on learning activities with scientific data and curriculum. “We envision a classroom that exhibits the full integration of students with VI and reduces teacher anxiety about accommodating students during lab activities,” said Dr. Supalo, who is himself a blind scientist. “My experience developing these access technologies has taught me that blindness need not be a barrier in the pursuit of one’s ambitions.”

With the advanced technology of the Window-Eyes screen reading software, the ISci Lab Solution is now available in multiple languages to enable science access to the blind around the globe. This was not possible until the release of the ISci Lab Solution package. For customers who already have Window-Eyes or one of the other components, each individual component of the ISci Lab Solution can be purchased separately. Additionally, various sensors can be purchased from Independence Science that can collect various types of data, such as temperature, force, or other information.

“We are very excited to bring this unique access solution to the market, which will help school systems and post-secondary institutions provide accessible science classrooms to the blind and visually impaired,” said Dan Weirich, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GW Micro.

GW Micro has been a trusted pioneer in the adaptive technology industry since 1990, and continues to lead with innovative, customer driven solutions.

Independence Science is the leading developer of accessible technology for students with visual impairments in the science laboratory. ISci research is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

To take advantage of special introductory pricing, please contact GW Micro or Independence Science at the following:

GW Micro
Phone: (260) 489-3671 
Email: sales@gwmicro.com 
Web: www.gwmicro.com

Independence Science
Phone: (866) 862-9665
Email: info@independencescience.com
Web: www.independencescience.com

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For more information on the ISci Lab Solution: 

How to Use Window-Eyes with Logger Pro

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Part 1: Chemists with Disabilities in the Laboratory

Posted on April 10, 2012 by admin

PART 1

Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities:
A Manual for High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs, 4th Edition

Braille and Talking Technology in the Lab to Assist a Student with Blindness or Low Vision

Dorothy L. Miner, Ron Nieman, Anne B. Swanson, and Michael Woods, Editors Kelley Carpenter, Copy Editor. American Chemical Society Committee on Chemists with Disabilities Copyright 2001, The American Chemical Society

Download Full ACS Publication

Hands-on learning experiences in laboratory settings are essential for any student studying chemistry.  This 3 part review of the publication by the Chemists with Disabilities Committee in the American Chemical Society provides a few guidelines to follow when teaching a student who has blindness or low vision (BLV). These valuable lessons should be used  in the laboratory to ensure an enjoyable and effective learning experience for all students.

First, plan out an orientation session to be conducted before any actual lab work takes place. Like most students, a person with BLV will learn and operate best in familiar surroundings. Introduce your student to all areas of the lab, both that are vital to normal lab processes (sinks, hoods, reagent shelves, waste containers), as well as those that may be seldom used, but also of high importance to safety (safety showers, emergency exits, etc.).  The better the student understands all of their surroundings, the higher their conference to operate within the laboratory.

The following are some specific, but simple modifications that can be made in order to make the lab setting more accessible to BLV students:

  • Titrations using a standard pH meter rather than by color. Safe pH Testing
  • Large-print or braille thermometers, or talking thermometer
  • Mark important increments on hot-plates, balances, electrical outlets, beakers with tactile markings. Tactile objects in the laboratory
  • Digital outputs from different electronic instruments (balances, voltmeters, etc.) can be interfaced to computers or other talking devices to announce collected information. Data Collection & Data Analysis Solutions

It is imperative for all students in the laboratory to follow proper safety and emergency procedure guidelines in order to ensure a safe learning environment for all individuals involved, including proper eyewear, gloves, and overhead hood use. A student with visual impairments may insist they do not need to wear eye protection, here is an article explaining why it is a mandatory procedure. Safety Goggles in the Lab

Interested in accessible science solutions? Sign up for our newsletter and be placed in the running for a Talking LabQuest Solution in your 2012 curriculum.

Stay tuned for the next two parts of the Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities, in regards to better practices for high schools, colleges, and graduate programs to increase the levels of learning for students with disabilities.

Contact our lab consultants for more info on how to include ISci Voice Access Software into the classroom: info@independencescience.com

ISci Lab Solutions: Voice Access to STEM

 

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Talking LabQuest Customer Review

Posted on April 10, 2012 by admin

As a growing business developing technology in uncharted territory, it is important for our researchers to take feedback from users of the product. At the American Chemical Society National Meeting, our staff had the pleasure of meeting with Jordan Harshman a TA at Miami University in the Chemistry Labs. We first met him at the IsLAND Conference of 2011 where he was introduced to our access technology. Since then, he has incorporated the products into his lesson plan to include a second semester student in his class who is visually impaired.

With goggles on a student who is blind listens to measurements read by the Talking LabQuest as her sighted peers watch along side her, truly a team effort..

ISci Lab Solutions: Voice Access to STEM

Aleeha Dudley was able to fill us in on some of the hands-on experiences she has had in the science laboratory since using the new technology. The image to the right shows Aleeha using the differential voltage probe with the Talking LabQuest.

  • When asked about ease of use, “Yeah, course I’m a tech nut, but I would say for the beginning user even if they’re not regular users, it’s easy to operate.”
  • “Definitely helps to increase independence in the lab because you don’t have to have someone else say, ‘oh, you’re looking at this now, which looks like this…’”
 

Independence Science staff sat down with Jordan to review how his student is adapting to the technology, and here are some of the responses we received:

  • “Unpacking the actual materials and then trying to figure out how it was going to work was actually very easy and we were able to get it up and running within the first day.”
     
  • “I took a very hands-off approach and I thought I would at least have to say how to use it, she picked it up very quickly (Talking LabQuest) and went off with it on her own.”
     
  • “Five minutes and she would be able to operate all the different dials and settings that we would need. We did everything, temperature, pH, even hooked up a spectrometer with it, if you get a USB splitter you are able to plug in the spectrometer and the keyboard into the device at the same time.”
     
  • “Before we did not have her working with partners, she was just working by herself. We thought it would be easier that way, but it led to a lot of isolation. That was a poor idea looking in hindsight. ”But then the fear was when we got her into partners, working like any other student in the lab, she wouldn’t be able to participate as much. She was definitely able to participate, it wasn’t just because of the labquest, but any time they needed the labquest, she always ran the data and still was involved with sample preparation.”
     
  • “The LabQuest did its job, it allowed complete accessibility. If you have a curriculum that is designed on the LabQuest and you want to use it, there is no stopping what you can actually do in the lab if you are blind or low vision.”

As the Talking LabQuest and Talking Logger Pro access solutions mature, we look forward to more great feedback like what we have received from Jordan and Aleeha. Based on his interview, the student had very little trouble operating the Talking LabQuest and in fact, learned the technology faster than the teacher while becoming the most trusted user in the class. It is so motivational to hear of a student taking her science education to the next level with our ISci Access Technology and to know that she will not be the only one benefiting from the research by Independence Science. There is so much more to come!

Use the Talking LabQuest as a mobile data collection device or an interface to analyze data on the logger pro software when using ISci Voice Access Software

Our mission to increase access to STEM fields of study for students with visual impairments starts with you, so please visit our website to learn more about how we are empowering a new vision: www.independencescience.com

 

For TVI Tips visit these other great articles:

How to Use Window-Eyes and JAWS® Screen Readers to Access Logger Pro Software

TVI Tips: 4 Strategies to Prepare a Student with Visual Impairments for Success in Science and Math Courses 

TVI Tips: Laboratory Guidelines, Testing, and Field Experiences

Posted in americans with disabilities act, Blind science news, science access technology, teacher of the blind, tvi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Use Window-Eyes and JAWS® Screen Readers to Access Logger Pro Software

Posted on March 23, 2012 by admin

Use the ISci software to make this advanced data analysis program speak keystrokes, navigation, data tables and graphs

Use the ISci Voice Access software to make this advanced data analysis program speak keystrokes, navigation, data tables and graphs

NOW AVAILABLE FOR USE

WITH WINDOW-EYES!

Video Demonstration of Logger Pro Data Analysis software with the Window-Eyes App.

A few years ago, the idea of students with visual impairments accessing science laboratories and advanced data analysis was considered impossible, due to most observations and manipulations presented in a visual way.

Research by Dr. Cary Supalo and Independence Science has led to the development of a text-to-speech script package that acts as the missing link between this software and students who are visually impaired.

To use this scientific access solution, one must have either Window-Eyes or JAWS® Screen Reading Software, the Vernier Logger Pro Software and the ISci Voice Access Software. All three of these products work together to provide the student with talking navigation through the graphs and tables of collected data. One can now perform statistical analysis of data, including integrals, tangents, curve fits, and more.

Students can collect data by connecting an external interface to their computer or by using the portable Talking LabQuest by Independence Science. Other interfaces include: Lab Pro, LabQuest mini, and Go!Link. These interfaces connect to over 70 probes and sensors developed by Vernier Software & Technology.

The LabQuest is recommended because it is the most versatile interface and can collect and announce data from up to 4 probes at one time. (Not all probes work with the other interfaces) It weighs 350 g, slightly heavier than a mobile phone, and is protected by a rubber molded, splash resistant enclosure that is ready to use in any rugged terrain. The device measures 16.5 cm x 10 cm x 4 cm with a 5-button navigation group and 4 push buttons for quick function access. Powered by a Lithium-Ion, rechargeable, high capacity battery, the Talking LabQuest has enough power to last a whole school day in the class or in the field before recharging the unit.

Specific Compatibility Requirements

JAWS®/Logger Pro Interface:  

  • Vernier Logger Pro v 3.7 or later
  • Vernier Interface device (LabPro, LabQuest, LabQuest Mini, Go!Link)
  • JAWS for Windows v 11, 12, or 13 – English versions of Windows only, 32 or 64 bit OS
  • ISci Voice Access Software for JAWS®

Window-Eyes/Logger Pro Interface:

  • Vernier Logger Pro v 3.7 or later
  • Vernier Interface device (LabPro, LabQuest, LabQuest Mini, Go!Link)
  • Window-Eyes for Windows v 7.5 or later
  • Talking Window-Eyes App

Talking LabQuest/Logger Pro Interface:

  • Vernier Logger Pro v 3.7 or later
  • Vernier LabQuest v 1.6
  • ISci Voice Access Software for LabQuest
    AND
  • JAWS for Windows® v 11, 12, or 13 – English versions of Windows only
  • ISci Voice Access Software for JAWS®
    OR
  • Window-Eyes for Windows v 7.5 or later
  • Talking Window-Eyes App, 32 or 64 bit OS
For details and purchasing information please contact our lab consultants. info@independencescience.com
Or visit our website www.independencescience.com
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Press Release: Mobile, Accessible Periodic Table for Students who are Visually Impaired

Posted on March 15, 2012 by admin

News Release

For Immediate Release

March 3, 2012

Hand-Held, Mobile, Talking Periodic Table to Improve Science Education for Students with Visual Impairments

This image captures the full periodic table of elements. The hand-held Talking LabQuest will read all of the elements out loud as well as 20 descriptors for each element.

Never be without the Periodic Table Again!

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – The first digital periodic table developed for students with visual impairments is now available. This on-board feature found on the Talking LabQuest by Independence Science, can read up to 20 descriptors for every element. Currently, a student with visual impairments uses Braille to identify the elements in the Periodic Table and must carry heavy paper with them to study the information. This breakthrough in technology now allows the student to easily carry a device that relates the same information. Audible elemental descriptors include name, symbol, atomic number, and atomic weight. For the full list of descriptors, visit their website.

The compact, Talking LabQuest weighs 350 g, slightly heavier than a mobile phone, and is protected by a rubber molded, splash resistant enclosure that is ready to use in any rugged terrain. The device measures 16.5 cm x 10 cm x 4 cm with a 5-button navigation group and 4 push buttons for quick function access. Powered by a Lithium-Ion, rechargeable, high capacity battery, the Talking LabQuest has enough power to last a whole school day in the class or in the field before recharging the unit.

The talking periodic table is only one of the many uses for this device for students with visual impairments. The LabQuest was originally developed by Vernier Software & Technology as a hand-held scientific data collection device for use in the mainstream classroom. This versatile device can measure temperature, acceleration, salinity, pH and any other experiments in biology, chemistry, physics, earth science and more with the use of over 70 sensors and probes.

Independence Science has developed the text-to-speech software that allows blind and visually impaired students to access this inaccessible touch screen interface and the advanced scientific analysis functions. By incorporating this technology into the classroom, any teacher can open the doors to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields of study for all students- including those students with visual impairments.

Visit www.independencescience.com or watch this video demonstration for more information.

About Independence Science LLC

Officials at Independence Science are making their expertise available to help school districts, colleges and universities, and state rehabilitation agencies across the country meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements in the science curriculum. The Talking LabQuest and other ISci Voice Access Software serve as a hands-on tool to benefit any student who has blindness or low-vision.

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Independence Science contact:

Michael Lombardi, Sales Director, (866)-862-9665 MLombardi@independencescience.com

Source:

Roger Tower, Marketing Director, (866)-862-9665                 RTower@independencescience.com

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NFB Parents and Teacher Seminar; Empowering the Blind in Science Classes

Posted on March 14, 2012 by admin

From First Steps to First Grade and Beyond

The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois Presents a Seminar for Parents and Teachers.

Blue left leg, Purple right leg, Yellow head, and Red armed Person with a grey cane is the logo of the National Federation of the Blind

Teacher’s Seminar: Friday April 13, 2012

8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Parents Seminar: Saturday, April 14, 2012

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Ave., Chicago

Overnight Accommodations: $72 at O’Hare Holiday Inn (773) 693-5800

Cost:  $25 adults, $15 ages 12-18, and $10 for ages 11 and under, including box lunches.

Teacher’s don’t miss Dr. Cary Supalo’s presentations, Why TVI’s are Important for Blind Students in Science at 12:40-1:00 p.m. on Friday, and parents make sure to learn how you can, Empower the Blind in Science Classrooms at 10:00 to 10:50 AM on Saturday, April 14th. The presentations will cover high and low tech methods to adapt the classroom for effective, hands-on learning experiences.

Contact info@independencescience.com or visit www.independencescience.com for more details on scientific access solutions to be presented.

At the Parent and Teacher Seminar Children ages three to eleven are invited to participate in Kids Camp. This all-day program will provide children with the chance to try new activities and to meet other young people who are also visually impaired or blind.

Young people between the ages of twelve and eighteen may take part in The Teen Scene, hosted by the Illinois Association of Blind Students (IABS). Sessions will include discussions about how to make friends and the transition from high school to college, as well as games and activities designed to facilitate conversation and friendship.

Download Parents Seminar Flier

Download Teachers Seminar Flier

If you would like to attend the seminar, please complete the registration form by April 1, 2012. For more information, please contact Debbie Kent Stein at  (773) 203-1394 or dkent5817@att.net

For tips on how a TVI can help a student with blindness or low vision succeed in science. Read our blog

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TVI Tips: How to be an Effective Sighted Guide

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

For a student with visual impairments, being able to work and learn independently in a laboratory setting is paramount, yet there are times when an effective sighted guide is crucial for a successful learning experience for the student.

Blue, Purple, Yellow, and Red Armed Person with cane is the logo of the National Federation of the Blind

Read the following standard procedures set forth by
the National Federation of the Blind on proper techniques for a sighted guide:

  • First, it is important to ask a person who is blind or visually impaired if they would like a sighted guide. Be aware that not all blind or low vision individuals want or need a sighted guide, so always be respectful to the wishes of the individual you are working with.
  • Once your help has been accepted, tap the back of your hand against his or her hand, and allow the individual to grasp your arm directly above the elbow.
  • Stay one step ahead of the individual that you are guiding, but pause and allow them to come to your side at the top and bottom of stairs, before crossing streets, or when a change of direction is needed.  After the brief pause, resume while walking a step ahead as before.
  • In crowded areas or narrow passes, it may be necessary to guide the individual with him or her walking directly behind you.  To do this, take your guiding arm, and put it behind you, with your forearm parallel to the ground and going along the width of your back.  This will inform the person that they need to get behind you to continue travel.
  • When acting as a guide, never leave the person you are working with in “free space.”  If you must physically separate from the individual, make sure they have a firm grasp on a wall, rail, or other unmovable object before discontinuing contact.

The science laboratory is full of chemicals, edges, and other dangerous chemicals. As the classroom is not likely to have the same materials day-to-day, it is important to adjust the student to their surroundings prior to the beginning of class. Open communication between student and teacher, allows for the most fluent flow through the classroom. A sighted guide can be assigned to assist the student to and from their lab table, as well as to their next class. Find more tips for the teacher of the visually impaired below.

Other TVI Tips:

Safety Tips

Laboratory Guidelines, Testing, and Field Experiences

Safety Goggles in the Lab

For a video outlining the basics of being a sighted guide, please refer to this video by the Washington State School for the Blind, Sighted Guide Techniques Video

For more detailed instructions on protocol in specific scenarios, please view this document from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Sighted Guide Techniques

Visit our website for advanced, high tech science solutions.

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