TVI Tidbits - Volume 2, No. 8
March 26, 2010
MyDreamClassroom.com
The Checkered Eye Project
New Schedule
The following information is for your information and not an endorsement of any product or service:
1) MyDreamClassroom.com addresses the needs of students with print impairments
The www.mydreamclassroom.com website is an initiative undertaken by a group of manufacturers of technological aids that includes HumanWare, Intel, View Plus, Quantum Technology, as well as providers of accessible content such as Audible.com, Bookshare, Don Johnston, Read How You Want and Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic.
On March 25, 2010, HumanWare and its partners announced at the 2010 CSUN Conference the launch of the second phase of the www.mydreamclassroom.com website. This new interactive tool was designed to help educators discover different solutions for students who are blind, have low vision or learning disabilities. It will also help them find out how assistive technologies can increase their students' learning independence.
This website shows classrooms where various assistive tools are found on students' desks. By simply clicking on the item of interest, the users can learn about each product, its interactions with other tools, and available sources of content. An entire section of the classroom is dedicated to the various providers of accessible talking books supported by the featured devices.
Now in its second phase, the www.mydreamclassroom.com website is better suited to address the specific needs of educators. They can now select one of three school levels: elementary, high school and college. Educators can also select different categories of technological aids within the same class (blindness, low vision, learning disabilities). The "My Wish List" option allows users to create an online list of assistive tools they would like to have in their classroom. This wish list will also facilitate the purchasing process when acquiring the products.
The website also features useful sections such as the Resource Center (not to be confused with the New York State Resource Center for Visually Impaired!) where you can find additional information, including training material, instructional webinars and workshops.
Check out this totally FREE new interactive tool at www.mydreamclassroom.com
This web site is a relatively new initiative started by a woman with low vision, designed to help address some of the problems experienced by individuals with low vision:
http://www.checkeredeye.com/pin.htm
Because I am temporarily taking over part of the caseload of a local
TVI on leave (9 students in 7 different schools) in addition to my three
NYSSB students, I will be away from my desk much of the time and therefore
unable to respond as quickly to phone messages and email. If you need
to reach me by phone, the best times to call are from 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Monday thru Wednesday, or 2:30 - 3:30 PM on Thursday and Friday.
- Judi Piscitello