To test the assumption that conventional textbook prose contains words and word sequences unnecessary for comprehension, 210 blind children, all braille readers in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9, were divided into three groups and tested on a fictional story written in one of three different forms. Those forms included a traditional style (1620 words), a…

Projects and activities reviewed include the DOTSYS production of the first braille book from teletypsetter input, the use of DOTSYS, mechanical and electronic features of the high speed braille embosser developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the pilot demonstration program for Perkins School for the Blind. Also surveyed are…

The bibliography was compiled with the intent to cover areas of special interest with regard to a research program at the Teachers College of Uppsala, Sweden dealing with problems in connection with the special information media for the blind which serve as substitutes for ink-print. Entered in the first section - an introduction to blindness -…

Describes experiences of United Kingdom's Open University blind students involved in "Computing and the Blind" project. Microcomputer applications described include braille-to-text transcription, word processing, and computer programming. Each application's use of software designed for commercially available microcomputer systems with…

This booklet provides suggestions and techniques to promote and enhance the music education of British children who have visual impairments. The following issues are addressed: (1) recognizing early signs of interest; (2) choosing an instrument; (3) choosing a teacher; (4) getting started; (5) providing lessons; (6) practicing; (7) signs of…

The relationships among visual acuity, reading mode, grade level, and type of educational program for blind students were examined in a study of 26,433 students registered as legally blind through the American Printing House for the Blind. (Author/PHR)

Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) are educational software based on expert systems that store educational knowledge. This article describes a model for computer-assisted mediation and its application in a prototype multimedia ITS for teaching blind children the recognition and reproduction of Braille signs. This system differs from previous work…

Describes ways of using CD-ROM technology for the benefit of blind and visually impaired library patrons. Science, reference, and American historical documents that can be converted to braille, large print, or voice output from CD-ROMs are described, and hardware, software, and staff considerations are discussed. (LRW)

Reports results of the administration of a battery of tests of oral language skills to blind braille readers (N=15). Three skills were tested: phoneme deletion, sentence completion, and morphological analysis. Participants were congenitally blind high school students. Subjects differed from sighted readers only in the ability to perform…

Beginning braille readers may benefit from an integrated-literacy curriculum which reflects the interrelationships of oral language, reading, and writing, and stresses the pleasurable and purposeful aspects of literacy. Integrating braille materials into daily curriculum activities can assist students to make the read/write connection and to begin…

A survey of Braille transcribers in 40 states found Braille production systems rely on volunteers and hence Braille transcription is not considered a bona fide career. The majority cited low funding and resources as obstacles to change. Issues of certification, training, availability, and definition are discussed, along with recommendations.…

This article describes a Braille refresher course for Florida teachers that was created in response to concerns about Braille literacy reflected in "Braille bills" in many states. Analysis of pre- and post-test data showed that the 77 teachers improved their Braille skills and reported a high level of confidence in their Braille skills as a result…

Emergent literacy can be viewed as skills that are precursors to later reading and writing (Sulzby & Teale, 1991) or can be more broadly conceptualized as literacy acquisition that occurs along a developmental continuum. Because children with disabilities, such as visual impairments, can be at risk for later reading difficulties, it is critical…

This study developed, applied, and evaluated a theory-based method of detecting the underlying causes of differential difficulty. The method was applied to two subgroups taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test-Mathematics (SAT-M), 261 visually impaired students taking Braille forms of the test and 1,985 black students at 3 test administrations. It…

This guide to alternate formats describes the presentation of materials in forms that allow individuals vith varying physical, sensory, or cognitive skills to access the information. The booklet was developed to assist vocational rehabilitation counselors in helping employers to provide workplace materials to employees with disabilities or provide…