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STEM

STEM Topics

Science

Technology in teaching, programs and tools

  • Accessible Creation of Podcasts
    Article with useful resources and strategies for podcast content creation by Glen Morrow. This follows on from a presentation Glen gave at the 2017 Conference of the Round Table, in Perth, WA, on the topic of why people who are blind or vision impaired can/should be content creators – not just consumers.
  • Creating accessible Word documents
    Seven simple tips to ensure your Word documents are accessible for everyone, including people who are blind or have low vision. By Philip Jenkinson, from Media Access Australia.
  • Early Learning Access Technology Framework
    Framework developed to introduce technology to children (early learners) who are blind or have significant vision impairment. It’s a working document and feedback and comments are welcome. Created by Michelle Knight, Access Technology Consultant Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, Australia.
  • Facebook with screenreader:
    A step by step introduction from Freedom Scientific for JAWS and Magic users who wish to join Facebook, but don't quite know how to go about it. Also, the mobile version of facebook is said to be much easier to use with a screen reader, so try replacing the www with an m: m.facebook.com. Source: VIP-List.
  • Hadley’s iFocus Instructional Video Series:
    Great series of educational videos on how to use the vision accessibility features built into the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Examples are Using Siri, using Dropbox, checking the weather and much more.
  • How to make Math Accessible on the web With Screenshot Reader, the latest premium feature of EquatIO for Google, you can turn any equation on the web into accessible, editable math. How to do this, is described and demonstrated in this blogpost by Deena Kimmel, of Texthelp (22 May 2018).
  • Inclusive Technology:
    Provider of special educational needs software, switches and computer access devices, simple communication aids and assistive technology for learners with a physical disability, sensory impairment or learning difficulty (UK).
  • International Society for Technology in Education:
    (ISTE). Association for educators and education leaders from around the world engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in PK–12 and teacher education. Professional development, networking, Special Education Technology Special Interest Group.
  • Low vision aids and technology: A guide:
    This excellent free booklet (pdf-file) is the third in the series from The Macular Degeneration Foundation (MDF) Australia, following ‘Low Vision, A Guide’, and ‘Family, Friend & Carer, a Guide’. You can also order a free copy by phoning MDF toll-free on 1800 111 709.
  • National Center for Blind Youth in Science:
    STEM Resources. Opportunities and resources available to blind youth in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and careers.
  • NV Access: Non-profit organisation (Australia) with vision that access to technology should not incur an extra cost for blind and vision impaired users. Their open source NVDA screen reader can be downloaded for free from their website.
  • Paths to Technology:
    Website or “Community of Practice” to assist educators and families in learning and staying current on ever-changing technology for students with visual impairments and blindness. Share information including teacher hints, activities, resources, favorite accessible apps, instructional videos. Perkins School for the Blind (USA).
  • Quantum Reading Learning Vision: Australian provider of assistive technology products that can support people who have a print disability (Low Vision, Blindness, and Learning Disability) in the classroom, at home, or workplace.
  • RoboBraille:
    A free e-mail and web-based service capable of automatically transforming documents into a variety of alternative formats for the visually and reading impaired. Available 24/7 as a self-service, everybody can convert digital text documents into speech (mp3), Braille, or ebooks. Range of different languages available.
  • Sociability: social media for people with a disability review For people with a disability, social media websites and applications have their own barriers. The ‘Sociability: social media for people with a disability review’ was done by Media Access Australia (2011). Australia’s most popular social media tools were tested for their accessibility. Users with disabilities then contributed their tips and tricks on how to overcome each social network’s inaccessible features. From the website you can download the full report, or access the subpages with the Sociability guides to each social media: Facebook, Twitter.
  • Spectronics Blog:
    informative blog posts and whilst not specifically BVI focused, blog often mentions inclusive resources. By Spectronics Inclusive Learning Technologies (Australia).
  • SVRC YouTube Channel Centre:
    Technology Tutorials and Training videos by State Wide Vision resource Centre, Victoria (Australia). For teachers, aides, and families connected to students with vision impairment.
  • TechVision:
    Both free and reasonably priced paid lessons as well as a blog on using excel, word and power point with screen readers along with some excellent tools for using refreshable braille displays, braillenotes and iDevices etc and more. For people who are blind or have low vision and sighted teachers, parents and other adults working with them.
  • The ABC’s of iOS: A VoiceOver Manual for Toddlers and Beyond! Manual for educators and family members, providing step-by-step instruction on how to introduce a young child with visual impairments or blindness to intentionally and purposefully interact with an iPad and/or iPhone using VoiceOver. The manual incorporates accessible apps with progressive educational content to help prepare children to be successful in mainstream classrooms. Diane Brauner and CNIB Foundation.
  • Touch Typing Tutor:
    Freeware software program, designed to assist teaching touch typing skills to vision impaired children. Free download of zip-file.
  • TypeAbility:
    Typing and computer tutor program program that teaches blind and vision impaired students the computer keyboard in 98 user-friendly lessons. By the end of the lessons, the student will have mastered all the letters, numbers, punctuation, as well as navigation and editing in dialogs and text documents.
  • Why and How of Podcast Production People who are blind or vision impaired can/should be content creators – not just consumers. Useful resources and strategies for content creation, by Glen Morrow (Statewide Vision Resource Centre).

Mathematics

  • Educators supporting students with V.I. in Maths This is a Facebook Group for teachers, support staff and parents to connect, collaborate and learn from each other. Start a Maths discussion, post questions and offer ideas of support for students with vision impairment. To join the group: Please log into your nominated Facebook account; enter the following Group name into the search bar: Educators supporting students with V.I. in Maths.
  • Mathematics Made Easy YouTube channel of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), with 30 instructional mathematics videos. Created for teacher training institutes, educators and families who support students with vision impairment to successfully participate and achieve in mathematics at primary and secondary school. Developed by ICEVI CEO, Dr M.N.G. Mani, and the International Advisory Committee of professionals in the field of mathematics and vision impairment.
  • SenseMath:
    free app for iPhone, designed to make maths more accessible, useful and possibly even more fun. The app can convert mathematical functions into sound. With an audio representation of a graph it’s possible to get a quick overview of a graph. The app provides information such as whether it is a mountain or valley parabola, and the number of functions presented in the graph. The mathematical elements, such as intersections and extrema, are made audible as well and the playback speed can be easily changed. SenseMath is not a calculator; reading the coordinates of a point is unfortunately not possible. But it’s a valuable addition to tactile drawings. SenseMath has been developed by Royal Visio in The Netherlands, with a large group of experts of mathematicians, programmers, accessibility experts and end users to achieve the best usability and accessibility. Visio invites user feedback to keep improving the app.
  • Teaching mathematics to students who are blind or visually impaired is a manual created by Visio International. The manual aims to provide maths – and other teachers who work with blind and visually impaired students with the skills and knowledge needed to help these learners achieve fluency in maths. It gives guidelines for how to adapt the curriculum and teaching methods for the blind or visually impaired students in the class. The manual focuses on the mathematics taught in secondary schools.
  • UEB Mathematics Free, online braille mathematics training program using Unified English Braille. Enables teachers and parents to better support braille-using students. The UEB Advanced Mathematics training program addresses junior secondary mathematics content, and builds on the content presented in the UEB Introductory Mathematics training program. Developed by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, Australia.

Mobile devices and Apps teaching digital and maths skills