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Goal

Using a screenreader (a program that reads everything on a screen to individuals with visual impairments...try asking SIRI to turn on VoiceOver the next time you are on your iPhone...) students will access audio instructions for building the Hogwarts Castle and work as a team to construct the castle while learning how to read braille by reading engaging novels in grade 1 braille (just 26 letters that students memorize in kindergarten or when they first begin to learn braille) thus increasing their reading speed, and desire to learn braille. After completing the books, the students will watch the movies and learn about audio description for the blind and visually impaired. Audio Description will be turned on for the duration of the film so that the students with visual impairments will be able to be fully included when viewing the film.

A fifth grade reading group will be formed with both print readers and braille readers to read the Harry Potter Books in an inclusive setting. Students will work together to build the Hogwarts Castle. Accommodations for students with visual impairments to build the castle will be provided using the following website:
http://legofortheblind.com/instructions/Hogwarts/
Audio Descriptions are built into the Harry Potter films and simply have to be turned on through the settings menu.


 

What will be done with my students

Students learning braille at the elementary level will: Engage with their peers without disabilities by reading Harry Potter as a group. The group will build the lego castle using the accessible instructions found on Lego for the Blind's website and watch the movies with the audio description feature enabled (Audio Description involves the accessibility of the visual images of theater, television, movies, and other art forms for people who are blind, have low vision, or who are otherwise visually impaired.) By having an entire class of sighted students with their peers with visual impairments participate, this will create a culture of acceptance among those with disabilities and those without. The larger impact will be that the students participating in this activity will continue their academic career with the belief that individuals living with vision loss can contribute to society in the same ways that those without visual impairments can contribute to society. The only difference is that individuals with visual impairments may need special accommodations.

The hope is that this project will create unity among students and help the students with visual impairments feel included in the general education setting. In addition by having students read the Harry Potter books as a group, the students with visual impairments will feel that learning braille is fun and that it gives them access to what their sighted friends and classmates are "looking at".
 

Benefits to my students

Learning through Play:
A principle that empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. By unlocking the power of play, children can develop the broad set of skills they need to thrive and succeed in the 21st century.

Life Skills:
Learning Braille is said to be crucial for blind and visually impaired children as it allows them to develop a variety of essential life skills ensuring they experience intellectual freedom, independence and equal access to education and work.

Inclusive Learning:
The concept presents a groundbreaking and inclusive opportunity to teach blind, visually impaired and sighted children alongside each other by offering a fun and playful way to engage, interact and learn together.

Fun & Fulfillment:
Opening up the joy of learning and social interaction through playful games and innovative teaching methods paving the way for improved confidence, creativity, problem-solving and communication needed to support life goals.

Florida Department of Education (CPALMS) Goals addressed by this project/grant:
CPALMS (Florida Standards for Students with Visual Impairments) that this project will meet:

P.PK12.VI.1.1: Apply tactile discrimination skills, such as identifying differences in characteristics of three-dimensional objects—size, shape, texture, and weight.

SP.PK12.VI.1.2: Apply listening and auditory skills, such as discriminating sounds and associating concepts, actions, and ideas with expressive language.

SP.PK12.VI.1.5: Use tactile discrimination skills to interpret objects, symbols, and graphics.

SP.PK12.VI.1.6: Apply braille skills, including pre-braille; use of braille writing tools; braille book skills; uncontracted, contracted, and tactile graphics; and Nemeth and music code.

SP.PK12.VI.1.7: Apply tactile and/or visual skills for math calculation and manipulation tools, such as an abacus and three-dimensional representational objects.

SP.PK12.VI.8.2: Respond to and summarize instructional level information presented in an auditory format.

Direct Correlation Between Project Goals and State Goals:
Direct Correlation to SP,PK12.VI.8.2: Students in the Vision Program in Collier County Public Schools will use a computer with a screen-reading program (provided by CCPS) and practice using key commands to listen to audio instructions from http://legofortheblind.com/instructions/Hogwarts/ and implementing the steps to build the Hogwarts castle.

 

Budget Narrative

The first item is a request for the Lego Set that has accessible directions on the website legofortheblind.com. The website has FREE instructions that students with visual impairments can follow along with using the *screenreader on their laptop or tablet with a set of headphones and build the Lego set without help from an adult! (This is extremely rewarding for students with visual impairments because much of their education involves them learning with an adult (a.k.a. paraprofessional or one-on-one) by their side to help make sure they are able to access materials that are being shown in print in braille or an auditory format. By providing a lego set with accessible instructions, this will also develop a sense of independence, and an "I can do it without help attitude" that many students with visual impairments lack as a result of having adult assistance.

Lines 2-8 are for Braille Versions of the books in the easiest format possible so that my elementary students can read it and my high school students.

Notes about my request:
While the number of students impacted states "30", these books and Lego set, will be used for many, many, many years and all of the Teachers of the Visually Impaired (3) will be able to check out the books and Lego set from the Special Education Department.

Note about expense:
Braille books are very expensive to produce. This is because Certified Transcribers are contracted to produce the books and it can take up to one year to produce a book in braille that has never been produced in braille before. Luckily, all of these books are readily available from a reputable online Braille Book store that I have purchased items for my students from in the past.

Definitions:
Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. A screen reader is the interface between the computer's operating system, its applications, and the user.

 

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