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Notetaker Instruction

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com

Electronic braille note-taking devices are small and portable devices that may be used by a student to take notes in class using either braille (featuring six large keys that correspond to the 6 dots in the braille cell), standard (QWERTY) keyboard, or both. Although each device offers different features, many can be used by braille learners to read books, write class assignments, find directions, record lectures, and listen to podcasts. Information can be readily transcribed in order to provide the student with a means to communicate with peers, teachers and others who do not read braille.

The note-taking devices generally are the size of a book and are easily carried and used by the student. The Braille Note and the Pac Mate are probably the two most common portable notetakers used by students. APH currently offers the Braille Plus 18 (the Refreshabraille 18 was discontinued December 2014) through quota funds. Obtaining devices through quota funds can make these an affordable option, however, quota funds may not be available due to spending freezes so these are not always options for students.

Common Features:

Notes written on the notetakers may then be transferred to a computer for storage or printed in either braille or print formats.
Many note-taking devices have word processors, appointment calendars, calculators or clocks, and can do almost everything a computer can do.
Some note-taking devices have a speech program with braille input.
Many portable note-taking devices feature a refreshable braille display built into them. These are small pins that raise and lower to allow the user to read in braille what is being accessed in the device.
Many newer models are Bluetooth accessible which allows them to be used with iPads, iPhones and other Bluetooth devices as well as wi-fi access.

Note-Taking Instruction

There are a variety of electronic note-taking devices available to students with visual impairments. With advances in technology, there are multiple ways students can take notes. Some students may elect to use their iPhone or iPad to take notes of lessons. The notes can be placed in Dropbox for later retrieval. If using a braille note-taking device, it is important to teach parts and functions as well as how to access the options menu of an Electronic Note-Taking Device. Once the student has learned how to use the device, it is important to continue to monitor the student to note the student’s skills and provide any troubleshooting support.

The student will need instruction in the following skills:

turn the device on/off;
locate the braille keypad;
locate the return/enter key;
locate the previous key;
locate back key;
locate forward key;
locate next key;
locate backspace/space bar keys;
locate braille display;
locate cursor routing keys;
locate ports: serial, parallel, and power;
connect the device to the printer, embosser, and power supply using appropriate cables;
enter the options menu;
move forward and back in a menu;
check date, time, and battery status;
use escape menus;
use the exit menu;
change the speech settings.

Assistive Technology Forms

Sign up for free membership to access the FREE VI AT forms and references on the Free VIAT Printables page. Simply click on the Log In | Register link in the navigation bar. If you haven't joined yet, you will be prompted to create a password. Below are just a few examples of the free VI AT Printables.

Decision Guide for Electronic Braillewriter

Selecting the Right AT for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired Recorded Presentation

$25.00

Are you overwhelmed by the process of selecting assistive technology for your students? This presentation will encompass the process and steps of selecting the right assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired using the SETT framework. Key points covered in this presentation include identification of the current problem; consideration of current skills; understanding unique visual and learning needs; awareness of AT for VI; AT equipment considerations; the process of building a toolkit; instructional strategies; and next steps.

Objectives:

Identify required steps in conducting an AT evaluation for students with visual impairments.
Analyze student’s current skills and unique needs to make appropriate AT recommendations
Develop strategies for selecting low, mid and high tech Assistive Technology

Includes:

Recorded PowerPoint Show
Transcript
Presentation handout
Printables & Links to Resources discussed in presentation

Request a Certificate of Completion

To receive a certificate of completion for 1 contact hour, complete the short "Selecting the Right AT" quiz on Google Forms and receive a score of at least 80%. Don't worry. If you don't pass, you can re-watch the presentation and retake the test! If you have any accessibility issues with the form, please don't hesitate to let me know and we can make other arrangements.

System Requirements:

Presentations are recorded PowerPoint presentations. You must be able to access PowerPoint to view the PowerPoint presentation. Please note that the presentation pages are closed member pages available to individuals who have purchase access to the presentation.

*Please contact me if you need to purchase using a purchase order. I am happy to help guide you in the process of adding Teaching Students with Visual Impairments as an approved vendor for your school or program or you can visit the product support page for information on using a PO.

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