Literacy Ideas for Children with Visual Impairments and Multiple Disabilities
Children spend hours reading whether alone, with parents, or at school. Children with visual impairments can also enjoy many hours experiencing the fun of literacy. These web pages suggest a few ideas on how teachers and parents can adapt reading activities for children with visual impairments. Most of the activities focus on addressing literacy activities for children with multiple disabilities; however you will find links to pages related to literacy for all different types of readers. This site provides practical and easy adaptations to enhance your child's or student's reading experience. Enjoy !
" Literacy is the ability to think as well as know how to extend knowledge for thinking. Literacy is more than the development of a specific predetermined set of skills. It is also recognizing one's own purposes for thinking and communicating (through print or non-print, verbal or non verbal media) and being able to top one's own resources to achieve those purposes."
New Jersey Language Arts Literacy Curriculum Framework
[Where to buy? Online Libraries]
[E-books]
[Story Boards, what are they?]
[Adaptive equipment for the computer]
There are many resources for parents of children with visual impairments. You will find links to external sites dealing with people with visual impairments. Remember, once you click on a link, you leave this site.
American Printing House for the Blind: This is a great resource in general to find information regarding services for the blind and visually impaired.
American Federation for the Blind: Another great resource related to blindness and vision impairments.
Inexpensive Device Turns e-Books Into Braille Readers.(Company Business and Marketing): An article discussing technology and how it can convert e-books into braille.
Louis: A branch of the American Printing House of the Blind, Louis provides a database of accessible materials for people with visual impairments.
National Association of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments: A parent support group with chapters in different states.
Preemie Child: This is a mailing list for parents of children who were born prematurely.
Preemie L: This source is for parents of children who were born prematurely who are not yet in school.
V I Guide: This is an amazing site for parents and teachers of the visually impaired, and also for users who are visually impaired. I will not even attempt to replicate the information. Check it out. It contains information regarding hardware and software for users who are visually impaired, resources, educational considerations, conferences, medical information and other sites related to blindness and visual impairments.
Visual Impairments and Expert Guide: No, this is not my personal website, rather a site to address a variety of questions regarding visual impairments and blindness.
What are predictable books and why are they important? Text predictable books are characterized by structured patterns that allow the reader to anticipate upcoming events in the story. Usually these books have repetitive lines, plots, refrains, rhythms or phrases. They also contain supportive pictures that help tell the story. (For ideas on how to adapt story illustrations click on story boxes.) Here is a short list of predictable, early literature. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do. For a more comprehensive list, check out the University of Illinois' selected Bibliography of Predictable Story Books
| Title of Book | Author | Repeated Line |
| Have you seen my cat? | Eric Carle | Have you seen my cat? |
| Brown Bear, Brown Bear | Bill Martin | What do you see? |
| Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear? | Bill Martin | What do you hear? |
| We're going on a Bear Hunt | Michael Rosen | We're going on a bear hunt. We're going catch a big one. What a beautiful day. We're scared. |
| On the Day You Were Born | Debra Frasier | On the day you were born |
| Are You my Mother? | P.D. Eastman | Are you my mother? |
| Green Eggs and Ham | Dr. Seuss | I do not like them Sam-I-am, I do not like green eggs and ham |
| Me Too | Mercer Mayer | Me too |
| Is Your Mama a Llama? | Deborah Guarino |
Is you mama a llama |
| Chicken Soup with Rice | Maurice Sendak |
Chicken soup with rice |
| Jessie Bear, Jessie Bear | Nancy White Carlstrom |
Jesse Bear, jesse bear what will
you wear? |
| Goodnight Moon |
Margaret Wisa Brown |
Good night........ |
| There Was an Old Lady |
American folk tale |
There was an old lady who swallowed
a ...... |
| Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You? |
Dr. Seuss |
Mr. Brown can |
Where to buy/Online Libraries: There are many resources available to buy books online. The following is a list of several links to children's publisher's web sites and commercially available sites. I have also included online library services. Remember, when you click on these links, you will leave this web site. Good luck! Don't forget to check out the audio books- another great source for books.
Amazon: Say no more.
American Printing House for the Blind: A great resource for everything to do with blindness and visual impairments.
Barnes and Noble: Your favorite book store, available through your computer.
Best Books Buy: This site searches all online book stores to find you the best price.
Disney Books: Although a little overwhelming, this site has links to all Disney products. (Surprise!) You can buy any Disney book from this site. You can also find some e-books to download.
Eric Carle: This is the author's official website. It is interesting and fun.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: This is a service offered through the Library of Congress. It is a national network of cooperating libraries, which administers a free library program of braille and audio materials to eligible borrowers in the United States. The best part: postage-free mail delivery!
Internet Public Library: The Internet Public Library is a great site. It has a simple layout with text and graphics, but not overwhelming with superfluous and distracting pop-up windows or crazy graphics. It is organized by subject and age level.
Random House: Another publishing giant. Here you can buy all your favorite Dr. Seuss books.
Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library: This Library provides free library services in audio and braille formats to Massachusetts residents of any age who are unable to read conventional print books. Braille services are also provided for eligible readers in other New England states. The Library provides approximately 17,000 patrons yearly with books on recorded disc, cassette, and in braille.
Seedlings Braille Books: This site offers braille books.
Scholastic Books: These are the publishers of the famous Harry Potter. This site provides a variety of types and age levels of reading materials. You can also buy literacy software at this site. Before you buy from Scholastic, check with your child's school district first. They may have a Scholastic program through the school which provides discounted books to students and parents.
Sesame Street: This site allows you to purchase books from the Children's Network and all those loveable characters.
Time Warner: Another publishing giant. Here you can search for children's books. Don't forget to check out their audio books and e-books selection.
What are e-books? They are books that are available on the World Wide Web. Some books can be downloaded onto your personal computer, and you can start a personal electronic library. If you are really adventurous, you can download the books and import them into other software programs to make them accessible from a switch.
Amazon.com: Say no more.
Barnes and Nobles: This site provides many e-books available to purchase on line. It is mainly geared toward adult readers.
Editech: An online site of free e-books for children. One feature of this site, you can download the books, so teachers or parents can begin to create a personal e-book library.
Electronic library: This is a site to search for electronic text online.
Candlelight Stories: This site has engaging graphics that would appeal to kids. It is easy to navigate within the site, however it is slow to load. It has a page with sound stories; however you have to JOIN this site. The sight provides limited free stuff, but at every page it reminds you to join and you get more stuff. It provides links for free downloads of free e-books.
Lil fingers: This site is geared towards toddlers and pre-schoolers. It has simple graphics and colors and was easy to navigate.There are different activities on this site, all geared toward little kids. There are coloring activities, that can be printed out and simple early cognition games (cause and effect/matching). The site also provides approximate age levels of the activities on the site. There are several outside links to sites that are geared to kids, parents and teachers.
Ipublish at Time Warner Books: This site provides many e-books available to purchase on line. It is mainly geared toward adult readers.
Peter Rabbit:If you are a Beatrix Potter fan, you have to check out this site; however it may not be accessible to everyone. This site will definitely be a "shared reading" activity.
Story boxes are a great tool to enhance your child's literacy experiences. A story box is a simple collection of objects that go along with the storyline. The objects act like pictures to a blind child. They can make a story become alive and interactive for those students that don't benefit from pictures. Story boxes are easy to make using objects from you child's toy boxes, or from your own household supplies. First, find a story your child likes. A good place to start is with early literacy books that are rhythmic and predicatable (Eric Carle is a great resource). If you are unfamiliar with early literacy books, click on the reading list link. Next find objects that correlate with the story. For example, if you are reading the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, you could include many of the objects the mouse finds along his travels, such as a glass, a straw, some cookies, a blanket for his nap......... Be creative. There is no right or wrong way to spice up a book! The only rule is to make it fun.
Story boards are a great tool to enhance literacy experiences. A story board is a picture outline of the story. Kids with low vision, or young kids can benefit from the pictures and the story sequence. There are may ways you can use story boards. You can play matching games, you can create a different story with the same pictures and characters, or you can make a story interactive by passing different pictures or pasting them on a story board.
How can you make a story board? First, find a story your child likes. A good place to start is with early literacy books that are rhythmic and predicatable (Eric Carle is a great resource). If you are unfamiliar with early literacy books, click on the reading list link. Next find pictures that go along with the story. You could buy a second book and cut it up (this can be an expensive option) you could copy the pictures using a color copier, or you can scan the pictures of the book into your computer. (Speech pathologists love to use Mayer Johnson communication pictures). Be creative. There is no right or wrong way to spice up a book! The only rule is to make it fun.
Adaptive equipment allows students with multiple disabilities to participate in literacy activites, both reading and writing. These companies provide a variety of adaptive aids; including hardware, software, communication devices, and resources for educators and parents. More importantly, they have knowledgeable staff who can give you some ideas or suggesstions on how to best utilize their products. This is a short list to get you started. Caveat: Buy products that are appropriate for your child's abilities, both physical and cognitive. Assistive and adaptive technology can enhance your child's learning, but start at a level where your child can be successful. If your student is using a switch, look for products that are accessible by a switch. Not all the products available are appropriate for students with visual impairments, if you are unsure, ask for a demo.
AbleNet:This company provides multiple communication aids which can be easily incorporated into literacy activites. You can record a repetitive line of the story, you can record "Time to turn the page", or you can record sound effects that go along with the story. Anything works. This is where you can find the BIGmack switch.
Blaize: This company maufactures braille printers, and other hardware to create braille text. It also manufactures products to make technology accessible to people with visual impairments.
Braille It!: This is a free online converter that allows you to enter text online, press the "translate" button and an ASCII- braille file of your text is created. You can save the text and then send it to a Braille embosser.
Broderbund Software : This company provides literacy products for students with special needs. The Living Books are commercially available books (Arthur, Grandma and Me, StellaLuna) put on CD-Rom. They are interactive, have voice output, can be accessed by a switch or and adaptive keyboard (Intellitools.)
Creative Communicating: A great resource. Patti King-DeBaum is a speech and language pathologist who creates early literacy stories for students with special needs.
Don Johnston:This company provides adaptive electronic equipment to access the computer, and other electronic devices to aid communication and independence. You can also find out about a Touch Window screen which enables your child to use the computer without a mouse. Check out their UKanDu books, they are accessible by a switch and have voice output.
Duxbury Systems: This company provides software that translates written text into Braille.
Edmark: An educational software catalog. Remember to look for voice output if you are searching for appropriate software for your child with visual impairments. You can purchase software to make some of their early education products accessible using the Intellikeys alternate keyboard! (Edmark access pac)
Hatch: This is an amalgamation of educational resources and products available for students with a variety of special needs. Companies highlighted in the catalog include; Edmark, Broderbund, Intellitools, Laureate, Don Johnston, The Learning Company, Soft Touch and many more. They also offer products to enhance early childhood learning.
Laureate: This software company provides exceptional software for children with developmental disabilites, language learning difficulties, and reading difficulties.
Intellitools: This company provides both hardware to access the computer and educational software. Their program Intellipics allows students with multiple disabilities to write their own stories using a microphone. All their products, including a talking word processer, Intellitalk and Intellitalk II, work together. They have a section where you can download other people's work, so you may not have to re-invent the wheel.
The Learning Company: They specialize in educational software and products.
V I Guide: This is an amazing site for parents and teachers of the visually impaired, and also for users who are visually impaired. I will not even attempt to replicate the information. Check it out. It contains information regarding hardware and software for users who are visually impaired, resources, educational considerations, conferences, medical information and other sites related to blindness and visual impairments.
Researchers are investigating the effects of literacy on children with special needs. Everyone benefits from reading, no matter who they are. On this page you will find a few references and resources addressing literacy and students with special needs. There is more research out there, these are just a few references.
"Literacy is more than learning to read write and spell proficiently. It is learning to enjoy words and stories when someone else is reading them. It is learning to love books and all the worlds that can be opened by books."
Peggy Locke (2000)
David Koppenhaver's Home Page: David is a professor at Gustavus Adolphus College and researches literacy and students with multiple disabilities.
Bedrosian, J.L. (1999). Efficacy research issues in AAC:Interactive storybook reading. AAC: Augmentative and Alternative Communication. 15 (1), pp45-55.
Canfield, H. Locke, P. (1998). Book of possibilities; Activites using simple switch technology, elementary edition. AbleNet Inc. Minneapolis,MN. (1-800-322-0956)
Cunningham, J. W. (1993). Whole to Part Reading Diagnosis. Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties,v9(1),31-49.
Cunningham,P., Hall, D.,& Sigmon,C (1999). The teacher's guide to the four blocks. Greensboro,NC:Carson-Dellosa.
Cunningham,P.,Allington,R.L. (1999). Classrooms that work:They can all read and write, 2nd.Longman: New York. NY.
Erickson, K. (1999)
Higgins, N., & Hess, L. (1999). Using electronic books to promote vocabulary development. Journal of Research on Computer in Education, 31 (4),pp 425-430.
Gurry, S., Larkin A, Literacy Learning Abilities of Children with Developmental Disabilities: What Do We Know? Currents in Literacy. Hood Children's Literacy Project. Lesley University. Cambridge, MA.
Katims, David (1996)
Koppenhaver, D.A. Spadorcia, S., & Erickson, K.A. (1998). Inclusive early literacy for children with disabiliites. Children achieving:Instructional practices in early literacy. International Reading Association: Newark,DE.
Musslewhite,C. King-DeBaun,P. (1997). Emergent literacy success; Merging technology and whole language for students with disabilities. Creative Communicating:Park City,UT.
Pierce, Patsy L, McWilliams, P.J. (1993)
Ryndak, Morrison, Sommerstein, (1999)
"The notion that children are too physically, too cognitively, or too communicatively disabled to benefit from experiences with written language, are not supported by current emergent literacy research! Literacy is a goal for all."
Pat Mirenda (1998)
E-Books are relatively simple to make. On this page there is a quick and simple recipe to create electronic books using Microsoft's PowerPoint application. It is included in Microsoft Office, it is a presentation tool that can combine graphics, animation, sound effects and speech. Sorry guys, these instructions apply to Mac users only, although you PC users should be able to follow along without too much difficulty.
Open PowerPoint.
Click on Blank Presentation, then OK.
Click on the square with one horizontal bar at the top of the page with the rest of the square blank, then OK.
Under Format, click on Background.
Click on More Colors, pick the color you want and then click on Apply.
Under Format, click on Font, pick your font style, size and color, then OK.
Congratulations, you just made the first page of your book!
To add more pages, under Insert, click on Duplicate Slide for as many slides (or pages) you want to create. If you want to know how many slides you have look at the bottom tool bar (3 of 3 slides.)
Get ready to create!
Go to your first slide, this will be your title page, just slide the bar on the left hand side to the top to find a specific slide. Highlight Click to Add Title, and start typing in your story text.
To add graphics: You have two choices, you can use pictures from Microsoft Art Gallery or you can use one of your own files. Under Insert, click on Picture, then click on ClipArt. Find the picture you want and then hit Insert. Resize the picture (hold the mouse on the white squares) to the size you want and place it where you want it (hold the mouse down and move it.)
Or you can add a graphic or digital picture you downloaded, scanned or created. Under Insert, click on Picture, then click on From File. Find the file you want, and then hit Insert.
You can add sound or you can record your own voice to narrate the story. You must have an external microphone to record sound. Under Insert, click on Movies and Sound. To record a sound click on Record Sound and start talking. ( If you are having trouble recording sounds, go under the Apple Menu, Control Panels, Sound and make sure the input source is set to external microphone.) To use a sound from the Microsoft Gallery, click on Sound from Gallery, to add a sound you downloaded, click on Sound from file, find your file, and then click Insert.
To advance to the next slide, click on the downward arrow in the left hand tool bar. Repeat all the same steps until you have finished creating.
To activate your book, under Slide Show, click on View Show, put the mouse anywhere on the screen, and with one click, advance to the next page.
Congratulations, you have just created a talking book!
For the adventurous, you can add animation, change the transition between slides and all that jazz. Under Slide Show play around with the Preset Animation, Custon Animation and the Slide Transition feature. One hint for those who want to play with the animation feature, you must highlight the graphic first, otherwise PowerPoint doesn't know what you want to animate.
This web site was created and designed by Deirdre E. Walsh M.S. CCC/SLP, a speech and language pathologist at Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown MA. She has worked with children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities for over twelve years. This site was designed as partial fufillment of her doctoral coursework in Educational Studies, Lesley University, Cambridge MA. Special thanks to Cesar Enrique Hernandez for his critical eye during the editing process.
