TYPING AND NOTETAKING
Hi guys, This question was on the AER list and one of the replies was so good that I thought you guys might be able to use it. I’m forwarding the question and reply below.
-Andrea

—— Forwarded Message
From: *****
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:20:31 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [AERNet] advice for college bound student

I need some advice regarding a student I see. She technically graduated HS last year but I see her 1 period a day to work on keyboarding and a voice dictation program. From there she works at a pre school. She plans on going to a local college in the Fall, only taking 1 or 2 classes a semester, and her mom says the Dean is open to any suggestions on how to accommodate her.

She has ocular albinism, and it takes her a very long time write. In HS she had an aid as a scribe and the mom is asking me for suggestions on how she will be able to take notes in a college class. She will have a laptop but her typing skills are not that quick. Besides audio taping the class, are there suggestions anyone can share on how to accommodate a new college student with a visual impairment?

Read through this. It seems to be very good, experience-based advice for students starting in middle school to take notes.
-Andrea

—— Forwarded Message
From: “Ike Presley”
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 13:16:22 -0700
To: “888″ “AER list”
Subject: Re: [AERNet] advice for college bound student

I totally agree with Alexis that the student needs to get connected with voc rehab and disability services and that she needs to improve her keyboarding skills. From your message I’m assuming she has the basics down, but just needs to work on her accuracy and speed. The Talking Typer program from APH is an excellent tool for the type of drill and practice this student needs. (However, I don’t recommend keyboard tutorials for beginning typists. They need teacher instruction and then use the computer programs for drill & practice.)

Some people find it difficult to type on a laptop as compared to a desktop computer so when she’s doing her keyboarding practice I’d suggest that she do it on the laptop. However, there is one alternative that might be feasible. She could get a full size wireless keyboard to use. This would require connecting the receiver to a USB port on the laptop and that would just be one more thing to carry and deal with. On the other hand she can place it wherever it’s comfortable for her to type, and it has the same feel as a desktop keyboard.

Some people like to try to get the professor to give the student everything they will say in an electronic format. This would be great for information that is being displayed on a chalkboard / whiteboard / overhead / PowerPoint, etc., but I don’t recommend it for general class notes. Besides, most professors will not have everything they are going to say written down anywhere. They usually just have an outline and then pull the details from memory. The other drawback to this approach is that it doesn’t allow the student the opportunity to develop their own note taking skills. The ability to take written/typed/brailled notes is essential to the completion of many educational and employment tasks. Therefore, I think it’s important for the student to have some tool for taking notes.

Here’s what I usually suggest, and this goes for high school as well as college students. Have the student use some tool to take notes: paper & pencil, slate & stylus, braille writer, accessible PDA, computer, etc., and do the best they can at keeping up with the lecture and getting as much information as possible down in their notes. Sooner or later, the presentation will be too fast for the student to keep up and they won’t be able to write all the needed information. Here’s where I like for the student to have a back-up system. I recommend that the back-up system be a recording of the lecture, but not just a straight beginning to end recording. What do I mean? Read on.
There are two types of tools that can be used to record lectures and presentations; a cassette recording, and a digital recording. (There are probably others, but these are the two most readily available.)

To accomplish a cassette recording the student will need a modified tape player/recorder similar to the Handicassette II from APH. There are other models available from other sources, but I like the APH model because it has the following features: 2 track & 4 track recording and playback Tone indexing Variable speed control Variable pitch control Rechargeable battery, AC, and standard battery power options Tactile indicator to determine tape movement (in other words, a way to know if the tape has stopped or run out) An external microphone jack

To make a digital recording of lectures the student has several options. There are digital talking book player/recorders that can be used. Standard digital voice recorders used in many business meeting can also be used if they have the ability to allow the user to insert bookmarks in to the recording and then access the bookmarks in the playback mode.
There are quite a few of these devices on the market so I won’t suggest any one model. The key factors to look for besides the bookmark feature are length of recording, ability to transfer the recording to a computer of some type of memory storage device, availability of additional memory storage options, external microphone jack, battery/power options.

There is one more piece of hardware necessary to make this system work effectively. When recording with the internal microphone of either type of device, the quality of the recording may be poor and background noises may make the presenter’s voice difficult to hear or hard to understand. Therefore, I strongly recommend that the student have a cordless microphone that the instructor can use and the appropriate connections needed to hook it up to the recording device being used. These types of microphone systems are usually available from stores like Radio Shack for under $100.

Now that we have the hardware in place, here’s how it can be used.
1. Have the student take written notes with whichever tool or system they prefer.
2. Have the student record the lecture with one of the systems described above with the recording device within easy reach, and the lecturer using the cordless microphone.
3. . When the student feels that the lecturer is going too fast or they’re missing something have the student reach over and press the tone-indexing button on the tape recorder, or the book-marking button on the digital recorder.
4. If they are writing or brailling notes on paper, suggest that they leave a few blank lines.
5. If they are taking notes with an accessible PDA or a computer, suggest that they insert a unique string of characters such as 3 asterisks (***), or something that would not normally occur in the document.
6. Suggest that they take a deep breath, relax for a second, and then begin their written notes again. They won’t need to worry about what they missed because they will be able to access it again on the recording.
7. Continue this process until the presentation is complete.
8. Once they return to their dorm, library, or study room they can combine the information from their notes and the recording.
9. To do this they will need to open the file or pages containing the notes and search for the unique characters (***), or blank lines. Read the text just before this point to get an idea of what the professor is talking about.
10. If using a digital recording advance to the first bookmark.
11. If using a cassette recording, press the Play button and hold down the Fast Forward button until you hear the first beep tone.
12. Listen to the lecture at the marked position as many times as necessary to absorb the information and then insert it into the written notes.
13. Repeat these steps until finished.

I know this may sound a little complicated, but it works. I have taught it to many students and I have used it myself. I strongly suggest that teachers start teaching students how to use this system and the associated tools in middle school so that by time it’s needed in high school, the process will be “second nature” to most students and they can concentrate on the lecture and not have to worry about the technology and the process. I also suggest that when you start teaching the process that you use recordings on topics of high interest to the student for your lecture material. They will be much more motivated to acquire the skills if they’re getting to learn about something that’s important to them; i.e. sports, fashion, music, etc.

Well, for those of you who’ve stayed with me and made it this far, thanks for reading and I hope these suggestions will be helpful. By the way, if anyone chooses to use this approach, I’d love to hear your feedback (and your students’ feedback) about how it works.

Ike

P.S. Don’t be fooled into using a peer note taker or I’ll have to write a 10,000 word reply on the evils of that approach. Ike Presley, Immediate Past Chair AER Division 5 – Information and Technology

Ike Presley
National Project Manager
Professional Development Department
American Foundation for the Blind
100 Peachtree St., Suite 620
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-525-2303
presley@afb.net

From the SESA Spring 1999 Newsletter

Building Study Skills for Students with Vision Loss

By Stanley Hirschberg, M.S., and Barbara Cronie, M.A.

Every student must accomplish five tasks to complete academic studies: reading, copying from a visual display, taking notes, writing a paper and taking tests. A student with a visual impairment must also develop adaptive methods, use adaptive devices and draw upon a support system of peers and teachers. As these activities can be time consuming, students with vision loss must be efficient.

While formal low vision assessment should be conducted to determine the best medium, or combination of reading media and adaptive devices and individual student needs, below are some general suggestions that can help visually impaired students develop their own study habits.

Reading

Text is available in three forms: print (standard and large), braille and aural (personal reader or electronic).

Print

Print readers should ask themselves the following diagnostic questions:

• What is my read/rest cycle for standard print? Is the duration affected by the use of large print and/or low vision aids?
• What kind of print (size, font and contrast) will allow me to use vision for the longest period of time?
• How many words can I see within my field of vision?
• Given this optimal print, how quickly can I read a page of text?

Answers will help estimate the time needed to complete assignments.

Braille

For some students, the development of braille skills is a priority. The ability to use Grade I and/or Grade II increases the range of resources and tools available. Grade I Braille restricts the student to using braille as a personal system since textbooks are available only in Grade II. In addition, the transfer from braille to print will be more efficient if Grade II rules for contractions are followed. Some Grade II users may not learn the correct spelling of words that always appear in contracted form in Grade II Braille. However, visually impaired students who use computer equipment with a standard keyboard need to learn standard spelling.

Aural Reading: Tape, Live Reader or Electronic Format

Aural readers should receive instruction in strategies to develop a systematic way of using tapes as study material. They must be active listeners with control over the text, using a systematic way of taking notes, as well, and mentally review the auditory material. Control over taped materials can be, for example, by tone indexing–inserting an aural marker (a beep, or series of beeps) to mark key pages or chapters. These markers allow the person to locate specific information or fast forward through non-relevant material.

The environment must also be taken into consideration. Background noise such as televisions, radios or voices can make listening to the tape energy consuming. Alternatively, if playing the tape would cause others to be disturbed, earphones may help.

Students using live readers should be comfortable asking the reader to repeat specific passages and to pause while the student summarizes or paraphrases the information read. The reader should know in advance what the student needs from the text, and give careful verbal descriptions of diagrams and charts.

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Storage and Retrieval

Copying a Visual Display: Blackboards, Over-head Projections, Films and Slides

Information from these displays can be accessed by photocopying a fellow student’s notes, asking the teacher for a copy of the visual presentation, taping a verbal description and requesting extended time to use adaptive low vision devices.

Taking Notes

Although a student may need to rely on another for copying visual displays, the older student should not depend on other people’s notes–even those supplied by the teacher, highlighting major concepts and key words–as primary source material. Support systems should not foster dependence nor restrict academic progress. “Research shows that students who record and review personal lecture notes score higher on tests than do students who only listen to the lecture or read the text” (Lazarus, 1996). Therefore, it is important that students devise their own systems for taking notes both in the classroom and at home.

Notes based on text should replicate the structure of the text; i.e., headings and subtitles should form the basis of an outline. In contrast, notes based on a lecture require the student to develop the structure and organize the information by writing key words, and using such adaptive devices as a tape recorder or a braille note-taker.

Expression

Writing a Paper: Topic Selection, Research, Outline and Draft Revisions

For a visually impaired student, writing a paper is complicated by the need to produce the final products in regular print, follow the specific formatting guidelines and adhere to page length limitations. Computers with adaptive equipment can help meet format requirements. However, students must first be evaluated to identify the appropriate equipment, and then be afforded the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to use it.

Taking Tests

In order to select the appropriate adaptive methods to take a test, answers to the following questions are required:

• What kind of test will it be?
• What kinds of answers are expected?
• Where will the test be taken?
• How much time is permitted?

Every student with impaired vision should know what test-taking adaptations are allowed by law. The guideline is: “reasonable accommodation.” It is our opinion that any adaptation must meet two standards to be considered reasonable accommodation: Does the adaptation permit the person to demonstrate level of skill rather than visual limitation? And does the adaptation preserve the integrity of the test? For example, if a math test is primarily a test of problem solving, a talking calculator is a permissible accommodation; however, if it is a test of mental computation, it is not. Adaptive methods used in the classroom include:

• variable of special lighting
• modified print size or font
• alternative method (e.g., test on tape)
• live reader
• optical devices to read standard print text
• adjusted time limits

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Conclusion

Parents and professionals must focus on helping students with impaired vision develop the skills to accomplish the tasks outlined in this article. Emphasis should be placed on managing time efficiently, technology training and establishing a support network that does not foster dependence.

Reprinted from Lighthouse International, EnVision, fall 1998, Vol.4 Nbr. 4
111 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1202
212-821-9200
800-829-0500
212-821-9705 fax
www.lighthouse.org

By Sarah J. Blake

This article presents a compilation of tips for finding and working with readers when material is not available in alternative formats. Most of these suggestions reflect my own personal experience; however, a few are suggestions which have come from other individuals.

This article has been published in The Student Advocate, the quarterly newsletter of the national Alliance of Blind Students. If you would like more information about NABS, please call the national office of the American Council of the Blind, the organization with which NABS is affiliated, at 1-800-424-8666 between the hours of 2:30 and 5:30 PM EST. The author maintains the right to reuse this article in additional publications and to distribute reprints. You may make copies of this article and distribute them as long as they are not sold or altered in any form.

Recruiting

Put signs in the Disabled Student Service office. If the university has a DSS office, it can be a valuable resource, but it should not be the sole source of assistance.

• Put ads on bulletin boards in widely traveled areas around the university.
  1. Near the cafeteria
  2. Near the post office
  3. Library
  4. Dormitory lobbies
  5. Community bulletin boards
• Register with the office of student employment.
• Register with the employment commission in your community.
• Put an ad in the paper.
• Put an announcement in a church bulletin.
• Use word-of-mouth.

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Interviewing

Ask about applicants’ areas of interest and ability. Some types of reading might be best handled by someone with some knowledge in the subject area. Examples include foreign language, mathematics, science, and courses with medical terminology.

Ask about applicants’ schedules. Are they available during class hours to read tests? Are they available at other times to assist you with library research? I tend not to hire people who have busy social lives because they are less available.

Have applicants read materials similar to those they will be required to read.

1. Do they read too fast or too slow? How do they respond when you ask them to speed up or slow down?
2. How do they handle unfamiliar words?
3. Do they interrupt the reading to make comments or summarize?
4. How clearly do they describe pictures, diagrams, graphs, etc.?

Managing readers

The reader needs to know how often he/she will be paid. Some state agencies which pay for reader service require the client to send in a form before they will send the money. In this case, it is best to pay the reader out of your pocket and reimburse yourself when the check comes from the state agency. Readers came to you because they need money, and they generally cannot afford to wait several weeks to get paid. Also inform the reader of the pay rate. I keep a log of hours, and so do my readers. This way there are no discrepancies regarding the amount of money I owe a reader.

When I have material read on cassette without my supervision, I pay by the amount of cassette time, not by the amount of time the reader spends correcting errors. I once had a reader bill me for 14 hours of time when I received four hours of cassette. I could only afford to pay for 45 hours of reading per month, and I felt that she must have been extremely perfectionistic about her reading. This is a good quality in a reader, but there is a limit to the amount I am willing to pay for this kind of reading. We came to a mutual agreement that I would no longer be able to employ her, and I found another reader who was able to read fluently without making many corrections on the cassette.

Set up a schedule so that you know the reader will be available. Make sure the reader understands that he may be needed for extra time on some days and not needed at all on other days.

Even if the reader is reading on tape, have the reader read while you are present. This will allow you to monitor what is being read. If you do allow a reader to record material without supervision, monitor progress by giving reasonable deadlines and insisting that they be met. You hired them so that you would have timely access to information.

Let the reader know if he/she is reading too fast or too slow. A good reader should be sensitive to your needs.

If a reader is reading a test:

1. Make sure he/she reads all the test items and answer choices.
2. Do not accept hints from the reader.
3. The reader should transcribe your answers exactly as you dictate them.
4. Go over the answers after you finish taking the test.

If you are working on a homework assignment which involves answering review questions:

1. Write the questions down first for your own reference.
2. Ask the reader to describe the layout of the assignment to be read. It may be helpful to write down some notes so that you can direct the reader.
   1. Is there a chapter outline?
   2. Are there headings and subheadings? What pages do they begin on?
   3. Are there boxes with information in them that may be unnecessary to read?
   4. Are there charts that summarize text? If they can be described easily, these may be helpful in gaining information quickly.
3. Read the questions and direct the reader to read from sections where you think you may find the answers. Ask him/her to point out to you if certain terms or ideas are emphasized (e.g. italicized, in bold, or in a different color).

Firing Readers

Firing readers is unpleasant, but it is sometimes necessary. Do not allow other relationships to influence your working relationship. If a reader is not working out and the problem cannot be resolved, then it is necessary to fire him/her. The best way to do this is to be honest and tell the person that you feel that your working relationship is not working out and that you feel it would be best if you found another reader.