The APH Slate Fall 2001, Volume 14, Number 2 ISSN: 1081-5891 The American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. The "qq" markers enable you to locate a desired item by using your computer's "search" capability to find the appropriate "qq" marker. For example, after the listing "Minds Meet at APH" in the table of contents is the disk catalog location marker "qq05". To find "Minds Meet at APH," do a search for "qq05". Table of Contents The Human Resources of the American Printing House - qq01 From the President - qq02 Awards Received by APH Staff - qq03 The APH Advisory - qq04 Minds Meet at APH - qq05 Who Can I Call for Assistance? - qq06 APH Product Profiles - qq07 APH On the Road - qq08 qq01 The Human Resources of the American Printing House by Bernadette S. Mudd, Editorial Committee Member In its publications, training events, and advertising, the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) features the product resources available to people who are blind and visually impaired. APH is equally proud of the human resources it takes to develop those products and to provide services to its customers. This issue will provide an overview of some of the roles involved in producing products. In the next issues of The APH Slate, APH will highlight some of the human resources required to meet the needs of the customers through specific products and services. "It takes a lot of diverse roles to define, design, and develop the product resources and services available through APH," said Tuck Tinsley, President of APH. APH employs over 300 people with unique talents and skills. From problem solvers to educators to multi-talented craftspeople, APH continuously searches for people with the ability to think outside the box in order to create products and to provide services that are otherwise unavailable. Some employees bring unique skills while others have found unique ways to apply skills gained from other life experiences. "APH customers' needs, themselves, are unique, specialized, and rare. "It is no small task to find individuals with scores of talents to define customer needs and to develop solutions to meet those needs," said Norma Fletcher, Director of Human Resources. @@ PHOTO: Steve Mullins, Special Projects Manager, and Mary Crawford, Braille Machine Operator discuss the production time and materials needed for a textbook project while looking at a computer screen. @@ Defining the Products APH Develops APH uses a wide range of resources, talents, and skills to determine what its customers' needs really are. "Our most important source for defining which products to develop lies in the voices of our customers," said Will Evans, Educational Products Manager and Chairman of the APH Product Advisory and Review Committee (PARC). PARC is made up of representatives from Business Development, Production, Educational and Technical Research, and Advisory Services departments. Its mission is to give serious consideration to ideas for products that improve the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. It is especially interested in product ideas that support the "expanded core curriculum," which is essential to the education of students and clients with visual impairments. Several criteria are considered when reviewing a new product or product idea. Those criteria include: --Does the product address an identified need? --Does the product promote sound educational principles? --Has the product been evaluated by professionals and consumers? --Is the product commercially available? APH develops products that are not commercially available. "Our customers come to us with specialized needs that, in most cases, require unique solutions," explained Mary Nelle McLennan, Vice President, Products and Services. At times, APH modifies popular commercial products to improve the accessibility of those products. APH has collaborated with the publishers of Brain Quest(TM) to provide braille and large print versions of their quiz games. APH also works with IntelliTools(R) to produce tactile keyboard companions called IntelliTactiles for its various keyboard overlays. APH welcomes your ideas for new products. Product ideas are generated from consumers, students, Ex Officio Trustees, educators, families, and APH staff. If you have an idea for a new product, contact Will Evans, PARC, at wevans@aph.org or call 502-899-2265. @@ Designing and Developing the Product After a product to be developed is defined, many departments collaborate to develop, to field test, and to fine-tune the product and its components. Throughout this stage of designing and developing the product, Research staff serve as project leaders (PL) to take the product from concept to completion. Initially, the PL works with authors or consultants both inside and outside APH to finalize the content and initial design of the product. Technical Research staff, along with the APH model maker, Production Department, and Communications' graphic design staff, assist in finalizing the physical and graphic design aspects of the product, packaging and support materials such as instruction manuals, sales brochures, etc. Each human resource is vital to developing an effective and quality product. @@ Producing the Product All products require testing with professionals in the vision field and/or with consumers. Adjustments are made to the product based on the results of these field tests. When all details are finalized, art is completed, and specifications are communicated, the Production staff gears up to print, produce, and/or assemble the product, pack the components, and make the product available for sale. Throughout the final stages of production, Accounting, Engineering, and Forecasting staff work to set production schedules, to inventory the product, and to establish the selling price for the finished product. Photo: Pat Railey shrink-wraps the contents of a product's braille manual. @@ Promoting and Educating about APH Products APH is dedicated to informing customers about its products and services. Vital to this endeavor are the APH catalogs of products, the training provided by field representatives, and research staff, and the information offered by customer support staff. @@ The Human Resources Whether APH is creating a textbook for one individual, designing a device that makes the printed word speech-accessible, or providing a bank statement in braille, it takes the resources of many multi-talented people to get the job done-and they are available to you, the customer, the Trustee, the teacher, the parent, and the student. That is why APH believes it is important to dedicate these next issues of The APH Slate to discuss, more specifically, the many unique and diverse roles that come together to create services and products, promote them, and to train those who use them. END OF ARTICLE qq02 From the President, Dr. Tuck Tinsley III APH President People-APH's Most Valuable Resource As president of APH, I am extremely proud of the wonderful group of dedicated people who constitute our workforce. We are very fortunate to have employees with a wide variety of special skills and expertise. Equally important, they are committed to working together to further APH's mission. That mission is "to promote the independence of blind and visually impaired persons by providing specialized materials, products, and services needed for education and life." Experience is also a key strength. The average tenure at APH of our 315 employees is 14 years, including several who are in their first or second years, but bring 25-30 years of field experience to APH. Our average age is 47-a pretty good age, in hindsight. Each employee has a small blue wallet card containing our mission statement and five guiding principles. The guiding principles are the values we hold in common. They govern the priorities we set and the behavior of our company and us as individuals. The most important guiding principle, "respect for employees," is based on the fact that people are APH's most valuable resource. That guiding principle is stated as follows: "Respect for Employees-the skills and knowledge of our employees are by far our most vital asset. To empower them to make their best contributions, we strive to create an atmosphere of trust and respect, where difference and diversity are valued." APH's employees are the American Printing House for the Blind. All the great work done at APH, every single thing, is done by APH employees. Without them, there would be no American Printing House for the Blind. Each employee is a member of a Continuous Improvement team that meets monthly. The Continuous Improvement Program provides a formal way for employees to give suggestions on a regular basis to improve all aspects of life and work at APH. No one is in a better position to look for ways to improve upon a task or process than the person actually doing the work. To me, however, the most impressive quality of the people at APH is their kindness. Time and time again, employees pitch in to assist others in need - often without being asked. Examples range from people mentioned in the news that lost their homes to fire, flood, or tornado to employees in need for a variety of reasons. An employee who is critically ill is currently the recipient of the kindness of his coworkers. They take him to doctors' appointments, shop for him, take him on outings, and visit him regularly. A quote by Bertha von Suttner says it well, "After the verb 'to love,' 'to help' is the most beautiful verb in the world." After all, helping others is what APH is all about. PHOTO: Dr. Tuck Tinsley III END OF ARTICLE qq03 Awards Received by APH Staff @@ TORGIs-Talking Book of the Year Awards Every year the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) recognizes book narrations with the TORGI awards based on literary merit, quality of narration, and technical excellence. APH narrators were nominated in the category of Partner-Produced Non-Fiction. This year our Butch Hoover won a TORGI for his narration of The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory, by Brian Greene. Other APH narrators nominated for the award are: Lou Harpenau, for his narration of Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Blowden. Terry Hayes Sales, our narrator emeritus, for her narration of Sight Unseen, by Georgina Kleege. APH is proud of the hard work and dedication of all our narrators, monitors, and proofreaders. @@ Vocational Achievement Award APH congratulates Maria Delgado, Louis Database Field Representative, as the recipient of the 2000 Vocational Achievement Award. This award is presented by the Kentucky Department for the Blind to clients of the program who have succeeded professionally. Maria received the award at a luncheon during the organization's annual conference END OF ARTICLE qq04 The APH Advisory, Compiled by Bob Brasher, Director-Educational and Advisory Services Formerly a separate newsletter of the American Printing House for the Blind, Department of Educational and Advisory Services. @@ APH Creates a New Font APHont(TM) (pronounced ay'-font) was developed by APH specifically for low vision readers. APHont embodies characteristics needed by low- vision readers, as identified by research completed at APH and other organizations. These characteristics include features that have been shown to enhance reading speed, comprehension, and comfort for large print users. APH offers the APHont Regular typeface of the APHont Suite through free distribution. APHont Regular is currently available as a PC font, with a Macintosh(R) font coming soon. Download your free copy at www.aph.org/tech. If you do not have Internet access, request a free PC-formatted floppy disk containing APHont Regular: call 1-800-223-1839, select the "Request a Catalog" option, say that you want the APHont Regular disk, and leave us your mailing address. Note: When complete, the APHont Suite will be sold as an APH product. You may copy APHont Regular to distribute to your friends at no charge. Note: APHont is trademarked material. APHont may not be altered or copied for sale without express written permission from APH. Note: APH makes no claim that APHont is an appropriate font for children who are just learning to read. @@ "Louis, Louis-She's Gotta Go!" Maria Delgado, our Louis field representative, is available to travel to your state to conduct presentations and/or hands-on training for the following: --Louis Database of Accessible Materials --Repository of Downloadable Files --Fred's Head Database of Tips and Techniques --Accessible Media Producers Database --New Products and Services Presentations/training sessions are free of charge and are available to both teachers and students. To schedule a session, call Maria Delgado at (502) 899-2340 or email her at mdelgado@aph.org. @@ Summer Product Supplement is Available Our 2001 Summer Supplement to the Products Catalog lists over a dozen new products that have been added by APH since the Winter 2001 Supplement. The Supplement is available in print, on cassette, on disk, and on our Web site. Call 800-2323-1839 Ext. 368 for your copy. @@ New and Revised Product Brochures Available on the Web APH has added many new and revised product brochures to the Web site. Additionally, many of the brochures offer a "Purchase this Product" link to take you directly to the shopping area of the site. @@ Advisory Services National Instructional Partnership Events The National Instructional Partnership Project, an initiative coordinated by APH's Advisory Services Department, teamed with two organizations recently to bring training events to professionals, parents, and others in separate events in Missouri and Kentucky and California. The first event focused on braille readiness and braille instruction as well as low vision devices and the instruction of students with low vision. The second event, "Gateways to Independence," was cosponsored by the Kentucky School for the Blind. It focused on assistive technology. APH staff presented information on products being developed at APH. The National Instructional Partnership Project also partnered with Ex Officio Trustee, Vicki Liske, and the Braille Institute of America to offer "Cortical Visual Impairment: Pathways to Intervention." This workshop focused on strategies and techniques for intervention with children diagnosed with cortical visual impairment. Dr. Christine Roman of Marshall University graciously agreed to share her vast knowledge and expertise. Nearly 80 professionals and parents attended. If you are interested in a training event in your area, please call Janie Humphries at 502-899-2367 or email her at jhumphries@aph.org. @@ Gary Mudd Attains Stardom on Animal Planet! Vice President of Public Affairs, Gary Mudd, and his dog guide, Denver, are featured in Pet Story: Denver the Guide Dog produced by Animal Planet(R) cable network. The program, which aired in July, August, and September, follows Gary and his family as they retire dog guide Heathcliff after 10 years of service and begin working with a new guide, Denver. The article is available on video from Animal Planet. @@ What's New in Fred's Head? Check out these new records found in Fred's Head at www.aph.org: --Resources for the Blind or Visually Impaired Traveler --A Walk in the Woods: Hiking Trails Designed for the Blind or Visually Impaired --Online Sources for Nutrition Information --How to Find or Become a Braille Transcriber --What Makes U.S. Olympian Marla Runyan Run? --Human Sexuality Resources --Technical, Scientific, and Mathematical Tables in Braille --Guide Horses: an Idea That's a Hit with Neigh-Sayers. @@ Assessment Needs Surveys Periodically, APH will post short surveys on its Web site regarding needs in the area of tests and assessments. This project is a way for all persons involved in the assessment process to contribute valuable information to APH. To participate, go to www.aph.org/edresearch/testneeds.html, complete the current survey, and submit. Instant input! Results from the surveys will help APH to develop new products and to implement a new testing initiative called "Test Central." Please forward this information to appropriate people in your organization or school system. Contact Barbara Henderson at bhenderson@aph.org with any questions or comments. @@ ATIC Welcomes Betsy Burnham to APH! The Accessible Textbook Initiative and Collaboration (ATIC) welcomes Betsy Burnham as ATIC's accessible media manager and trainer. Betsy is a certified braille transcriber. She was formerly the Tactile Media Coordinator for the Maryland School for the Blind. She also holds a Board position with the National Braille Association, is a member of the AFB Solutions Forum, and is a member of AER. PHOTO: Betsy Burnham END OF ARTICLE SIDE BAR qq05 Minds Meet At APH! Thirty university professors and faculty members from twenty-five university teacher training programs in the United States and Canada visited APH on May 20-22, 2001, for an historic event. This event, the first ever "Meeting of the Minds," was hosted by the Educational and Advisory Services Department through the Collaborative Instructional Project with Teacher Training Programs Initiative and with the generous support of Dr. Deborah Hatton from the University of North Carolina. It allowed university faculty and APH staff to brainstorm on a variety of topics and ideas. Project Leaders from the Educational and Technical Research Department met with the group to discuss and display current and future products and to solicit input on a number of surveys now being conducted by the department. Overviews of Advisory Services, the Accessible Textbook Initiative and Collaboration Division (ATIC), and the Resource Services Department were also on the agenda. Dr. Hatton presented information to the group regarding her new project at UNC that focuses on the development of teacher training modules for early intervention with young children who are visually impaired. APH Vice President Mary Nelle McLennan lead the group in an activity designed to solicit answers to the question "How can universities and APH partner to prepare quality professionals?" One outcome of this activity was the establishment of a monthly electronic newsletter for university faculty and staff from Advisory Services Director, Bob Brasher. This communication, already operational, helps those involved in teacher training programs keep abreast of new APH products and services that can be shared with their students. The meeting was an excellent opportunity to open lines of communication between APH and the university programs and has paved the way for collaboration on future projects. Jim "Blue" Bickford, an attendee representing Portland State University, had this to say: "I just wanted to send a quick note to all of you to say thank you for the opportunity you provided this past weekend. Having come back into the area of personnel preparation, I benefited greatly. I especially want to send "kudos" to all of you for listening to the ideas, which would benefit the university programs. . . Your willingness to embrace and implement other services where possible is indicative of the commitment you have to the field. Thank you again, and I certainly look forward to working with all of you for a long time to come." It is hoped that this will be the first of many collaborative events between APH and the university teacher training programs. This partnership strategy is combined with our efforts focusing on the loan of APH products and APH presentations on university campuses. Through these efforts with the people responsible for training and preparing our future customers, we hope to foster career-long relationships with students as they leave the university settings and become a part of our profession. PHOTO: Thirty university professors and faculty members from 25 university teacher training programs in the U. S. and Canada gathered for the "Meeting of the Minds" held at APH in May, 2001. Attendees of the meeting are sitting in rows on the steps of a museum in Old Louisville where the group gathered for dinner following the first day of the meeting. END OF SIDE BAR qq06 Who Can I Call for Assistance? Customer Service and Other Helpful Contacts at APH At APH, we strive to provide you with the information you need about all our products and services. Should you have a question or concern, we are available to you Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) via mail, e-mail, or phone. Information is also available at www.aph.org. To help you reach the individual or team who can best serve your needs, we offer the following list of contacts at APH. Customer Service for Questions Regarding Products and Sales E-mail: info@aph.org, Customer Service Team: 800-223-1839, Technical Support 800-223-1839 Locating Books in Braille, Large Print, Sound Recording or Computer File Resource Services, 800-223-1839, resource@aph.org Customized and Special Products, Contract Administration, 800-223-1839 Public Affairs, Tours of APH Facilities, 502-899-2357 Gary Mudd, Vice President Public Affairs, 502-899-2308 Research Proposals Rob Wise, Director , Research, 502-899-2325 Product Proposals Will Evans, Educational and Consumer Products Manager, 502-899-2265 Accessible Textbooks, Jane Lyons, Director, ATIC, 502-899-2370 Federal Quota and Advisory Services, Bob Brasher. Director, Educational and Advisory Services, 502-899-2369 Training, Janie Humphries, Field Services Representative, 502-899-2367 Maria Delgado, Louis Database Field Representative, 502-899-2340 Development; Donations, Gifts to APH, 502-899-2362 Paul Zurkuhlen, Planned Giving, 502-899-2362 Magazine Services, 502-899-2352 END OF ARTICLE qq07 APH Product Profiles, Innovations Created or Distributed by APH @@ Art History Through Touch & Sound: African Art This multi-sensory system uses sight, sound, and touch to convey the richness of the world of art to people who are blind or visually impaired. This is a collaborative product of APH and Art Education for the Blind. Art History Through Touch & Sound: African Art, Catalog Number: 1-09004-00, Price: $99.00 @@ Classroom Calendar Kit: Both English and Spanish Versions; Large Type/Braille Calendar for Visually Impaired and Sighted Students The Classroom Calendar Kit consists of a large visual/tactual wall calendar that uses removable plastic labels to depict one month. This attractive, versatile calendar is ideal for daily classroom activities. The Classroom Calendar Kit can be used to introduce both sighted and blind children to a variety of concepts, such as: --Using a calendar for measuring time --Tracking from left to right and moving from top to bottom --Describing a day's activities --Awareness of holidays, birthdays, and other special days --Recording weather observations --Recognizing and sequencing numerals Large Type/Braille Labels The Classroom Calendar Kit contains durable, fun-to-use calendar parts that can be utilized by both low vision and blind students. All labels are in large type and in braille. The Classroom Calendar Kit includes instructions for assembling and using the calendar. The instruction sheet also contains a list of educational objectives that can be taught or reinforced with the calendar, as well as a list of suggested activities. Recommended Ages: 4 to 10 years. Classroom Calendar Kit: English Edition, Catalog Number: 1-18970-00; Price: $55.00 Classroom Calendar Kit: Spanish Edition; Catalog Number: 1-18973-00; Price: $55.00 @@ Individual Calendar Kit: Large Type/Braille: The Calendar That Students Can Create Each student can experience the fun and challenge of creating a paper calendar of his or her own using the Individual Calendar Kit. This calendar is very similar to the one provided in APH's Classroom Calendar Kit and can be used in conjunction with it. The Individual Calendar Kit can be used to introduce the same concepts as those listed for the Classroom Calendar Kit. Includes Teacher Instructions The Individual Calendar Kit features: --Twelve brightly colored embossed/bold line grid sheets, each of which can be used to set up a one-month calendar. --White paper labels on punch-out sheets showing the month, days of the week, and days of the month. --Labels marked in both large type and braille, with the top right corner of each cut for easier orientation. --Double-stick mounting squares for putting labels on the grid. --Consumable calendars: At the end of each month calendars could be taken home or saved in a notebook. --Instructions that detail the construction of calendars and list the educational goals which can be pursued by using this kit. Recommended Ages: 4 to 10 years. Individual Calendar Kit, Catalog Number: 1-18971-00; Price: $14.00 @@ Crafty Graphics: Stencil Embossing Kit Create your own embossed graphics using this handy, fun kit of tools designed for dry-pressure embossing. You can quickly learn to create a wide variety of tactile graphics with the Crafty Graphics Kit from APH! The kit contains stencils, embossing tools, and other items needed to create tactile graphics by dry-pressure embossing. You supply your own light source to place underneath sheets to be embossed (for example, APH's Mini-Lite Box or natural light). Crafty Graphics Kit Includes --Nine Brass Stencils (i.e., Block Letters, Geometric) --Eight Unique Stenciling Tools (i.e., Stylus, Serrated Tracing Wheel, Standard Braille Signage Stencil, Point Symbols Stencil) --Twenty Whole-Objects Stencils (i.e., Apple, Teddy Bear, Heart) --Stenciling Accessories Pack --Bold-Line Graph Paper --Wooden Braille Eraser --Guidebook with instructions, tips, and techniques for creating good embossed graphics. --Carrying case Crafty Graphics Kit, Catalog Number: 1-08844-00; Price: $118.00 Replacement Guidebooks, Large Print Edition, Catalog Number: 7-08844-00, Price: $20.00 Floppy Disk Edition, Catalog Number: D-08844-00; Price: $5.00 Optional Guidebook Braille Edition, Catalog Number: 5-08844-00; Price: $20.00 Additional Bold Line Graph Paper (8 1/2 x 11 1/4 inch grid), Catalog Number: 1-04062-00, Price: $10.00 @@ IntelliTactiles(TM) Standard Overlay Companions The IntelliKeys(R) keyboard from IntelliTools(R) is a touch-sensitive board that connects to either a PC or Macintosh(R) computer. The board provides auditory feedback related to overlays placed on its touch-sensitive surface. (Note: The IntelliKeys keyboard, related software, and standard visual overlays are available exclusively from IntelliTools: 1-800-899-6687 or www.intellitools.com.) IntelliTactiles(TM) Standard Overlay Companions, developed by APH, make the IntelliTools Standard Overlays accessible to braille readers. These durable clear-plastic tactile overlays slip under the ledges of the IntelliKeys keyboard on top of the visual overlays. The tactile overlays feature braille markings and special tactile point symbols. The tactile overlays align with the following IntelliTools visual overlays: --Alphabet Overlay --Basic Writing Overlay --Numbers Overlay --Arrows Overlay --Apple(R) QWERTY Overlay --IBM(R) QWERTY Overlay --Setup Overlay User's Guides in large print and braille are included with the Standard Overlay Companions. IntelliTactiles: Standard Overlay Companions Kit, Catalog Number: 1-08515-00, Price: $53.00 User's Guide only: Print Edition; Catalog Number: 7-08515-00; Price: $10.00 User's Guide only: Braille Edition; Catalog Number: 5-08515-00; Price: $10.00 @@ The Perkins Brailler Now available to all APH customers! Until recently, The Perkins Brailler could only be purchased by Ex Officio Trustees using funding from the Quota Program. Now, all APH customers can purchase a Perkins with check, money order, credit card, purchase order, or Federal Quota order. The Perkins Brailler is a precision-made, all-purpose braillewriter that is in general use around the world. The Perkins Brailler has a wide range of applications: --Young students can use the Perkins Brailler for braille "scribbling" to introduce them to literacy concepts --Primary grade students can utilize the Perkins Brailler as an integral part of learning braille reading and writing --More advanced students can use the Perkins Brailler for writing assignments, such as essays or math problems Description The Perkins Brailler is designed to: --Accommodate a maximum page size of 11 1/2 inches wide by 14 inches long --Permit the writing of 25 lines, 41 cells on an 11 1/2 x 11 inch page The Perkins Brailler; Catalog Number: 1-00850-00; Price: $725 @@ Primer(TM): Your First Electronic Magnifier Primer(TM) is offered by APH and Innoventions, Inc., the people who brought you the Magni-Cam Electronic Magnifier. Primer is similar to the black and white Magni-Cam, but is a simpler, entry-level model at an affordable price. Primer is a lightweight, hand-held electronic magnifier that connects in minutes to any television set. Magnification depends on the size of your TV. For example, a 20-inch TV will let you magnify from 8X to 15X. Features: --Displays normal, positive enhanced, or negative enhanced images --Lightweight, easy to hold camera/controller --Camera, auto focus, lifetime lamps, tracking roller, one-button control --Automatic switching between TV viewing and magnification Primer Electronic Magnifier; Catalog Number: 1-03929-00; Price: $295.00 Note: Not available for purchase with Federal Quota Funds qq08 APH on the Road Each year, APH personnel travel to many conferences and other types of events across the U.S. and around the world. They go to learn, to speak, to conduct product demonstrations, to staff exhibits, and much more. This list highlights some of the future events where you can meet and visit with APH employees. November 1-2, Unity Conference, Nashville, TN November 1-3, Vision 2001: Moving Beyond Our Challenges, Calgary, Alberta Canada November 1-4, Mid-America Conference of Rehab Teachers, Mobile, AL November 8-9, Indiana AER, Nashville, IN November 8-10, Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference, Philadelphia, PA November 14-16, Florida AER Conference; Orlando, FL January 16-19, ATIA, Orlando, FL Note: Product trademarks are of their respective companies. This newsletter is available in an accessible medium. END OF ARTICLE