COME
JOIN US
At
THE
33rd ANNUAL
FLORIDA
CONFERENCE OF VOLUNTEERS
SERVING
THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
MAY
5-7, 2008
VISUAL AID VOLUNTEERS OF FLORIDA,
INC.
“Dedication Makes the Difference”
7450
AUGUSTA NATIONAL DRIVE
ORLANDO,
FL 32822
Phone:
407-438-2121 or 866-878-4175
APH:
American
Printing House for the Blind
BANA:
Braille
Authority of North America
CASC:
Computer
Applications Specialties Company, Inc. (Dr. Robert Stepp)
CVI:
Center
for the Visually Impaired
DBT:
Duxbury
Braille Translator
FIMC:
Florida
Instructional Materials Center
NBA:
National
Braille Association, Inc.
NIMAS:
National
Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards
NLS:
National
Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped,
The
U.S. Library of Congress
NUBS:
Nemeth
Uniform Braille System
VAVF:
Visual
Aid Volunteers of Florida, Inc.
VAVF 2008 CONFERENCE ANOTHER MEMORABLE
YEAR!!!
We
are moving back to Orlando this year for the Conference.
As it is a central location, I hope all our members
will be able to attend. We have found
a great suite hotel with a free breakfast buffet. There are many
other amenities. All the suites have a
refrigerator and microwave. Complementary
soup, salad, and cocktails are served in the evening. There is a complimentary shuttle to and from
the airport which will also take guests to and from restaurants within a two-mile
radius. A notebook listing nearby restaurants
will be at the VAVF registration desk.
We
have a great variety of workshops again this year. The planning committee did a wonderful job of inviting exciting
presenters to our Conference. Our friends
Dr. Stepp and Dr. Nemeth are returning to join us this year. As usual, our Florida volunteers have come
up trumps with wonderful workshops. This
year we also have two new presenters, Ann Kelt from California and Sheila Elrod
from Jacksonville. A teacher from Orlando,
Mariann Witengier, is going to bring some readers to meet us.
As always I want to be at several sessions at once, I am going to have
some hard decisions to make.
We
have workshops for Students, Tapists, Graphics artists, Braillists (textbook,
Nemeth and foreign language) and some workshops of interest to everyone, even
spouses! The VAVF luncheon on Monday
is a great opportunity to get to know and socialize with other members so please
put it on your calendars, too. We will
have a hospitality area again this year where we will be able to meet and chat
in the evenings. We would be very grateful
for any snacks or drinks which you would like to contribute.
We are going to have a new arrangement
for booking rooms this year. Arlene Jensen has kindly offered to do
extra work to save us the tax. We are to call the
hotel at 1-866-878-4175 and make our reservation saying we are with VAVF then
one person from each room will send Arlene (6425 Streamport Dr., Orlando, FL,
32822) a check made payable to VAVF for $99 per night. VAVF will pay the
hotel for all rooms on the master list. Please make sure to send your
check to Arlene before April 18, 2008, the cutoff date at Hawthorn for our special
$99 rate. Any reservations made after this date will be at their regular price,
plus 12.5% tax. When we are making the
booking we will have to give a credit card number.
All hotels (all over the world) require
a credit card number, even though the basic room charge $99 is paid by a master
account (VAVF in this case), the credit card would cover any additional charges
to the room which the occupant is responsible for.
Come
and join us for an exciting 2008 VAVF Conference. Remember:
You’ll
be glad you did
Pat Gray
Here is a map of the second floor where the Meeting Rooms are. There is elevator access to the upper floors.
The dining-room is on the first floor under
the meeting rooms. Complimentary coffee
is available there 24 hours. The store
is behind the hotel registration desk.
Directions
to the Orlando Airport Hawthorn Suites
| 7450 Augusta
National Drive |
|
|
| ||
|
From
I-95: Take
exit 260B to merge onto I-4 W toward Orlando. Take exit 101AB toward Sandford/Int’ Airports. Merge onto Central Florida Greenway/
SR 417 South bound (101 B). SR 417 is a tollway. Take exit 26 for SR-528-W toward
Int’l Airport, merge onto SR-528 West bound. SR 528 west or the Beachline (old Beeline) is a tollway.
Take the exit 11A to merge onto S Semoran Blvd/SR 436 North bound. Do not take the airport
exit. Travel North on Semoran
Blvd/SR-436 N less than a 1/4 of a mile to TG Lee Blvd and turn right at the light.
There is a TGIF Restaurant on the left. Go to the stop sign and turn right on
Augusta National Drive. The Hawthorn Suites is approximately 1/4 mile on your
right across from the pond. | ||
From the Airport
Exit from airport on SR 436 North (Semoran Blvd). Travel North
1/4 of a mile to TG Lee Blvd and turn right at the light. There is a TGIF Restaurant
on the left. Go to the stop sign and turn right on Augusta National Drive. The
Hawthorn Suites is approximately 1/4 mile on your right across from the pond.
From Florida Turnpike, Either Direction
Take Exit for Beachline (old BeeLine) Expressway (528) going
East bound. The BeachLine is a tollway. Travel East on the BeachLine to the exit
for Semoran Blvd (SR 436) and go North on Semoran Blvd. Travel North on Semoran
Blvd less than a 1/4 of a mile to TG Lee Blvd and turn right at the light. There
is a TGIF Restaurant on the left. Go to the stop sign and turn right on Augusta
National Drive. The Hawthorn Suites is approximately 1/4 mile on your right across
from the pond.
From Interstate 4
Coming into town from the West (Tampa area), Exit on to the
Beachline (old BeeLine) Expressway heading East. The BeachLine is a tollway. If
coming into town from the North/East, take the Florida Turnpike exit and go South.
From the Florida Turnpike, take the BeachLine Expressway exit and go East. Stay
on the BeachLine heading towards the airport. Take the exit for Semoran Blvd (SR
436) North bound. Do not take the airport exit. Travel
North on Semoran Blvd less than a 1/4 of a mile to TG Lee Blvd and turn right
at the light. There is a TGIF Restaurant on the left. Go to the stop sign and
turn right on Augusta National Drive. The Hawthorn Suites is approximately 1/4
mile on your right across from the pond.
Shuttle from
Airport
Phone
hotel at 407-438-2121
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ORLANDO AIRPORT HAWTHORN SUITES
VAVF LUNCHEON MENU
Monday, May 5,
2008
Noon
Entrées (Choose One)
1. Chicken Marsala
2. Vegetarian Pasta
Salad and Rolls
are included
Dessert
Chef’s choice
Iced Tea or Water
Complimentary
coffee is also available.
FREE BUFFET BREAKFAST
FOR THOSE STAYING IN THE HOTEL
and
2 hour complimentary cocktails, soup
and salad in the evening
5-7 pm
We will once
again have a hospitality room--
bring drinks
and snacks to share there.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
MONDAY, MAY 5, 2008
Please note that sessions are different
lengths of time.
Some are three hours long while others
are for a shorter time.
Longer sessions are in two parts, identified
by A and B.
8:30-10:00 AM Session 101-A: Beginning Braille 2000
[Room A] Meg
Wagner & Dr. Robert Stepp
A very basic introduction to Braille2000.
Familiarity with Braille2000 or ED-IT
PC is not necessary.
Some experience with Windows is helpful. Bring your
laptop. (Braille2000 V2 will be given out at the workshop) for hands-on work.
You may also
attend without a computer.
Session 102: Transitions
[Room
B] Ronee Hudson
A description
of the CVI Transitions program. This program
is for students
aged 14-22 to gain work experience and job searching
skills that will enable
them to become
successfully employed.
Session 103: Basic Graphics for Literary Texts
[Room C] Joyce Hull
A
review of some effective ways of creating graphs, pie charts, histograms, clocks,
etc. using common examples from literary materials.
10:00-10:30 BREAK
10:30-12:00 PM Session 101-B: Beginning Braille 2000 (Continued)
[Room A] Meg
Wagner & Dr. Robert Stepp
Session 104: Formats Update
[Room B] Lynnette Taylor
A discussion of the Updates to be published by
BANA for use in English
Braille American
Edition, Braille Formats, and Nemeth Code.
Session
103-B: Basic
Graphics for Literary Texts (Continued)
[Room C] Joyce
Hull
12:00-2:00 Session 105: VAVF LUNCHEON and Annual Meeting
2:00-3:30 Session 106: Reaching the Blind Student
[Room A] Dr. Abraham
Nemeth
Using a background of his own experience
as a blind child, he will describe
what works in
transcribing for or teaching blind children.
How to inspire them
and challenge
them.
Session 107:
The Trial Manuscript
[Room B] Linda
Jacobson
We’ll track the trial manuscript from its beginning
to its end. Since I evaluate
trial manuscripts,
please, bring your questions.
Session 108: Everything You Want to Know about Digital Talking Books
[Room C] Doug Hall & Robert Irons
Digital Talking
Books, their production, distribution and equipment. How
does it impact on the Library’s customers?
3:30-4:00 BREAK
4:00-5:30 Session 109: Meet Your Readers
[Room
A] Mariann Witengier & Students
The panel will be made up of at least
three high school students who use braille as their primary reading medium. They
will be available to answer questions, gain ideas from braillists, and share their
ideas. Bring your questions.
Session 110: Proofreading
[Room B] Linda Jacobson
How do people proofread? What works for you? We will have a discussion
about proofreading techniques. We will do some proofreading.
Session
111: Technology for the Blind
[Room C] Ronee Hudson
Technology for the Blind has made dramatic advances in recent years.
Without training in the use of technology, a blind individual cannot fully
take
part in today’s world.
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2008
Please note that sessions are different
lengths of time.
Some are three hours long while others
are for a shorter time.
Longer sessions are in two parts, identified
by A and B.
8:30-10:00 AM Session 201-A: Braille2000 for NIMAS and RTF
[Room A]
Dr. Robert Stepp and Meg Wagner
There
are four sessions. You are encouraged (but not required) to attend all
four. Bring your
laptop (Braille2000 V2 will be given out at the workshop) for
hands-on work.
You may also attend without a computer. The
workshop will
cover new techniques
for handling RTF and NIMAS source files.
Session 202:
Foreign Language Rules Revised and Revealed
[Room
B] Ann Kelt
The new revised Foreign Language Rules
are almost here. We are waiting for BANA’s
final approval. Nevertheless we can give you many examples of the new rules and
explain changes. Ten years and three committees
have produced a highly readable text with embedded examples to make this--at times--daunting
text even easier.
[Room
C] Doug
Hall & Leon Petersen
Educational success requires good listening skills, especially for students
who
are blind. Learn how to listen to audio instructional materials.
10:00-10:30 BREAK
10:30-12:00 PM Session
201-B: Braille2000 for NIMAS and RTF (Continued)
[Room A]
Dr. Robert Stepp & Meg Wagner
Session 204: Reading Textbooks
[Room B] Lynnette
Taylor
FCAT has introduced
materials that the student needs to read quickly and accurately.
The workshop will focus on how to present them in Braille.
[Room C]
Elliott Whitman
Round table discussion about illustrations,
diagrams and maps.
12:00-2:00 LUNCH ON YOUR OWN
2:00-3:30 Session 206-A: Basic Word
2007
[Room A]
Sheila Elrod
Creating documents, formatting text, inserting charts and graphs, cut-copy-
paste, inserting breaks, tables using
Word 2007. This is not a hands-on
workshop.
Session 207:
Beginning Nemeth
[Room
B] Joanne Baldwin
This workshop
is intended to be an overview of the Nemeth Code course and
certification
process. It is geared toward those just
beginning the course or
thinking about taking the course. Questions are welcome.
Round table
discussion and critique.
3:30-4:00 BREAK
4:00-5:30 Session 206-B: Basic Word 2007
(Continued)
[Room A]
Sheila Elrod
Session 209: Tactile Gimmicks
[Room
B] Joanne Baldwin
This workshop
will discuss some of the materials that can and cannot be used
when creating
collage tactile illustrations. Questions
are welcome.
Participants
should bring a sample of any items they have found to be useful.
Session 210: What Is CSMT and Where Is It?
[Room C] Ann Kelt
CSMT- Clearinghouse
for Specialized Media and Technology - is at the
California Department of Education
in Sacramento. Twelve years ago it
started a radically new program for providing braille texts
to its visually
impaired students. We will tell you
about this very successful program.
WEDNESDAY,
MAY 7, 2008
Please note that sessions are different
lengths of time.
Some are three hours long while others
are for a shorter time.
Longer sessions are in two parts, identified
by C and D.
Time
Session and Description
8:30-10:00 AM Session 301-C: Braille2000 for NIMAS and RTF (Continued)
[Room A] Dr. Robert Stepp & Meg Wagner (continued from session 201 A
and B but can be attended even if you did not attend Tuesday.)
Session 302:
Scanning for Beginners
[Room B] Janet
Nullet
Learn to scan material using Omni Page Pro,
Microsoft Word & Braille 2000.
How to get started.
Scanning material to be inserted into Braille 2000. This
is
not a hands-on
workshop.
10:00-10:30 BREAK
10:30-12:00
PM Session 301-D:
Braille2000 for NIMAS and RTF (Continued)
[Room A]
Dr. Robert Stepp & Meg Wagner
Session 303: Advanced Scanning
[Room B] Janet Nullet
I will be using Vista and the newest version of Omni Page Pro 16, Microsoft
Word 2007 and Braille 2000.
Advanced techniques for processing scanned
pages. This is not a hands-on workshop.
CONFERENCE OVER
| MONDAY |
May 5, 2008 |
Time |
Room A |
Room B |
Room C |
|
|
| | | |
| ||
|
8:30--10:00 |