hadley connection STUDENT NEWSLETTER OF THE HADLEY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND - FALL 2006 Think “inside” the box Have you ever wondered about what goes into putting a Hadley course together? It takes a lot of thought, planning, hours, input— from students, instructors and staff—and revisions, revisions, revisions. Mike Harvey, Hadley’s instructional technology specialist, says “Putting an effective course together takes teamwork. It requires the involvement of all departments—not just Curricular Affairs—to do it right. There are so many accessibility issues. We’ve learned a lot in the past few years about putting a course together.” “Student input is invaluable,” adds Mike Rydell, dean of curricular affairs. “We depend on students taking the pilot course to tell us what makes sense to them and what’s confusing. We also get a lot of student requests for courses; when we start to see a trend, it’s a good indicator that the subject is one we should look into. Right now many students are asking for technology and business courses. The parenting classes have also been popular.” Since it began offering the e-Hadley online courses in 2002, Hadley has been working to keep up with the latest in audio and technology standards. “We’re looking into incorporating sound and limited animation so that a Hadley course is close to putting students in a virtual classroom, so that they’re taking the next step and applying the knowledge they’ve gained to a real life situation,” says Rydell. “But even with e-Hadley, we are still committed to putting everything in braille.” As you can see, it takes more than one person to create a course at Hadley. All of this would not be possible, were it not for our generous donors who fund Hadley’s work. It is through their support that we can continue to offer our courses free-of-charge. For a more indepth look at Hadley’s course development, read George Abbott’s interview with Mike Harvey on page 11. ? inside 2 Meet the 2006 Graduates 3 Author Advises on Job Hunt 4 Seminars@Hadley Goes Live; Bits & Bytes 5 Instructor and Student Connect 6 Curriculum Corner 7 Hadley Online Forums; Friends of Hadley Receive Award 8 Family Matters 9 FAQs 10 Former Hadley President Wins Award; Book Reviews 11 A Matter of Course Page 2 Hadley Honors 2006 Graduates You have earned the right to be recognized this evening,” said Hadley President Charles Young, noting the hard work and dedication of the seven students present to receive their high school diplomas at the Hadley School’s fifth onsite commencement exercise, held June 14 at the Winnetka Woman’s Club. Not present were Donald Arnold of Oregon, and Sara Brubaker, of Ohio. Keynote speaker Richard Nelson Bolles, author of “The 2006 What Color is Your Parachute, noted, “Our graduates have labored long and hard to reach this moment.” Focusing on the energy and radiance in the room, Bolles said, “You’re going to be radiant, and you’re going to be filled with joy if you’re doing what you love to do. So the quest from here on out, not only for our graduates but for ourselves as well, is to figure out, what do we love to do, and to set our foot on that path.... Where you find enjoyment is a guide. “This is a wonderful moment, and there will be many more, as long as our quest is to be radiant always, to find out what we love most to do, and to commit our lives to that.” ? 2006 graduates at a glance Danny Collins, Indiana Losing his vision in his 30s was extremely challenging for Danny Collins, as he struggled to adjust to the changes in his life. “Hadley was the one bright spot,” he says. “The school made me feel good about myself and at one point was the one positive thing that I had in my life.” Some of the Hadley courses that made an impact on Danny were “Braille Literacy 1,” “The Human Eye,” and “Self-Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness.” When he finished his last course, at 42, he says he felt like he had really accomplished something. He will continue his education through Hadley. He also loves nature and is interested in the outdoors, including fishing and hiking. Danny is currently training to be a service technician at Drive Technician in his hometown where he will repair cars. He is married and has two grown step-children. His next goal? “To start building a career I can be proud of.” Terri Doughman, Ohio Though visually impaired since birth, Terri Doughman didn’t let it stop her from earning her high school diploma. “I wanted to get an education so that I could have a better career,” she says. Her biggest challenge was finding the resources for large print reading material. The struggle for accommodations deterred her from completing her education when she was younger. Then her braille instructor told her about The Hadley School for the Blind. Terri enrolled, and completed the requirements for her high school diploma within three years. “Without Hadley, I wouldn’t have a high school diploma or be going to college,” She says. She has taken 29 Hadley courses, including “Business Law” and “Personal Psychology.” She plans to work with the FBI’s Behavioral Unit, utilizing the degree in sociology she is working on from Miami University. Terri also enjoys reading, movies and spending time with her two sons. Sonya Ergle, Alabama Losing her vision didn’t discourage Sonya Ergle from getting her high school diploma. “I needed to get a high school diploma so I could take college computer courses,” she says. Sonya quit high school after her junior year because she didn’t feel challenged. Soon after, she learned of Hadley from her rehabilitation teacher and enrolled. “I liked being able to work and study from home,” she says. Sonya has successfully completed more than 15 courses including, “Access Technology,” “Principles of Job Acquisition” and “Foods: Grains and Sweets.” She says she’d like to take more courses, including “Foods: A Social Perspective” and “Introduction to Financial Planning.” In her spare time Sonya sings and plays piano. Paul Goulette, Michigan When Paul was a senior in high school, a car accident left him visually impaired and physically disabled. He spent the next few years getting rehabilitation and adjusting to life in a wheelchair. “After the accident, people told me I couldn’t earn my high school diploma,” he says. “I wanted to prove to them that I could.” A good friend encouraged Paul to do more and helped him enroll at Hadley to complete his high school diploma. Paul has been a Hadley student for about 13 years and has taken 18 courses, including “Citizenship,” “Introduction to Microcomputers” and “Life Science.” Now 41, Paul is married and has a son. He plans to take more courses at Hadley, all part of the lifelong learning philosophy at the school. Amy Green, California “Hadley gave me the chance to get my high school diploma when many said I couldn’t,” says Amy, who was born blind. Amy faced many challenges growing up visually impaired. “I had difficulties taking courses in high school,” she says, “and it was too accelerated so I couldn’t keep up.” When she found Hadley, things got easier. Amy was able to work at her own pace by taking one course at a time, while being able to understand what she was learning. Her favorite course was “The Human Eye.” She recently finished an independent living course and a computer course. “I plan to go to a community college in California,” she says, “as well as take “Abacus 1” at Hadley.” In her free time, Amy enjoys swimming, reading and sculpting. Norma Griffith, Michigan “I wanted to show my son and grandson that just because I’m visually impaired doesn’t mean you can’t finish your dreams,” says Norma, Hadley’s 2004 Student of the Year. Norma had eye problems in her left eye for much of her life. By age 24 she was legally blind. After a local librarian told her about Hadley, Norma registered for a braille class. “Hadley gave me something I needed,” she says. “The teachers are very dedicated and make it easy for a person who can’t see to get through school. Norma plans to finish her degree at Baker College and to take more Hadley courses. “Braille Reading 1 has given me back my independence,” she says. Jennifer Hawkins, Illinois “I admire the graduates’ perseverance. They sought out our school and had the diligence to complete their high school education by distance education and made many sacrifices in the process,” said Charles E. Young, president of the Hadley School. “Jennifer Hawkins overcame a poor mainstream classroom experience and the isolation of being both deaf and blind to secure her high school diploma from Hadley.” Jennifer has successfully completed 29 Hadley courses, including “Elements of Composition,” “Principles of Job Acquisition,” “Mathematics 2, Pre-Algebra,” “Basic Conversational Spanish” and “U.S. History: The Nineteenth Century.” She plans to further her education by taking more Hadley courses in the future. ? Page 3 Best-Selling Author Offers Sound Career Advice Everyone starts [the job hunt] by asking, ‘What do you do best?’ I start with, ‘What do you love to do the most?’ Because, if you love to do it, you’re inevitabley going to be good at it.” On that promising note, Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the best-selling job-hunting book in history, The 2006 What Color is Your Parachute? launched a lively online discussion with Hadley President Charles Young, on finding meaningful work and discovering your life’s mission. The June 15 seminar was the second in a series of online lectures for students called Seminars@Hadley, hosted by The Hadley School for the Blind. Bolles and Young fielded questions from listeners on finding a successful career, disabilities in the workplace and connecting to your spiritual life. Bolles’ goal in writing the 2006 edition of What Color Is Your Parachute? was to make job hunting information easily accessible and to help readers connect on a deep level with their life’s work. Born in Milwaukee, Bolles is hailed as “America’s top career expert” by Modern Maturity (AARP) magazine, and “the one responsible for the renaissance of the career counseling profession in the United States over the past decade” by Money magazine. He has sold more than 8 million books. The Library of Congress recently placed “Parachute” on its list of “25 books that have shaped readers lives” throughout history. To listen to an audio recording of the seminar, visit www.hadley.edu. Under “Events” select Seminars@Hadley. ? page 4 Seminars@Hadley Goes Live Seminars@Hadley is a new live Internet lecture series hosted by The Hadley School for the Blind. The first was broadcast in April and covered a popular topic: Braille: Every Day, Every Way. Hadley instructors Sue Melrose and Donna Hernandez discussed how braille can positively impact the lives of those who are blind, the importance and value of braille and how braille can be used in everyday life. Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the best-selling job-hunting book in history, The 2006 What Color is Your Parachute? spoke at Seminars@Hadley in June. (See page 3.) If you missed these seminars, you may access the recordings on the Hadley Web site at www.hadley.edu. Under “Events” select Seminars@Hadley. Interested in receiving notification of upcoming seminars? Sign up for electronic news releases on the Hadley Web site. Select the “Lounge” link, then select “Mailing List.” Upcoming topics include: Organizing and Running Support Groups, Life in China as a Blind Person, Skills for Success in the Work Place and Online Courses: Try It, You’ll Like It! ? Bits&Bytes By Allen Maynard Seminars@Hadley, Hadley’s new interactive lecture series, is using tcConference, the online conference room software provided by TalkingCommunities.com. If you are on the Hadley School email list, you will receive announcements of upcoming events. Alternatively, announcements are posted under “Events” on the Hadley Web site. When a seminar is announced and you wish to participate, you will need to register. Go to www.hadley.edu/seminar/, select the “Registration” link and fill out the online form. After you register you’ll receive an email with instructions for logging into the conference room. The seminars are audio-based, with a text chat discussion available for those who do not have microphones. We recommend using a headset microphone, as it will cut down on the noise and provide you with better quality sound. Any computer headset microphone (such as those sold by RadioShack) will work. If you don’t have a headset, you may use desktop speakers and a stand microphone. Once you’ve logged in for the seminar, you will be placed in a window containing: a text-chat area with a text entry box, participants list, audio controls, and Web browser. To navigate between different areas, use the Window menu (it also lists the hot keys for quick access). If you use a screen reader, open the “Help” menu, select “Accessibility” submenu, and make sure the items, “Append text icons to user names” and “Highlight new text messages” are checked. The conference room is set up so that only one participant can speak at a time. Wait until the current speaker is finished before you attempt to use the microphone. To speak, press and hold the control key and speak directly into the microphone, holding it a couple of inches from your mouth. If you hear an electronic chirp, that indicates you have the floor. When you are finished speaking, wait a second before releasing the control key. If you release it immediately, part or all of your last word will be cut off. If you have trouble hearing the seminar or if others can’t hear you, try adjusting your audio properties. The conference room window provides two slider controls—one for audio volume, and another for microphone volume. Make sure these controls are set to about 80 percent of the maximum. If you still have audio issues, you may need to adjust the properties in the Windows recording volume control or the Windows master volume control, which can be launched from the File menu. Access technology users: Some screen readers work well with tcConference while others are more user- friendly if special files are installed. For more details check with your screen reader vendor or send an email to helpdesk@hadley.edu. ? Page 5 Hadley Instructor and Student Connect in Malta By Ryan Agius I am a teacher at Helen Keller School in Malta, off the coast of Sicily. The school caters to pupils with sensory disabilities. It has always been my wish to pursue my studies in the field of visual impairment and blindness. I was lucky to meet a teacher, trained by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (UK), who inspired me to further my studies. In addition to the courses at Hadley, I am also reading for an M.Ed in teaching children with visual impairment. This teacher encouraged me to learn braille. I was thrilled when I heard that Hadley offered a course in braille. I met my braille instructor, Nafisa Keels, through Hadley. During my six years as a Hadley student she has been my source of inspiration. Last summer I had the opportunity to put what I have learned with Nafisa into practice working for the National Braille Production Centre in Ireland for 2 months, where I learned about producing braille textbooks. When I returned to Malta, Nafisa informed me that she and her husband Kevin would be visiting over the holidays. We exchanged photos by email so that we would recognize each other at the airport. My family and I picked up Nafisa and Kevin at the airport, then returned home for a drink and a snack and spent some time getting to know each other better. We visited several interesting historical places, among these Valletta, the capital of Malta. Nafisa and Kevin noted how straight and narrow the roads were. While there, we also enjoyed the view of the Grand Harbour. We visited the historical cities of Senglea, where we strolled along the promenade and saw boats of different sizes and colors, and Vittoriosa, where we almost entered a cave but had no light with us. This adventure will have to wait until Nafisa’s next visit. My family and I plan to visit America next summer. I look forward to visiting The Hadley School for the Blind for my first time and meeting some of my instructors. ? By Nafisa Keels A big thrill for me when I began working as an instructor for the Hadley School was the opportunity to communicate with students far and wide. I enjoy getting to know about their varied cultures as much as I enjoy witnessing their enthusiasm and progress with learning braille. Toward the end of each correspondence, I try to ask about a student’s surroundings and weather. Many students are eager to describe their life in far away places and generously extend warm friendship. When I travel I try to look up a student. Ryan Agius, a professional student with Hadley, motivated me to arrange my recent holiday trip to Italy to include a visit to Malta, a location I had not previously considered. His description of life in this Mediterranean paradise stirred my imagination. What impressed me most is that to live in Malta, one needs to continue his or her education with several different languages over a lifetime. Ryan and his wife speak many languages in addition to their native Maltese. So Ryan naturally appreciates the knowledge he gained from Hadley’s braille courses. Ryan was always welcoming in his emails, but I only expected to treat him to lunch. He exceeded my expectations, though, and provided my husband and me with a personal tour of the island over several days. Ryan’s friendship was a welcome addition to our journey. His enthusiasm for his work and how he applies his newfound knowledge touched me. I am often told by students how much they appreciate the Hadley courses, and when I can personally witness this appreciation, it recharges my efforts to strive for optimal communication in this distance education process. Through his hard work and enthusiasm in serving blind children, Ryan encourages me to be a better instructor. I am so glad he chose Hadley to assist in his continuing education. He has introduced me to the Maltese way of lifelong learning. ? Page 6 Curriculum Corner The great Greek philosopher Heraclitus (535-475 B.C.E) once said, “There is nothing permanent except change.” With this profound statement in mind, we list changes in Hadley’s current course catalog. Please note: Not all courses are available in all formats or programs. New and Replacement Courses Basic Nemeth Code (DPF-221) Family/Professional This 12-lesson course enables sighted students with knowledge of contracted braille to learn the symbols needed for written math and science. Large Print Business Writing (BBS-202) ACE/HS In 4 lessons, students learn how to write memos and create business reports in real-life situations Large Print and Online (Braille version coming soon.) Diabetes: Toward Self-Management (DIA-101) ACE/HS This 10-lesson course allows students to manage their diabetes successfully. Braille, Large Print and Online Diabetes: Toward Self-Management (DIA-111) Family This 10-lesson course enables family members to learn about diabetes management. Large Print and Online Diabetes: Toward Self-Management (DIA-121) Professional This course includes special sections for blindness professionals. Online Internet: Beyond the Basics (FTE-411) ACE/HS In 5 lessons, students learn about Internet security, research skills, travel planning and online shopping. Online Macular Degeneration (MDG-101) ACE/Family This popular 5-lesson course on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is now in an online format. Online Punctuation (ENG-121) ACE/HS This course teaches students punctuation, capitalization and italics rules in 8 well-designed lessons. Braille and Large Print Using Excel (BBS-111) ACE/HS Students learn how to use Excel by following instructions and applying them to practical situations. Braille, Large Print, and Online Highlight on e-Hadley Try to imagine a world without the Internet and the World Wide Web. These late 20th century inventions have changed the way we obtain information, communicate with others and pursue educational opportunities. The following courses are available on the Internet as our e-Hadley program. For course details visit www.hadley.edu. Current e-Hadley Courses Access Technology: Beginnings (FTE-252) Blindness Basics (DPF-261) Business Writing (BBS-202) Diabetes: Toward Self-Management (DIA-111) ACE/Family Diabetes: Towards Self-Management (DIA-121) Professional Going Places (EIL-202) Internet Basics (FTE-401) Internet: Beyond the Basics (FTE-411) Introduction to Braille (DPF-201) Learning Through Play (DPF-311) Macular Degeneration (MDG-101) ACE/Family Macular Degeneration (MDG-111) Professional Safety in the Home (EIL-921) e-Hadley Under Development Contracted Braille (DPF-211) Glaucoma (GLA-111) ACE/Family Glaucoma (GLA-121) Professional Parenting Children with Multiple Disabilities (DPF-601) Self Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness (SFE-101) ACE/Family Self Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness (SFE-121) Professional Using Excel (BBS-111) Coming Soon Hadley is committed to creating new courses for students. These courses are currently being developed. Art History: The Art of Ancient Egypt Braille Literacy 4: Contracted Braille Container Gardening Contracted Braille – Online Economics Experience Braille Reading General Science Glaucoma Parenting Children with Multiple Disabilities Self-Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness Visit www.hadley.edu or contact Student Services at 800-526-9909 to enroll. Discontinued Courses Accessing Local Sports and Recreation Programs (CRE-601) Child Development: Early Childhood (DPC-101) Container Gardening (CRE-101) On the Move in the Great Outdoors (CRE-301) Personal Financial Planning (BBS-361) Reach Out and Teach (DPC-201) Relevant Braille (EBR-021 & EBR-451) Small Business Management (BBS-601) Transition to the American University Series You, Your Eyes and Your Diabetes (ERH-161) Page 7 Hadley Online Forums We have heard from you, our students, friends and visitors, over the years how much you would like to have the opportunity to interact with one another. You have expressed interest in sharing experiences and have sought advice in locating resources. We now have a means for such interaction—online forums. Online forums are a way to visit a Web site and post a message for all members to review and respond to if they wish. Each forum is designated for a particular topic or category. An online forum gives you the opportunity to participate online at your convenience. To post a message, complete a simple form with a short, descriptive title, then complete the body or message section that allows you to write your questions and comments. When you activate the “Submit Message” button, the message appears in the forum. Last September we conducted an experiment in which we created an online forum, divided into five topic areas. Anyone interested in participating, regardless of being a current Hadley student or not, was welcome. More than 250 people signed up between September 2005 and April 2006. We have decided to keep the online forums going and hope you will participate. Hadley faculty and staff monitor the forums and are available to answer questions. We also hope that you will use these forums to learn from and assist one another. Getting involved is easy and free. Just visit our Web site at www.hadley.edu and select the “Forums” link. You will need to register the first time you visit. The process is quick. Just assign yourself a username and password and review the rules for membership. For future visits you will log in with your username and password. Currently we offer forums for discussions about braille, access technology, family members with a visual impairment—whether a child or adult, professionals who provide direct service to persons who are visually impaired so ideas can be shared, and a general discussion area for topics that are not part of the other categories. We want these forums to be of value to you. Your input is needed. We have set up a forum called Feedback. We invite you to explore our forums and then post a message in the Feedback forum to let us know what categories you would like us to make available. Log on and join the Hadley community today. We look forward to interacting with you online. Why not head over to the Web site now and check us out? ? Friends of Hadley Receive Service Award The Friends of Hadley, a volunteer organization that supports The Hadley School for the Blind, recently received the American Council of the Blind’s prestigious James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes people or organizations who have demonstrated service to others. Since their inception in the 1970s, the Friends have quietly gone about their goal of helping Hadley students on an individual basis. Together, they have given more than $20,000 in gifts to Hadley, the latest being a new computer, monitor and adaptive software to Hadley student Lisa Batist-Mayfield, who lost her home, personal belongings and the computer equipment she needed to continue her job in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Friends wrote a check toward the purchase of the new equipment so that Lisa could return to work. “Our goal has always been to ask, ‘What do you need?’ and then ask our members to donate toward the cause,” says Patti Willian, Friends’ founding member and chairman. ? Student giving continues to be strong THANKS! We would like to extend a warm thank you to our Hadley students who have generously made a donation these past few months. At press time, we had received (15,000) from students. Because of the donations received from our many supporters, we are able to continue to offer Hadley courses free-of-charge to those who are blind or visually impaired, their families and professionals. If you haven’t done so, why not consider making a donation to Hadley today? Any amount is appreciated and best of all, your donation goes to helping Hadley students, like you, who can benefit from Hadley courses. ? Page 8 Family Matters: Getting Into the Game By Ginger Irwin With the new school year just underway, it’s time to start planning for those extracurricular activities children do throughout the year. If your child is visually impaired or blind, the activities they can partake in may seem limited. They don’t have to be. Every child has a right to partake in any activity that interests them. Convincing the organizer, coach or physical education teacher that your child can and should participate may be challenging. The key is to help them understand that, with a few simple modifications, your child can participate at an equal level without interfering with the integrity of the activity for the other children. The Access Sports Model (ASM), is a three-step process that can be applied to almost any sport or recreational activity. Developed by Paul Ponchilla, ASM involves making minimal adjustments as needed in three areas: targets, boundaries and rules. If these areas are reviewed and attention given to modifications, just about any activity can be beneficial and enjoyable to all. The targets of any sport or recreational activity are usually the goal, ball, base, hoop, net or other players. Making targets audible or highly visible will help a child who is blind or visually impaired to utilize it. Modifications needn’t be high tech. Bell balls or beeper balls are available in many sports equipment catalogues. Using bright neon-colored balls instead of white, and placing black tape stripes on the balls can help a child visually track a ball while it is in play. A transistor radio or other simple sound source at the goal or target can help orient the child to the goal’s location. You can modify boundaries in much the same way. Using high contrasting tape to make lines wider or to make double lines will help the visually impaired child see them. Making boundaries tactile can also help. When taping the lines, place a clothes line or nylon rope under the tape to allow for a tactile cue. Again, auditory cues for boundaries are helpful. Rules can easily be modified to include a child with a visual impairment. Modifications should allow for safe participation without altering the integrity of the game. Changing from full to half court or cutting the number of players on a court will help the child with a visual impairment to follow the play more easily. Other modifications may include doubling the points when a child with a visual impairment scores a goal; awarding a point if they get the ball within a certain range of the target, such as hitting the backboard of the basketball net; or providing a sighted guide for running or giving verbal information about the game as it progresses. When making modifications, aim to strike a balance between making the game fair for the visually impaired child and keeping it fun and challenging for all. Modifications should be made on an individual basis. Involving the child with the visual impairment helps since they know best what will work for them. If your first idea doesn’t work, try something else. You might even adapt modifications as the child improves. One big obstacle may be the lack of individual skills needed to play the game, such as running, ball handling or game strategies. Unless a child has had a good physical education experience, he or she may need to work on these. Working on these skills outside regular practice time will help them learn the techniques and gain confidence in their performance. You might initially try practicing with a smaller group of participants. Many Web sites and organizations provide support for integrating your child into sport or recreation programs. To find a local agency, contact the United States Association for Blind Athletes at www.usaba.org. They are also a good source for equipment. To find modifications for a specific sport, do a Google search for “sports for the blind.” You’ll find sites with rules, equipment and suggestions for many sports. Bell-Basketball, Beep Baseball, and Goalball are some common team sports to look up. Individual sports such as swimming, track and field, wrestling, judo and snow skiing are easier to modify since participation isn’t dependent on other players. You’ll find suggestions for these online also. Participation in any sport or recreation is limited only by the creativity and efforts of all involved. Below are a few of the Web sites or resources you might find helpful. ? American Foundation for the Blind www.afb.org American Printing House for the Blind www.aph.org Blind Disabled Martial Arts Sports www.iaswww.com Blind Sports Organization www.blindsports.org National Beep Baseball Association www.nbba.org United States Association for Blind Athletes www.usaba.org Page 9 FAQs Answers to frequently asked questions by our students. Question: Does Hadley really have a high school Program? Answer: Yes, Hadley offers a fully accredited high school diploma program. It is available only to students who reside in the United States. Students must be able to read and understand courses written in English at the eighth grade level to qualify. Students must also be able to communicate independently for eligibility into the program. Students enroll in the program for different reasons. Some students may take a few Hadley courses to obtain credit that can be transferred to their own local high school. Before starting a course for credit to be transferred, it is important to contact Hadley and also have permission from the local school to make sure it will accept credit for the course(s). Other students choose to complete all of their remaining high school academic requirements through Hadley and earn a Hadley high school diploma. Students between 18 and 72 years old have earned their diplomas through Hadley. For more details about the requirements for the high school program, contact the Director of Student Services/High School Coordinator, Karen Woodfork at 800-526-9909. Question: What is plagiarism and why has my instructor asked me to redo work because of it? A According to the Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (obtained from WordSmith.org) the definition of plagiarize is “to steal or purloin from the writings of another; to appropriate without due acknowledgement (the ideas or expressions of another).” Hadley does enforce a plagiarism policy, and there are good reasons why. First, it is illegal to submit copyrighted work as your own and unethical to copy somebody else’s work and accept credit for it. Second, as instructors, we want to evaluate your understanding of the material. We already know what the course material says. We are examining your wording to make a determination whether or not you are properly expressing the concepts taught in the lesson. There are instances when using material from the course is not considered plagiarism. If an assignment question asks you to provide a list of steps to perform a task, such as in a computer course, this would not be considered plagiarism because these steps make up a set of directions. An example of what is considered plagiarism is copying word-for-word, or nearly word-for-word, sentences from a history lesson when asked to write an essay about a historical event. The facts are not plagiarism because dates of events, people’s names, and accomplishments are themselves not copyrighted. However, using the language in the lesson is plagiarism. Again, when you are asked to write essays or short answer responses for assignments it is important to use your own words. We take plagiarism seriously. You can read the full policy on the Hadley Web site in the Policies section of our catalog. In short, the policy states that if an instructor finds your work has been plagiarized, you will be asked to redo the assignment. If plagiarism occurs a second time the assignment is given a grade of F. If plagiarism persists, removal from the course is likely. We hope that understanding what plagiarism is and why we take it seriously will help you to be a more informed and better student. If you have other questions about plagiarism, feel free to ask your instructor. ? Advertisement: Families Connecting with Families In the heartland of America July 13-15 2007, Omaha, Nebrasks A national conference covering all aspects of raising and educating a child with a visual impairment, the 2007 FCF conference will include: interactive sessions and panel discussions to address parents’ most pressing interests: Braille, social skills, college preparation, getting a first job, children with low-vision or additional disabilities and more. Networking with other families and professionals Daycare for children Activities designed especially for teens Fun for the whole family: a trip to Omaha’s world-class Henry Doorly Zoo and a pioneer-style Family Cookout with campfires, music, and stories of the Wild West. The 2007 conference will be held at Hilton Omaha, 1001 Case St., Omaha, Nebraska, 68102 Sponsors: National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments American Foundation for the Blind The Seeing Eye Keep an eye on the following web sites for more information: www.napvi.org, www.afb.org, www.seeingeye.org Page 10 Former Hadley President Honored With Award Dr. Robert J. Winn, former President of The Hadley School for the Blind, received the prestigious Douglas C. MacFarland Award from the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. “Receiving the award was a very humbling experience because so many professionals in the field of blindness have given so much of themselves to the program,” Winn said. Winn pioneered parent curriculum internationally through the Hadley School, where he served for 19 years as president before retiring in 2001. He has also served in several significant federal appointments in Washington, D.C., including Director of RSA’s Bureau for the Blind and Associate Commissioner over RSA’s funding for blind and other disabilities. “I’ve had the privilege of working in a field where there are answers to helping blind people overcome the resultants of blindness,” Winn said. “Hadley provides such opportunities to help visually impaired persons succeed.” “Dr. Robert Winn is extremely deserving of this award as he has always had more ‘vision’ than his sighted colleagues,” said Hadley President Charles Young. “He envisioned not what life is but what life could be for persons with vision loss and has had a career of making this vision a reality.” The Douglas C. MacFarland Award was established to honor retired individuals who have provided leadership in the field of blindness and visual impairment and who have made innovative, significant or outstanding contributions to the education or rehabilitation of people who are visually impaired through direct service, professional organizations, research, literature and/or preparation of professionals. Their contributions should have had an impact on a national or international level. ? Book Reviews A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History’s Greatest Traveler by Jason Roberts Published by HarperCollins. Available in print This exceptionally well-written and meticulously researched book lets you bask in James Holman’s optimism and thirst for travel. An adventurer to the core, Holman never let his blindness curtail his wanderlust, choosing instead to seek out new places and cultures to experience. From Publishers Weekly: Starred Review. In this vibrant biography of James Holman (1786–1857), Jason Roberts narrates the life of a 19th-century British naval officer who was mysteriously blinded at 25, but nevertheless became the greatest traveler of his time, spending the bulk of his life arranging leaves of absence to wander the world (without assistance) from Paris to Canton, study medicine at the University of Edinburgh, hunt slavers off the coast of Africa, get arrested by one of the czar’s elite bodyguards in Siberia, and publish several bestselling travel memoirs. ? Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius by C. Michael Mellor Published by National Braille Press. Available in print, braille and electronic braille Unearthed from a curator’s private archives in France, this extraordinary collection of documents, photographs, and artistic works enhances the bibliographic narrative of the phases of Louis Braille’s life as a student, young inventor, musician and teacher in post-Revolutionary France. All of the images are professionally described in the braille edition. From Publishers Weekly: Thoroughly researched and charming, this coffee-table book is overstuffed with pictures, letters, and every type of Louis Braille memorabilia available. Braille’s life in the middle of the 19th century provides a rich story: a young man who, blinded during boyhood, devoted himself to teaching other blind people better ways to negotiate their world. In addition to devising the raised-dot alphabet, Braille also set up a system for musical notation and built printing machines for his alphabets. This biography includes 31 of his letters, some written by his own hand, translated into English for the first time. ? Page 11 A Matter of Course George Abbott interviews Michael Harvey Michael Harvey, Hadley’s instructional technology specialist, discusses the process of course development and describes one of Hadley’s newest online course offerings. GA: When did you join The Hadley School for the Blind? I was a consultant to Hadley from September of 2004 until July of 2005, when I was brought on board as a staff member of the Curricular Affairs Department. Prior to that I worked as a computer trainer, e-learning and e- commerce developer for a large insurance corporation for more than 20 years. GA: What role does the Curricular Affairs Department have in Hadley courses? The Curricular Affairs Department is responsible for getting course content prepared. This means writing the course from scratch or taking existing material and, with permission from the authors or publishers, making modifications. Curricular Affairs ensures that the best practices for course design and distance learning are followed. There are many steps involved and many people who lend their expertise in developing a course. GA: Where do courses originate? What is considered the point of inception? The Curriculum Committee, made up of Hadley staff including the president, senior vice president of educational operations, dean of curricular affairs, dean of educational programs and instruction, and sometimes consultants or experts in the blindness field, convenes early in the year and decides which new courses to undertake. Ideas for courses come from suggestions made by students, staff and others. After weighing various factors, such as whether we believe we can effectively teach the subject matter at a distance and provide it in alternative formats, whether the material is relevant to Hadley students, whether there is a demand for the course, and whether there is an existing source already providing the information, a decision about developing the course is made. GA: So, suggestions from students and approval by the Curriculum Committee is the genesis of a Hadley course. What steps are involved in creating it? Once a course is approved for development it is assigned to a writer or course designer. Curriculum and instructional staff meet to set the initial course specifications. A document is drawn up that defines the audience and lists the major topics and special features the course might contain. A refined outline is created and content is drafted for review by certain Hadley staff and sometimes content experts. GA: As an instructional technology specialist, you are involved with courses that will be offered online, what we call e-Hadley. What’s your specific role in course development? I determine how to incorporate online functionality for the course. This means deciding which features and elements are useful, such as including audio and or video segments to create scenarios and reinforce concepts taught in the lessons. We want to use practice activities and exercises to enhance the learning experience and comply with accessibility guidelines. One step I perform is to create a storyboard. This is a tool used to take the course content, indicate where and how e-learning elements will be placed and communicate this to the programmer so it can be properly coded for online delivery. Our access technology specialist reviews the course and features for ease of use and navigation with various access technologies. A copyeditor proofreads the content. As with most Hadley courses, a pilot or trial is conducted. A group of students agree to take the course and provide feedback. After the pilot period, the feedback is evaluated and necessary changes made. Only then is the course ready to be offered to students. The entire process can take several months to more than a year to complete. GA: One of the most recent e-Hadley courses you worked on is “Internet: Beyond the Basics.” What can you tell us about that course? This course expands upon the “Internet Basics” course; it goes further. It provides the tools, techniques and common sense practices you need to employ safe computing when using the Internet. You will learn how to identify and combat threats to your computer and how to protect your identity and minimize the chances of being a victim of online fraud. The course also focuses on research and reference, travel planning and online shopping. GA: What online features are used in this course? Assignments are automatically graded, so you receive instant feedback. You are still assigned to an instructor who receives your score and clarifies questions that seem problematic for you. And, of course, the instructor is available to assist you throughout the course. In a time when Internet use is climbing dramatically and online fraud and viruses meant to damage your data are more prevalent, this course is both timely and relevant. It’s a great course and I strongly encourage students in the Adult Education and High School programs to sign up. ? Back page Look for our 2006 Holiday Card. The 2006 Hadley Holiday card will be available in early October. Order online at www.hadley.edu.