A Sense of Texas

From all of us here at A Sense of Texas we'd like to welcome you back from a relaxing summer. To kick off the new season we're trying something different with a fresh new format. Lucky for us, our friends over at the Braille Institute were more than happy to enable our new ideas by letting us capture audio from the Braille Challenge Finals held in Los Angeles this June. Braille Challenge is a grea...

Joe Dlugo is a TSVI, COMS, and Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS) at the Washington State School for the Blind. Joe is also the Vision Grant Program Mentor for Washington Sensory Disabilities Services. Always at the forefront of technology in the field of blind, low vision, and deafblind education, he brings us an introduction to ChatGPT and potential implications for...

Cody Laplante is an itinerant TSVI in Maryland and co-founder of "eye.t". He aims to create curriculum and professional development rolled into one for busy teachers of students with visual impairment with an emphasis on technology. You can currently find information regarding screen reader instruction on his website and tech tips on his youtube channel.    For more information on eye.t be sure to...

Neva Fairchild is here to tell us all about the American Foundation for the Blind, and what kind of opportunities its Blind Leaders Development Program can offer.   For more information: https://www.afb.org/blind-leaders

Being a parent is hard enough, and being a parent to an individual with dual sensory loss presents a whole new set of challenges. Luckily, several groups have been created to help families of individuals with dual sensory loss get support as well as advocate for their loved one. Jacqueline Izaguirre and Melanie Knapp join us to talk about The National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB) and...

The “Benefits of Audio Description in Education,” or BADIE contest is an opportunity for students to find something of interest to them and share their opinion of the description. Susan Glass, Tabitha Kenlon, and Jason Stark join us from the American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project and the Described and Captioned Media Program to give us all the details.   For more info about the...

Our students always benefit from mentors and teachers who can identify with their disability so it's great to have Craig Edgley from TSBVI join us. Losing sight at a young age Craig has earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree so he's well aware of how to navigate the needs of blind and visually impaired students in an educational environment. We're so happy to have him here to share his e...

Greg Stilson, Karen Anderson and Peter Tucic give us the inside scoop about the Monarch. This innovative tactile device aims to modernize and advance the ways we can access braille and tactile graphics.   For more info from the American Printing House visit: https://www.aph.org/the-ebrf-revolution/ https://www.aph.org/dtd-fact-sheet/   Karen Anderson's Article:  https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publicat...

While the population of blind and visually impaired people is comparatively small, the resources available are quite large. One of those resources is the American Council of the Blind of Texas. Joining us is Peggy Garrett, Immediate Past President – Constitution & Bylaws Chair of ACBT, to tell us about what ACB does and how they can help people who are blind and visually impaired reach their goals...

Peggy Chong, AKA The Blind History Lady, has taken it upon herself to document and explore lesser known historical figures who are blind. Today’s episode primarily focuses on Don Mahoney, however this is just the tip of the iceberg of knowledge that Peggy has accumulated over her impressive career. Check out: https://theblindhistorylady.com/ to find out more. Email: theblindhistorylady@gmail.com t...

One of the biggest hurdles in teaching students with visual impairments is creating accessible learning environments for STEM and many software applications that are minimally accessible, like video and audio editing. Joining the podcast this week are Chris Correll and Sue O'Brien who are pioneering new curriculums in our TSBVI MakerSpace and Rosa M. Gonzales Center for Broadcast Communication to...

After TSBVI recently competed in the U.S. National High school Goalball Championship, we thought it would be a great time for an episode about what goalball is and what it means to the players and anyone else supporting the sport. We will hear from Mark Gronquist, Tammy Reed and Zach Arambula- and be sure to stick around until the end to hear from pro athlete, Libby Daugherty!

A few years ago, Kassy Maloney created an online space for Orientation and Mobility providers that has continued to grow. Her company, Allied Independence, provides professional development and resources to practitioners around the world. She highlights their programs and shares some of her own professional perspectives on our show.    Website:  https://alliedindependenceonline.com Kassy's Intervi...

Lee Sonnenberg shares his experiences as the newest Executive Director at the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, as well as his perspective as a parent of a child with a visual impairment. Be sure to stick around until the end where Kate Borg, President of the Texas AER and Outreach Director at TSBVI, shares more about TAER.

Peter Tucic is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Humanware. As a blind individual himself, he openly shares about his work and his upbringing. Be sure to stay on until the end when he provides solid takeaways for students who are blind and looking to be empowered. For more information on HumanWare and their products visit https://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home

The American Printing House for the Blind has partnered with Thinkerbell to create a new Braille teaching tool and learning device titled, "Polly." Shivam Agarwal and Donna McClure-Rogers tell us about the device, the intended outcomes, and the many ways it will positively impact a student's education and independence. To find out more and join the "Polly" wait list please visit  https://www.aph.o...

Going into our 5th season and our 81st (!!!!) episode we thought it was time to mix things up a bit. Last year we tasked on campus musical masterminds the Semi-Modulars with creating a new theme for our show and we're so happy to share it with you for the first time. We talk with band members Brandon, Destiny, Heather, Joel, and their fearless leader Daniel Butler about the creative process and ho...

With graduations happening all around the country it's an important time to think about the skills our students are taking with them as they transition to adulthood. We thought this was the perfect time to bring on Dr. Michele McDonnall from the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision to talk about the work they do to help people with blindness and low vision get into the...

Virginia Rose, Founder and President of Birdability, along with Freya McGregor, Director of programs and outreach, and an occupational therapist, discuss the group's goals and their personal journeys that led them to birding.  Through education, outreach and advocacy, Birdability works to ensure the birding community and the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible for everybody.

TSBVI competes in athletics and performing arts with other schools for the blind in Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Louisiana through the South Central Association Schools for the Blind. As we just wrapped up our annual track and performing arts event, we wanted to debrief with one of our Athletic Directors, Coaches, and two of our Senior female athletes.

Dr. Rona Pogrund is the Coordinator of Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments Program in the Department of Special Education, College of Education at Texas Tech University. She provides instruction, mentoring, and guidance to those seeking to become a teacher of students who are visually impaired (TSVI) and those working on a Masters or Doctorate degree in our field. Her 49 years in blindness...

Housing one of the foremost collections of materials and technology used to advance the education of blind, low vision and, Deafblind people in the world, the Museum at the American Printing House for the Blind is showing how the contributions of the past can create better outcomes in the future. APH Museum director Mike Hudson is here to tell us about some of the exhibits on display at the museum...

When evaluating a student to determine eligibility for special education and to develop an educational plan, it's critical to take into account a student's accommodations specific to their visual impairment. Marnee Loftin has been a leader in this work for quite some time. We're lucky to have her on the podcast. Here ares some links to many other great resources available online: Additional podcas...

Some of the most vital learning at a residential school happens outside of the classroom. TSBVI Residential Director Matt Schultz joins us to discuss how creating a positive environment in our dorms can facilitate learning in the classroom as well as at home with their families. Also joining us are Darius, Pedro, and Michael from the TSBVI Wildcat Wrestling team to tell us about how their experien...

Our conversation continues as Lynne McAlister and Deanna Peterson provide their professional perspectives on children's behavior, and what can sometimes be misinterpreted as misbehavior. Later in the episode we are also joined by James Coleman, who shares a relatable parental view on the matter! Free behavior guidance tool can be found here:  https://www.tsbvi.edu/tsbvi-publications#publications F...