SSC Bulletin: October 2018
Sharing information with everyone who is involved in the education of deaf children, deafblind children and visually impaired children and young people, the young people themselves and their families.
SSC News
Conference: Physical Activity and Individuals with Visual Impairment or Deafblindness
Call for Papers and booking is now open for this exciting International conference which will take place in Edinburgh from 9th -12th May 2019
Don't miss out!
Telling it like it is: families living on a low income with deaf children
This project is still looking for families to interview, while Scotland has provided many contacts for this study, more would be welcomed. The deadline for interviews has been opened up to the end of November 2018, so it's not too late!
NDCS, who have funded the project, would like to look at the way they provide support for families and this research will inform those changes. And there is a £30 voucher for every family who participates.
- Find out more on the Website and Facebook page
- Or contact Rachel O'Neill: rachel.oneill@ed.ac.uk Tel 0796 166 1788
Visitors from Singapore
It was a pleasure to welcome 2 visitors from iC2 PrepHouse, Singapore at the end of September. Lay Hong and Natasha had a packed week visiting schools and attending courses here at SSC.
We were gifted a book about iC2 PrepHouse Our world can be vibrant too! Our 50 stories which is a fascinating read about the origins of their service, in 2012, and stories about some of the young people they have helped already. A copy is now in the SSC library.
Where Next?
SSC is a national centre funded by the Scottish Government (Learning Directorate, Support and Wellbeing) based at the University of Edinburgh.
SSC Courses
Coming up ...
- Monday, 22nd October 2018 - Theory of Mind (deaf education)
- Monday, 5th November 2018 - Sensory Stories and Wellbeing for children and young people with visual impairment and complex needs Joanna Grace
- Monday, 3rd December 2018 - Using ICT to contribute to social relations and wellbeing of children with a visual or visual-and-intellectual disability Paula Sterkenburg (10 am - 1 pm)
- Tuesday, 4th December 2018 - The Accidental Counsellor: supporting others in additional support needs work (Glasgow)
- Monday, 28th January 2019 - Speech Acoustics to help deaf pupils
Keep checking the full list on the website for forthcoming 2018 courses: http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/courses/list.html
SSC Unified English Braille Competency Courses
- Braille Competency - Uncontracted UEB
- Braille Competency - Contracted UEB
Applications are being accepted for the 2019-20 course.
A waiting list has been started for applications for the next SSC Braille Competency Course, Contracted UEB, commencing 1st April 2019. This course is an SQA accredited skills-based course and requires a high level of commitment and daily practise. The maximum time allowed to complete the course is 18 months. The course runs continuously for this period - holidays etc are not factored into the timetable.
While waiting to begin the course we would recommend using an Australian UEB website: uebonline.org which is free to use. This will provide plenty of practise and what is involved in learning braille. Please see SSC website for application form and FAQs:
nb. The Braille courses are workbook-based courses that require manual use of a Perkins Brailler so that participants can both understand and produce braille materials. 'Contracted braille' uses short forms of words to allow ease and speed of reading whereas 'Uncontracted braille' translates the text letter by letter.
Other News
Addiction Resource
Addiction Resource raises awareness of the dangers of addiction and helps K-12 students stay drug and bully-free: https://addictionresource.com/drug-abuse-and-bullying/
Access2Books
The dual format book company have reopened their shop owing to public demand following their closure in December 2017. The company will run on a restricted schedule and will only produce and ship books between November and March. http://www.access2books.org/
National Eye Health Week
Optometrist warns we are absorbing more than 10 times too much blue light from digital device screens. Read more ...
Birds of Paradise's 25th Anniversary Revue
To celebrate a quarter of a century of championing disabled voices in theatre and nurturing future generations of disabled talent, BOP are organising a riotous evening of live performance hosted by the one and only Jess Thom (aka Touretteshero)
Details: Deaf Connections, Glasgow on Wed 31 Oct, 8pm - 11pm.
Tickets: https://www.boptheatre.co.uk/25threvue/
Web and Resources News
Website
The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment (vision and hearing impairment)
This survey by John Ravenscroft and Kerri Wazny was conducted for the Scottish Government by the "Qualification of Teachers of Pupils with Sensory Impairment" Short Life Working Group. The report is now available on the SSC website.
Library
We have acquired some new items for the library:
- History of CSWs (Communication support workers) by Maria Bailey & Andrew Owen
- Sharing and developing our understanding of CVI: guide for parents by CVI Scotland
- Sensory-Being for Sensory Beings: Creating Entrancing Sensory Experiences by Joanna Grace
- Cortical Visual Impairment: An Approach to Assessment and Intervention by Christine Roman-Lantzy Second Edition
- Morphological processing in children with phonological difficulties: Briefing paper by Julia Carroll & Helen Breadmore
- Getting a result: the transition into adulthood: an information pack for young people and families by Sense
The SSC library is open to anyone who has an interest in children with visual impairment or who are deaf, we can send materials to anywhere in the UK.
Tip: Remember to check the journal articles database when searching for information.
New library items are available to browse on the website: http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/library/list.html
All of these items and many more are available from the SSC Library contact Sheila Mackenzie (0131 651 6069 or sheila.mackenzie@ed.ac.uk)
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Scottish Sensory Centre, Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AQ http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/