Accessible Test

Tasha Tadpole Light-Box Overlays

(New)
In April, the Project Leader contacted Technical Research about the possibility of creating clear overlays based on the Object Cards. Technical Research gave the Project Leader several options; including offset printing directly onto the clear vinyl. Printing on clear vinyl had not been tested at this time, but printing on the white controlled shrink vinyl had already proven successful. Technical Research contacted the vendor to discuss this process. The vendor setup a meeting with a specialist from their ink supplier to discuss the requirements. Examples of current overlays and a Lightbox were taken to demonstrate exact requirements of both opaqueness and translucence. A specific page from the Object Card set was chosen as an appropriate test to run. It has both a photo of a real object (an individuals’ face) and sections that have a black background which would need to be opaque or having very little light come through. The material was obtained, file provided and a tentative print date in early September has been scheduled. Following completion of the test, Technical Research will work with the vendor, specifying the exact requirements for the complete set.

TADPOLE Report of Visual Skills (10 pack)

(New)
The Project Leader has added this pack of ten “consumable” documents as a separately available catalog item. This will be a four-page document, printed full color, no bleed on one sheet of folded 11 x 17 inch 80# paper.

Test Ready

(Continued)
Technical Research met several times with the Project Leader in late 2008 to try to establish the basic structure of this series of products. Part numbers were requested. However, the Project Leader introduced a new part to the kit and new part numbers had to be requested and product specifications re-written. Specifications for 4 catalogue items (Math + Book 7 Kits) were written and turned over in June. At the specifications meeting several changes were introduced that resulted in having to re-work the products’ specifications, bills of material, and job routings. Technical Research has continued to monitor this product and to solve problems as they arise in the production phase of the development of this product. With the successful completion of these four items, the final specifications will be used as a template for the remaining items associated with this series of products. This series of products numbers greater than 100 items. Work will be ongoing on these items for the foreseeable future.

Textured Sorting Circles and Shapes

(Continued)
Technical Research had completed a CAD drawings for the cutting dies needed for this item. These drawings were sent to vendors for quotation in January. Decisions on materials and production methods were ongoing in early 2009. Finding vendors that can manufacture materials to the specifications required has been difficult. Early on, it appeared that the tolerances in manufacturing products with these materials might exceed the manufacturing capabilities of APH. After additional evaluation and experimentation with these materials, it was decided to keep production in-house. The initial plan was to have textures vacuum-formed into clear vinyl and then laminated to flexible magnetic material. These sheets would then be kiss-cut leaving the parts to be easily removed from the sheet. After extensive research, finding flexible magnetic material pre-laminated with a color that would be deemed acceptable by the Project Leader proved impossible. There was another option of print the color required on the white-faced magnetic material. This option was found to be very costly. Another idea discussed was to emboss sheets of transparent vinyl sheets with adhesive backing pre-applied such as used in several Feel N’ Peel products. Discussion with the vendor that embosses the Feel N’ Peel Stickers confirmed what Technical Research suspected, that the textures were too high and too complicated of patterns to be embossed in this configuration. During this time, Technical Research investigated whether this transparent colored vinyl could be obtained from a vendor in sheet sizes large enough to vacuum-form without the adhesive backing pre-applied. Samples of three colors, red, blue, and yellow were obtained, vacuum-formed and laminated to the white-faced magnetic material. The Project Leader found the look to be satisfactory. Another component in the kit was printed braille labels. To produce these, it was decided to screen-print, then vacuum-form into white vinyl. The vinyl is laminated to the un-faced flexible magnetic sheet and then die-cut. A mockup was made the laminated the vinyl sheet to the magnetic material in order to test the adhesion between materials between temperature extremes. Specifications were turned over to Production on March 2009. The last of the four dies arrived in early April, completing the tooling. A Pilot Run was scheduled for July, with production of the remainder in August. A backup in the production areas caused the Pilot to be started late. Work began in August on various components needed for this kit. At this time, it appears the completion of the Pilot Run will be in September. Technical Research will continue to monitor this product through its first full production run.

The Best for a Nest

(Continued)
Technical Research met with the Project Leader and the Model Shop several times to discuss how best to design prototypes. Technical Research worked with the Project Leader and outside vendors to order the materials needed to build the prototypes. One material needed was obtained by Technical Research at no cost. While working on another project with the Educational Aids supervisor, Technical Research noticed scrap pieces of a material needed for fabrication of the storyboard for this project. Technical Research asked for and was given the scrap to use in this project’s prototypes. Options for fabricating the storyboard pieces were explored. Translation of the storybook was started. This book was designed to fit the production capacity of the in-house IGEN color printer. Samples of paper were obtained to make field test copies on this machine. Field test copies were completed and sent out in March. Field test results are in the process of being evaluated. Technical Research continues to work on this project and monitor this project’s progress.