Accessible Test

Touch 'em All Baseball

(New)

Purpose

To replace the APH Baseball Game with a version that is more interesting, educational, and enjoyable to play.

Project Staff

Fred Otto, Project Leader

Katherine Corcoran, Model and Pattern Maker
Background

The existing game has been in need of replacement for a long time, as it is overly simple, awkward to handle, and uninteresting to play. The fire at the TriPlastics plant in the fall of 2008 destroyed the mold for the game; this event served as the impetus to begin developing the replacement.

The goal will be to devise a game that is more accurate in its scoring, more realistic in its graphic format, more educational in its potential for variations and extensions, and more fun for a variety of ages.
Work during FY 2009

The project leader mocked up and tried several playing formats extensively. These included various playing field surfaces and sizes, and different combinations of cards and spinner designs.

The chosen design uses spinners for the pitcher and the hitter, with areas of unequal size to represent the probability of different events. The playing field will be made of colored felt with raised bases, using Velcro pieces to represent runners and fielders.
The model maker devised a base and pointer for the spinners and constructed 16 complete prototypes of the field. The project leader wrote the instruction booklet with teaching suggestions and extension activities.
Work planned for FY 2010

The field evaluation will be carried out in the fall of 2009. Because of the variety of people's preferences regarding games, there may be extensive revisions or additions to be considered. The final revisions will be made and tooling changes, if needed, will be specified.

Treks

(Continued)

Purpose

To develop a game for reinforcing compass skills, orientation and travel concepts, and familiarity with cardinal and secondary compass directions.

Project Staff

Fred Otto, Project Leader

Tom Poppe, Model and Pattern Maker

Katherine Corcoran, Model and Pattern Maker

Frank Hayden, Prototype Specifications

Paul Olson, Original Design

Background

A game called Compass Attack was submitted by Paul H. Olson, who created it for use with mobility students at North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind. The instructions are both simple and flexible, so the game has initial appeal and the potential for keeping interest through adaptation. The educational aspect is promoted by the requirement that students announce the compass direction of every move they make as they send pieces across the board.

The project leader, in consultation with Mr. Olson, made numerous revisions to the game and wrote a new game booklet. The revised game features rule variations that can make the game simpler or more complex. At the suggestion of in-house staff, overlays have been added; these change the focus of the game from cardinal compass directions to secondary directions or street names.
Work during FY 2009

No new development work was needed, but a major fire at the plant where the game boards were to be manufactured brought production of the game to a halt in the fall of 2008.

Work planned for FY 2010

The game will move into production as the vendor re-equips and resumes manufacturing, and it will become available for sale.

Low Vision

Address: Earth

Large Format Atlas, Section 2

(Continued)

Purpose

The Large Format Atlas provides guidelines for the creation, formatting and appearance of large print maps. Working relationships with the University of Louisville Geography Department, National Geographic, and experts in the fields of geography and history were established. Highly-trained consultants have provided useful input in the production of a truly accessible, enhanced format atlas for students with low vision. These efforts will ultimately lead to an atlas that will be visible, understandable and useful for the student with low vision who is a large print reader. Section 1 was made available in 2007 and Section 2 is on track to be produced next.

Project Staff

J. Elaine Kitchel, Project Leader

Monica Vaught, Research Assistant

Ann Travis, Research Assistant

Erica Rucker, Research Assistant

Rosanne Hoffmann, Research Assistant

Robert Forbes, Project Consultant/University Liaison

Matt Smith, Cartographer

Adam Coomes, Cartographer

Kevin Devine, Cartographer

Amy Sadler, Cartographer

Jeffrey Lucas, Expert/Writer

David Pepper, Expert/Writer

Phillip Cantrell, Expert/Writer

Anu Sabhlok, Expert/Writer

Iman Azzi, Expert/Writer

James Erwin, Expert/Writer

Carol Hanchette, Expert/Writer

Andrew Novak, Expert/Writer

Terri Gilmore, Graphic Designer

Frank Hayden, Technical Researcher

David McGee, Technical Researcher

Background

The American Printing House for the Blind received a strong recommendation from the Publications Committee in 2001 and in previous years to produce a world atlas in large format. Previous attempts to create such an atlas met with poor results. It was decided to convene a focus group made up of people who had expertise in both low vision and geography, as well as people with experience in literacy issues and student use issues in order to develop the guidelines. The guidelines were developed in 2001 and 2002, and a work group was convened in order to learn to use mapping software (ArcView). In 2003 the consultants began to write the chapter content for the Atlas, while APH staff checked facts, made edits, and maintained good communication among all parties.

Vice President in charge of Public Affairs, Gary Mudd, and his administrative assistant, Nancy Lacewell, met several times with officers of National Geographic in Washington, D.C. They opened a dialogue between APH and National Geographic for the purpose of exploring the potential for a joint effort in producing a large print atlas. During these conversations, it became apparent that APH processes and National Geographic processes were not compatible and collaboration for production was not feasible. The decision was made to continue work on the atlas with the expert help available from the University of Louisville Geography and Geosciences Department. Two years later, National Geographic offered to review maps after they were developed by APH in collaboration with the University of Louisville’s Geography and Geosciences Department. To date, they have reviewed maps for both Section 1 and Section 2 of Address: Earth and their reviews have been very useful.
With information about the latest technology, guidelines for the content and proposed format of the Student World Atlas were shaped. The consultants and APH staff undertook work on the first section and it was completed and made available in September of 2007. In 2009, work on Section 2 continued, as textual content was matched with photos, sidebars and illustrations, and the editing process continued in full swing.
Work during FY 2009

In 2007 the project leader and department director decided to contact geography and history experts, to write the units. Most were professors at universities. Contracts were drawn up and eight experts joined the project. They wrote the units and some sidebars for Russia, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Central America and Meso-America and this writing continued through the first half of 2009.

Section 2 is now in the final stages of editing. Five of the six chapters have been edited and laid out. Photographs and sidebars were added. Maps were sent to National Geographic for review and revisions were made based upon the suggested changes. Final content will be reviewed by experts, teachers, students and bias reviewers. Technical Research personnel will draw up specifications and production schedules. Production processes will begin.
Work planned for FY 2010

Text editing on Section 3 will commence, as will photo acquisition. Layout and review by experts, teachers, students and bias reviewers will take place. Schedules will be drawn up.