Accessible Test

Flip-Over Concept Books - Parts of a Whole

(Continued)
The Project Leader held a PDC meeting on March 25 to update the production schedule. By this time, manufacturing issues had been resolved for the first flipbook, allowing work to progress on this second book now in the active phase. Technical Research cleaned up the art and drop images into the new layout for the 5-up cover and two flip panel pages and turned them over to the Model Shop by April 2009. Some adjustments were needed before the art was finalized in July. All other print and braille tooling was completed by the end of June. Specifications were completed and turned over to Production in July. Production is scheduled for February 2010, but Production reported that if time allows they would begin sooner. The printed vinyl sheets will be ordered after successful completion of the Line Paths Book. This will place them in stock earlier than necessary for the scheduled production, but will allow Production to start on this product if the window of opportunity allows. Technical Research will continue to monitor this product through its first production run.

Focus in Mathematics; 2^nd Edition Print Kit

(New)
Technical Research met with the co-Project Leaders several times to discuss the changes and additions to the existing product. Technical Research has worked with the Project Leader to develop and make new parts and to pull existing parts from stock for use in expert reviews. In early 2009, Technical Research worked the Project Leader to review the product components and to discuss possible redesign for a number of components used in this product. New part numbers and catalog numbers were established for the new and/or changed components for the kit. Technical Research worked closely with the Project Leader to develop new manipulatives that would be placed into this kit and revise several existing items. Once the concepts for these items were finalized, Technical Research took the necessary steps to produce materials that would represent these components in their finished state for expert review. This involved creating print files, vacuum-form molds, obtaining cutting dies, and working with a vendor to have texture applied to foam sheets. The revised items are Irregular Shape Puzzles and Activity Sheets. There are actually two puzzles included with the kit, yellow and black. The redesigned puzzle is based on the existing Focus in Math puzzle, but is made of ½ inch thick foam and has a frame. The layout of the puzzle still contains three pairs of matching irregular shaped pieces, but adjustments were made to make some of the pieces interlocking. The addition of the puzzle frame improves/assists in the assembly of the puzzle pieces, keeping pieces more confined. Technical Research worked with a vendor to incorporate a bumpy texture to one side of the foam sheets. By placing frames and pieces in two colors in the kit, puzzles can be assembled, mixing colored pieces as well as texture. The Project Leader selected thirteen activities that would become the new Activity Sheet Set. These activities are made in a two-step process. Sheets printed with non-tactile information in 30 pt type. Next, the printed sheets are run through the green machine or tactile vision process to add corresponding braille information. Any diagrams are added in the green machine process, making them accessible for both low vision and braille readers. Technical Research created the tooling that separates the print and tactile components in order that they can be separately processed. New items are Raised Shape Counting Cards, Raised Shape Number Cards, and Set of Diagramming Strips. Both the Raised Shape Counting Cards (3 sets of 11) and Number Cards (1 set of 11) are based on a set made by Shapely Cal. The four sets of cards produced by APH will have several significant improvements. The primary difference will be that the raised images will be screen-printed black on all sets. The Counting Cards will also have 30pt numbers printed on them in addition to the braille numbering. The upper left hand corner of all cards will have the corner cut at 45° for orientation. Both the shapes and positions are precise, having been generated from a CAD drawing. The Tactile Tokens will also be used in MathBuilders Unit 8. These are 1-3/16 inch round tokens constructed of blue Veltex laminated to yellow polyethylene. The materials are attached to each other in sheet form and then die-cut 30 pieces at a time. All 30 pieces are placed into the kit. The tokens are made large enough that they do not present a choking hazard. The Diagramming Strips are based on those found in the Wheatly Picture Maker Kit. There are different size/shape/color components with black hook Velcro applied to one side. Prototypes of these parts were sent out for expert review in March 2009. Technical Research met with the Project Leader after the expert review in July to note any changes or additions to be made. Patterns for four vacuum form molds were cut on the CNC router in Technical Research and turned over to the Model Shop in July. Artwork for silk screens was finalized in July as well. This artwork will be output to film positives and silk screens made in the next few weeks. Technical Research is currently working on completing the production tooling for all of these items and is beginning work on developing product specifications.

Focus in Mathematics; 2^nd Edition Braille Kit

(New)

Technical Research will work with the Project Leader to develop product specifications for the Braille kit, which will have all the same parts along with a Braille guidebook. Plans will be to have them ready to turn over to Production at the same time as the Print Kit.

FVLMA Protocols Large Print

(Completed)
Technical Research developed production specifications and turned them over to Production in February, and monitored the first production run of this product into stock in March 2009.