NCISD Visually Impaired Team Make Presentations, Elected to Serve State Board
The New Caney VI Team, made up of Edwina Wilks, Kellee Costello, Julie Wilson, Tracy Schweinle and volunteer Ron Graham, recently attended the Texas Association for Education and Rehabilitation of Persons who are Blind or Visually Impaired (TxAER) annual conference in San Antonio. They presented a session titled “Technology: Taking It to the Streets.” The presentation demonstrated how visually impaired students are using technology to assist them in their academic endeavors and with orientation and mobility.
Four students were chosen for the project. One high school freshman located eight objectives in two buildings independently using technology. Another student was dropped off at the south end of the Tractor Supply shopping center and located Andrew’s Music Store independently. She located the price of 3 items and made a purchase. A fourth grade student was dropped off at the west end of the Steinmart shopping center in Kingwood and used technology to complete his route. When he arrived at On the Park, he located the price of three items and made a purchase independently. A fifth grade student had to cross seven streets, copy a tactual map, interact with six different adults and had to borrow a magnifier from the store clerk at On the Park. He located three items in the store and made a purchase independently.
At the conference, Edwina Wilks was elected to serve as President-Elect for TxAER. Kellee Costello was elected to serve as Member-At-Large on the TxAER Board, and Julie Wilson will serve again as Ways and Means Committee Chair.
