Dear Colleagues,
? A high school student who is visually impaired is in need of a large type calculator with scientific notations.? The class utilizes the "Senario SC-121" calculator.? The large print calculators found in Independent Living and other vendors were too basic for the mathematics required for the class.? Is there a large print calculator with scientific notation?? I'd rather not go to the APH talking calculator.
? If there's not an LP calculator with scientific notation, is there a magnifier similar to the APH?'Zoom View' that would enlarge a calculator?
Thank you,
Jane D. Harty
Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Cuyahoga County, Ohio

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Jane,
My high school students use the VisAble which was the only large print scientific calculator on the market a couple of years ago.  It was manufactured by a company called Betacom, out of Canada.
Sally

In the meantime,  I've had acceptable results with just putting the class calculator under a CCTV - provided you have high resolution good camera one,  like maybe an Acrobat, rather than a dino from the 70's the school has left over from some previous kid!

To: aernet@lists.aerbvi.org
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:01:21 -0500
From: utarzan29@aol.com
Subject: [AERNet] LP Calculator

Dear Colleagues,

A high school student who is visually impaired is in need of a large type calculator with scientific notations.  The class utilizes the "Senario SC-121" calculator.  The large print calculators found in Independent Living and other vendors were too basic for the mathematics required for the class.  Is there a large print calculator with scientific notation?  I'd rather not go to the APH talking calculator.

If there's not an LP calculator with scientific notation, is there a magnifier similar to the APH 'Zoom View' that would enlarge a calculator?

Thank you,

Jane D. Harty

Teacher of the Visually Impaired

Cuyahoga County, Ohio

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I have three major (with alternatives) suggestions for a student with
vision:

1. TI Graphing Calculator ViewScreen Enlargement Solution TI makes a
   ViewScreen package for the following calculators: TI-80, TI-81, TI-82,
   TI-83, TI-84, TI-85, TI-86, and TI-92. When I purchased the TI-82 with the
   following set-up, it was approximately $300. It has worked very well with my
   low vision students. They use a ViewScreen calculator connected to a
   ViewScreen LCD display panel placed on a light box. Call TI at
   1-800-TI-CARES or e-mail at ti-cares@ti.com. They can give you a list of
   vendors from whom you can make your purchase. You’ll want to order the
   ViewScreen package, which includes a ViewScreen display panel (normally sits
   on top of any standard overhead projector), a ViewScreen calculator, a
   unit-to-unit cable, an AC adapter, a guidebook, and a carrying case. [You
   may already have this available as a teacher package.] Then you need a light
   box (instead of the overhead projector) for a light source to place the
   display panel on. I ordered mine from Logan Electric Specialty Mfg. Co. (See
   below.) However, we originally used an old Lite-Brite, removed the black
   panel, and replaced it with a translucent one. The entire ViewScreen package
   (as outlined above) and the Tru-View Light Box by Logan fit into the
   attractive and comfortably designed carrying case, and thus makes a
   light-weight easily portable package, which is very important for my
   students.

An alternative solution might be to use a regular TI graphing calculator (or
whatever calculator the student is using in class) on a color CCTV. This has
worked well for many students, and is an inexpensive solution if they
already have a CCTV available for their use. This could be your first choice
if the rest of the class is using a TI product (or another brand
calculator).

Another alternative solution might be to use the TI-SmartView emulator
software. This software is user-friendly and is based on the functionality
of the TI-84 Plus family graphing calculators and is compatible with the
TI-83 Plus family. It is only available to educators and is priced at $135.

Yet another alternative solution might be to use the new TI-Nspire computer
software. TI-Nspire handhelds and “30-day Trial” versions of TI-Nspire
software should be available from TI’s Workshop Loan Program. Only the
TI-Nspire handheld offers the snap-in TI-84 Plus Keypad and thus
compatibility with existing TI-83 Plus and Ti-84 Plus graphing calculators.

TI-CARES Educational Support Programs
P.O. Box 650311, MS 3962
Dallas, TX 75265
Phone: 800-TI-CARES
E-mail: ti-cares@ti.com
Website: http://education.ti.com/
E-mail: workshop-loan@ti.com
Website:
http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/US/nonProductMulti/support_bor
rowtitechnology.html
Texas Instrument ViewScreen Graphing Calculator packages can be a screen
enlargement solution for low vision students. Borrow calculators, at no
charge, for you to examine before making a purchasing decision.

Logan Electric Specialty Mfg. Co.
c/o Smith-Victor Corporation
1268 Humbracht Circle
Bartlett, Illinois  60103-1631
Tel  630.830.9200
Fax 630.830.9201
E-mail: sales@SmithVictor.com
Website: www.loganelectric.com  or www.SmithVictor.com
Customer Service Contact:  Polly Stephen
Tru-View Light Box can be used to backlight TI ViewScreens providing a
convenient and effective way of enlarging the TI series of graphing
calculators for low vision students.

2. The Sci-Plus 200 Series (formerly known as the VisAble) is the only large
   display scientific calculator made as a one-piece portable unit. However, it
   does not have graphing capabilities. It is manufactured by:

Sight Enhancement Systems
60 Bathurst Drive, Unit #17
Waterloo, ON
Canada N2V 2A9
Phone: 519-883-8400
FAX: 519-883-8405
Email: sales@sightenhancement.com
Website: http://www.sightenhancement.com
Cost: $279.95

3. If neither of the above meets your student's needs, I would suggest that
   you check out Scientific Notebook (SNB) (a software package). If the student
   has a laptop, SNB can be installed on it, and then you actually have a very
   portable device, which is more than just a graphing scientific calculator.
   SNB is also a math/text processor, so your student could do all of his
   assignments, calculations, and graphs in one document directly on the
   laptop. It has onscreen magnification up to 400%, or Zoomtext may be used.
   In addition, you can change the style to a different and larger font (up to
   72-point), which will allow further onscreen magnification and large print
   hard copies. Download a free 30-day trial version. Purchase price: $148
   schools/$99 student version. However, SNB contains a Computer Algebra System
   and is therefore not eligible for use on standardized tests (at least not in
   Texas).

MacKichan Software, Inc.
600 Ericksen, Suite 300
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Phone: 1-877-SCI-NOTE
Fax: 1-206-780-2857
E-mail: info@mackichan.com
Website: http://www.mackichan.com
With Scientific Notebook, create attractive documents with text,
mathematics, and graphics, have it compute the solutions, import data from
your graphing calculator, connect to the Internet and download documents.

If your student also wants their calculator to be voiced, you have more
options:

Talking Scientific/Graphing Calculators
Talking Scientific Calculators
ORION TI-36X (Current price: $249) http://www.orbitresearch.com/
Your student may prefer a stand-alone talking scientific calculator, and
although there are many such calculators on the market today, the ORION
TI-36X from Orbit Research is currently the most affordable and
user-friendly. While it does not have graphing capabilities, it is easily
accessible by totally blind students (unlike the TI graphing calculators),
and features a built-in learning mode. The ORION's LCD display and
functionality are identical to the TI-36X, so math teachers should feel very
comfortable orienting the visually impaired student. The ORION TI-36X
replaces the ORION TI-34, which is now out of production. It is more
powerful than the ORION TI-34 and costs $249.

Sci-Plus Series 300 Scientific Calculator with Speech (Current price: $325)
http://www.sightenhancement.com/
The Sci-Plus Series 300 is the only large display talking scientific
calculator made as a one-piece portable unit. However, it does not have
graphing capabilities. Sight Enhancement Systems manufactures it. Although
most general education math teachers will be unfamiliar with the Sci-Plus,
the various functions are easily identifiable, and a willing math teacher
should have little difficulty orienting the visually impaired student to the
Sci-Plus.

Talking Scientific Graphing Calculator

Audio Graphing Calculator Version 3.0 (Current price: $295; Upgrade from 2.0
to 3.0: $195)
http://www.ViewPlus.com
The Audio Graphing Calculator (AGC) from ViewPlus Technologies, Inc. is a
self-voicing graphing scientific calculator software program. Unlike a
hand-held calculator, it displays results through speech and sounds, as well
as visually presenting numbers and graphs. This program is intended to have
capabilities comparable to a full-featured hand-held scientific and
statistical graphing calculator. The AGC is truly accessible for all
students, and could be used for the entire class. The onscreen graphics are
easily seen by a low vision student via an enlargement feature, and the
graph can be listened to by using the sophisticated audio wave feature.
Print copies can be made with any standard printer using a variety of fonts,
including braille. The print copies with braille fonts can be copied onto
swell paper and run through a tactile imaging machine. One of the best ways
to use the AGC is with a TIGER Braille/graphics embosser from ViewPlus
Technologies, Inc., but the TIGER is rather expensive. Although considerable
time is typically needed for training a blind student to use the ACG totally
independently, the math teacher is usually able to assist the student
because it is so user-friendly for the sighted individual.

Susan A. Osterhaus, M.Ed., CTVI
Statewide Mathematics Consultant
Outreach Department
Texas School for the Blind and
Visually Impaired
1100 West 45th Street
Austin, TX 78756
Website: http://www.tsbvi.edu/math
E-mail: susanosterhaus@tsbvi.edu
Phone: 512-206-9305
Fax: 512-206-9320

-----Original Message-----
From: aernet-bounces@lists.aerbvi.org
[mailto:aernet-bounces@lists.aerbvi.org]On Behalf Of Holly Guinan
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 8:40 AM
To: utarzan29@aol.com; aernet@lists.aerbvi.org
Subject: Re: [AERNet] LP Calculator

In the meantime,  I've had acceptable results with just putting the class
calculator under a CCTV - provided you have high resolution good camera one,
like maybe an Acrobat, rather than a dino from the 70's the school has left
over from some previous kid!

To: aernet@lists.aerbvi.org
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:01:21 -0500
From: utarzan29@aol.com
Subject: [AERNet] LP Calculator


Dear Colleagues,
  A high school student who is visually impaired is in need of a large

type calculator with scientific notations.  The class utilizes the "Senario
SC-121" calculator.  The large print calculators found in Independent Living
and other vendors were too basic for the mathematics required for the class.
Is there a large print calculator with scientific notation?  I'd rather not
go to the APH talking calculator.
If there's not an LP calculator with scientific notation, is there a
magnifier similar to the APH 'Zoom View' that would enlarge a calculator?
Thank you,
Jane D. Harty
Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Cuyahoga County, Ohio

More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail!

--
Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star
power. Play now!