I am happy to report that we are able to continue to offer the online Brille Music course for open enrollment. Third party payment and billing is acceptable with a letter committing the funds and authorizing us ti bill. Please help us get the word out on this online web based course to those interested. Thanks Bob The UMass Boston Graduate College of Education / ICI Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education Presents PRFDVL 5X01: Braille Music in collaboration with UMass Online Date: Starting May 29th - Aug 24th Instructor: Dr Moonset Yu is certified as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired in MA, CA, and HI. She received a M.Ed. and a Ph.D. from Boston College. Her experience in music braille began three decades ago while teaching a school for the blind in Taiwan. There, she prepared braille music for the school band and for students studying in music departments at universities. During 1993-2001, while working at the Perkins School for the Blind, she taught music braille, and prepared braille music for the Choir as well as for the students who were taking music courses at colleges. Dr. Yu is also a certified music braille transcriber. Instructor Contact: Dr. Moonset Yu: Email: [email protected] Course Description (3 Credits): PRFDVL 5X01 Braille Music is an online course designed to prepare participants to teach reading of elementary and intermediate level Braille Music. Important aspects for teaching braille users to read Braille Music are covered. Participants will learn music braille notations and basic transcription rules for preparing elementary and intermediate level Braille Music. The use of special computer software to translate music into Braille, and sources for acquiring Braille Music are reviewed. Participants are required to use a Braille editor for completing all exercises and to submit exercises in digital format. ( This course is not a music braille transcriber certification program. ) Prerequisites: 1. Successful completion of a university level English Literary Braille course, or recommendation from a Braille instructor. 2. Familiarity with a piano keyboard and standard music notations. 3. Broad band internet access and Windows operating system (XP or newer) Course Objectives: 1. To acquire the ability to read Braille Music of elementary and intermediate level. 2. To acquire the ability to manually transcribe Braille Music of elementary and intermediate level using a Braille writer and/or a Braille editor in conjunction with a Braille embosser. 3. To develop teaching skills for reading elementary and intermediate level Braille music. 4. To develop an awareness of sources for acquiring Braille music and technology used to produce Braille music. Method of Instruction: The course is organized in weekly sessions through the web-based learning platform Web CT. Each new session will become available on Monday morning at 6 a.m. Please visit the weekly session folder at the beginning of each week. Review the plan for the week first, so you can budget your time accordingly. Course contents are presented in visual as well as audio format. Participants can request instructor's assistance or ask questions via email daily, or meet with the instructor online during the appointed office hours or by appointment through "Talking Communities" Web based audio conferencing. Books and materials: The books and materials required for this course are listed below. Books: * Introduction to Braille Music Transcription. Second Edition. May Turner De Garmo. (2005) Washington, D.C. Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Its PDF and braille files are available for free download at http://www.loc.gov/nls/music/index.html <http://www.loc.gov/nls/music/index.html> . * How to Read Braille Music--An Introduction. Second Edition. Bettye Krolick. (1998) San Diego, CA: Opus Technologies. ($12.95+shipping) Opus Technologies, http://www.opustec.com/products/guide.html <http://www.opustec.com/products/guide.html> * Primer of Music Braille by Edward Jenkins (1960 with 1971 addenda, 136 pages) San Diego, CA: Opus Technologies. (print $41 and braille $30+shipping). Opus Technologies, http://www.opustec.com/products/index.html <http://www.opustec.com/products/index.html> . * Who is Afraid of Braille Music. R. Taesch & W. McCann. (2003) Valley Forge, VA: Dancing Dots. Dancing Dots http://www.dancingdots.com/prodesc/whosafraid.htm <http://www.dancingdots.com/prodesc/whosafraid.htm> Materials: 1. Perky Duck Software This software program is free and can be downloaded from the Duxbury Systems web site <http://www.duxburysystems.com/product2.asp?product=Perky%20Duck&level=free&action=up> . Perky Duck is required for all the homework assignments and must be installed on your computer before the course begins. Students who already have Duxbury Program do not need this software. 2. Headset/Microphone A computer headset/microphone is required for participation in online conference sessions. Available from any computer or office supply store and the UMB bookstore <http://www.bkstr.com/ProductDisplay/10001-36714-10348-10221960-1> . 3. Compatible keyboard for 6-key entry Please test your keyboard for this capability as soon as possible. A computer keyboard capable of 6-key entry to simulate the brailler is required to complete all assignments. Most standard computer keyboards will work in this mode. Please test your computer by activating the Perky Duck and brailling some text to determine if your keyboard is compatible. If your keyboard is incompatible, take the necessary measures to obtain a different keyboard. The Braille 2000 web site <http://www.braille2000.com/brl2000/KeyboardReq.htm> provides detailed and helpful information regarding this matter. 4. Braille embosser Students are not expected to purchase this equipment but required to have access to it. There will be some assignments needed to be submitted in hard copy besides the electronic format. If you need instructions to use a braille embosser please contact the instructor. If accessing an embosser is impossible, the student could use a Perkins Brailler to produce the hard copy and submit it. The braille paper size should be 11 1/2" Wx11". 5. Goodfeel Braille Music Translator demo software. This demo software is available from the Dancing Dots website. http://www.dancingdots.com/main/demodl.htm. General Information: The course is a three credit web based graduate level course with open enrollment to both graduate and undergraduate students, agency staff and related professionals with particular interest in the course content both instate and out of state. Cost: The cost of the course is $800 plus $50 registration. Total Cost $850. Payment may be made by check credit card or letter authorizing third party billing and payment. Registration: This course is limited to 15 participants. Additional course information and downloadable registration form is available at http://www.nercve.umb.edu/summer07registrationform.pdf. Checks made payable to UMass Boston Division of Continuing Education Registrations should be mailed to: Robert McCulley ICI/Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education UMass Boston 100 Morrissey Blvd Boston, MA 02125