Braille and large print
Braille and Large Print Services provide support and materials in alternate formats for vision impaired students who are supported by an itinerant support teacher (vision).
These include:
- Student textbooks (K-12) and school magazines (Years 3 to 6) in alternate formats - Braille, electronic and large print (various font sizes)
- Electronic format of curriculum titles for access by students who are blind or have low vision using assistive technology - eBooks and audio books
- Braille format of state-wide examinations such as the Higher School Certificate (HSC)
- Braille and Large Print Services, format of state-wide assessments such as the Best Start Kindergarten Assessment, Transition to Year 7, Check-in assessments, Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development (VALID), Phonics screening and HSC Minimum Standards test.
- Loans of Perkins Braille machines for use in class to all students who are blind and their itinerant support teacher (vision)
- Tactile geometric equipment (Braille protractors and drawing kits) for students who are blind
- Heavily lined exercise books and pads in numerous line patterns for writing, geometric grid and music manuscript for all students in Years K to 12 with low vision
- Syllabus-based 3D models with full colour, embedded with Braille labels and textures
- A comprehensive library in alternate formats to ensure students who are vision impaired have timely access to school requirements
- Links to 11 Braille outposts located in schools throughout NSW that enable the sharing of resources to maintain local deadlines. These outposts are staffed by a school learning support officer vision support (SLSO) who is responsible for any miscellaneous classroom handouts in Braille, electronic or large print required by the student in a short turn-around.
Support for schools and teachers
- The itinerant support teacher (vision) consults with the school on behalf of their student through the class teacher and/or specialist teacher(s) to determine the curriculum and format needs of the student
- The itinerant support teacher (vision) submits requests to Braille and Large Print Services for appropriate action and the dispatch of resources to the student or school
- Staff at Braille and Large Print Services, upon request, provide advice and direction on Braille code rules and formatting to itinerant support teachers (vision)
- The Oliver school library collection has all titles available for borrowing, inclusive of their specific format, are available to itinerant support teachers (vision).