Episodes
Monday Apr 01, 2024
Accessibility and the Eclipse
Monday Apr 01, 2024
Monday Apr 01, 2024
On April 8th a solar eclipse will cross North America with totality being visible from Mazatlan to Montreal. Here in Austin we're lucky enough to be in the path of totality and this presents the unique challenge of making the eclipse accessible to our student population. We speak with Allyson Bieryla, an astronomer from Harvard University, along with students and staff at TSBVI to learn how technologies new and old are being utilized to make the eclipse accessible to the blind and visually impaired community. Special thanks to David Schechter and the folks from CBS News for speaking with us and putting a spotlight on accessibility to science for people who are blind and visually impaired. The CBS News story on accessibility and the eclipse is out now, be sure to check it out!
Click here to get more information on the LightSound Project and how you can bring eclipse accessibility to your community.
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
TSBVI's EXIT Program
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Pretty much everyone wants to do their best Peter Pan impersonation and never grow up, but unfortunately growing up is an inevitability for all of us, including our students here at TSBVI. Today we'll show you how Experiences in Transition (EXIT) helps our post-graduation students learn skills for everyday living as well as important job skills to help them contribute to society, and themselves, for years to come.
Click the link for more information on the EXIT Program and be sure to check out Wealthy Bee on Spotify to hear the full versions of her songs included in this episode.
Monday Jan 15, 2024
The BIG Show at TSBVI
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
As a school for students with a wide range of abilities, inclusion is standard practice here at TSBVI. But one event that goes above and beyond is The Big Show. The Big Show is held twice a year and any student enrolled in a music class at TSBVI is welcome, and encouraged, to participate. From piano recitals to jazz ensembles with a little bit of mariachi thrown in, the holiday Big Show has it all. This month we're going to pull back the curtain on The Big Show and speak with the musicians cheering up your holiday, and the teachers who help bring it all together.
Friday Dec 01, 2023
USABA Goalball Youth Nationals
Friday Dec 01, 2023
Friday Dec 01, 2023
One of our favorite events that we host on the TSBVI campus every other year is the USABA Goalball Youth Nationals tournament. This year was a banner year for us with a record 23 teams in attendance and the competition did not disappoint. With two gold medal games that went down to the wire, we were lucky to witness some top notch talent. The USABA national teams have a bright future ahead with athletes like these waiting in the wings.
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Interveners
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Sunday Oct 01, 2023
White Cane Day
Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Blind Americans Equality Day, or White Cane Day, is coming up on October 15th, and we’ll have our campus event in Austin on Wednesday, October 18th. Over the years, White Cane Day has evolved from a focus on safety to a celebration of the achievements of people who are blind. The white cane is now recognized around the world as a symbol of blindness and a tool of independence. This episode highlights a song from The Spinrockers and the perspectives of students and adults who are white cane users themselves.
The Spinrockers' original song, "Just Can't Stop This Groovin'," was written and produced by Devin Gutierrez and Mary Rose, and will be released on October 15th, National White Cane Day.
Friday Sep 01, 2023
Braille Challenge 2023
Friday Sep 01, 2023
Friday Sep 01, 2023
From all of us here at A Sense of Texas we'd like to welcome you back from a relaxing summer. To kick off the new season we're trying something different with a fresh new format. Lucky for us, our friends over at the Braille Institute were more than happy to enable our new ideas by letting us capture audio from the Braille Challenge Finals held in Los Angeles this June. Braille Challenge is a great chance for our students and families to learn from each other and compete for a common goal. And hopefully with this episode you can learn a little bit too.
For more information on Braille Challenge and all things Braille, visit their website at https://brailleinstitute.org/
Monday May 15, 2023
ChatGPT
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 01, 2023
Cody Laplante - eye.t
Monday May 01, 2023
Monday May 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 15, 2023
Blind Leadership
Saturday Apr 15, 2023
Saturday Apr 15, 2023
Neva Fairchild is here to tell us all about the American Foundation for the Blind, and what kind of opportunities its Blind Leaders Development Program can offer.
For more information: https://www.afb.org/blind-leaders
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
NFADB
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Being a parent is hard enough, and being a parent to an individual with dual sensory loss presents a whole new set of challenges. Luckily, several groups have been created to help families of individuals with dual sensory loss get support as well as advocate for their loved one. Jacqueline Izaguirre and Melanie Knapp join us to talk about The National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB) and The Deaf-Blind Multihandicapped Association of Texas (DBMAT) and how they have helped them support and advocate for their loved ones with dual sensory loss.
For more information on NFADB, DBMAT, and the Cogswell-Macy Act please use the following links:
NFADB: https://www.nfadb.org/
DBMAT: https://dbmat-tx.org/
Cogswell-Macy Act: https://cogswellmacyact.org/
Please feel free to contact Jacqueline or Melanie if you have more questions about NFADB or DBMAT.
Jacqueline Izaguirre: jacqueline@nfadb.org
Melanie Knapp: melanie@nfadb.org
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
BADIE
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
The “Benefits of Audio Description in Education,” or BADIE contest is an opportunity for students to find something of interest to them and share their opinion of the description. Susan Glass, Tabitha Kenlon, and Jason Stark join us from the American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project and the Described and Captioned Media Program to give us all the details.
For more info about the contest: badiecontest.org
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Craig Edgley - TSBVI
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Our students always benefit from mentors and teachers who can identify with their disability so it's great to have Craig Edgley from TSBVI join us. Losing sight at a young age Craig has earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree so he's well aware of how to navigate the needs of blind and visually impaired students in an educational environment. We're so happy to have him here to share his experience and expertise.
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
The Monarch
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Peggy Garrett - American Council of the Blind of Texas
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
While the population of blind and visually impaired people is comparatively small, the resources available are quite large. One of those resources is the American Council of the Blind of Texas. Joining us is Peggy Garrett, Immediate Past President – Constitution & Bylaws Chair of ACBT, to tell us about what ACB does and how they can help people who are blind and visually impaired reach their goals.
For more information on services and how to get in touch with American Council of the Blind of Texas visit their website at https://acbtexas.org/