Seminars@hadley - Braille Literacy

How do blind and low vision people read and write music? Isn't that braille music code impossibly hard to learn? How can blind producers make great sounding records independently? How can blind and low vision people participate in music groups with sighted musicians? Can I read magnified music notation while I play my instrument? To learn the answers to these and related questions, you are invited to attend a Hadley seminar presentation given by Bill McCann, founder and president of Dancing Dots. McCann will share some of his background as a musician turned programmer, turned entrepreneur.

Founded in 1858, in Louisville, Kentucky, the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is the oldest organization of its kind in the United States. Dr. Tuck Tinsley III, President of the American Printing House for the Blind, will talk all about APH: the people, the products, the services, the mission.

Hadley faculty and students exchange tips and tricks for using braille. Learn fun and interesting ways to put braille to work for you. Join Seminars@Hadley and share your thoughts and ideas with Hadley faculty Susan Fisher and Sharon Howerton as well as a host of Hadley students.

This seminar will discuss the importance of learning braille for both children and adults, including information on the value of using braille at school, home, and in the workplace. Join Hadley instructors Debbie Siegel and Susan Fisher in this frank and informative discussion.

2009 marks Louis Braille’s 200th birthday. In celebration, The Hadley School for the Blind is honored to have C. Michael Mellor, author of “Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius” (National Braille Press) lead a Seminars@Hadley. Mellor will share his insights and answer questions about the life of Louis Braille, talk about the making of his book and the national traveling exhibit it inspired. The exhibit was produced by National Braille Press in Boston and is touring through libraries and schools throughout the year. It is on display at Hadley during the entire month of July. So join us as Louis Braille’s biographer helps us commemorate this important milestone in history.

The Hadley School for the Blind will host “Braille: Every Day, Every Way,” its first Seminars@Hadley to be broadcast over the Internet. The seminar will last approximately 90 minutes and is open to Hadley students already enrolled in the Professional Education and Family Education programs or to professionals in the blindness field. Participants will learn how braille can positively impact the lives of family members who are blind, the importance and value of braille and how braille can be used in everyday life.