2000 Conference Proceedings
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TECHNOLOGY OPENS DOORS TO BRAILLE MUSIC
Jim Palmer
Bonnie Powell
Overbrook School for the Blind
1754 Quarry Lane, PO Box 927
Valley Forge, PA 19482
Phone: 610-783-6692
Fax: 610-783-6732
Web: www.dancingdots.com
Email: info@dancingdots.com
The teaching of Braille music notation seems to be avoided
and largely feared by professionals who work with the blind.
Most people assume that Braille music notation is very
difficult to learn, and equally difficult to teach. For these
reasons, among others, the use of Braille music in schools has
been in sharp decline for many years. However, thanks to new
teaching tools, and the arrival of Braille music transcription
software, learning, teaching and using Braille music notation
has never been easier. It is now possible for both the student
and educator to use Braille music in a school setting with
minimal time, cost, and effort. In fact, based on our anecdotal
evidence, the use of Braille music notation seems to be
undergoing a resurgence.
Methods and Materials
This presentation will provide the participants with an
overview of the latest materials and methods for teaching
Braille music notation to the blind. It will include the use of
Tack Tiles (TM) Braille code for Music Notation as well as the
GOODFEEL (TM) Braille music transcription software. Other
teaching materials include the textbook and CD-ROM How to Read
Braille Music (C) and a collection of over 300 Braille music
practice exercises written by the presenters. The presentation
will discuss methods of how to best initiate Braille music
instruction with students who already have some musical
abilities, and are proficient Braille readers. Examples of
printed music transcribed into Braille music notation using the
"Goodfeel" Braille music transcription software and Lime (TM)
music notation software will also be used.
Braille Music at Overbrook School for the Blind
Lead by its music teachers, Overbrook is currently in the
second year of its innovative Braille music instruction
curriculum with a class of five students aged 9 to 15. The
presenters deal with the day to day issues of how to teach
Braille music, and will provide "real life" examples of what
does and doesn't work. They firmly believe that learning
Braille music empowers students who are blind to function in
music classes on a level with their sighted peers; thus
providing them an independence from tedious rote dictation or
tapes which might otherwise limit their ability to progress as
musicians. As they have learned Braille music, the students
have found that a bonus has been improved Braille reading
skills and a deeper appreciation for music in general.
Resources
Tack-Tiles Braille Systems
Los Olvidados, Ltd.
P.O. Box 475
Plaistow, New Hampshire, 03865-0475
Phone: 1-800-822-5854 U.S. and Canada (603) 382-1904
Fax (603) 382-1748
Website:
onmouseover="window.status='http://www.tack-tiles.com'; return true;"
onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">http://www.tack-tiles.com
Email:
Kevin@tack-tiles.com
How to Read Braille Music: An Introduction, Second
Edition
Opus Technologies
13333 thunderhead Street
San Diego, CA 92129-2329, USA
Phone/Fax: (619) 538-9401
Website:http://www.opustec.com
Email: opus@opustec.com
GOODFEEL Braille Music Translator
Dancing Dots
130 Hampden Road, third floor
Upper Darby, PA 19082-3110
Phone: (610)352-7607
Website:
http://www.netaxs.com/~ddots
Email: ddots@netaxs.com
Lime 5.00
1906 Augusta
Champaign, Illinois, USA 61821-6067
Website: http://datura.cerl.uiuc.edu
Email: Lime@uiuc.edu
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