Assistive Technology

The Assistive Technology (AT) team at the California School for the Blind (CSB) provides assessment and instruction to students with visual impairments on campus and throughout the state of California.

Who we serve

The AT team serves students with visual impairments on campus and throughout the state of California. We offer services to districts, vision professionals, Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, and families on request, through conferences, or through training. Training and workshops are provided to educators, students, and their families on technology and educational topics through requests and conferences. The highly skilled assistive technology specialists continually develop curriculum to reflect the changing technology and the demands of current educational needs. Outreach requests can be made through the Outreach Application Form (Google Forms).

Our Focus

The Assistive Technology Team provides instruction in many areas including the following areas:

Screen reading software
Magnification software
BrailleNote takers
Smart phones & tablets
Optical character recognition software
Internet navigation
Accessing mainstream technology and software
Electronic braille displays

In addition to expertise in assistive technology, our teachers have backgrounds in higher education with an emphasis in visual impairment including Teachers for the Visually Impaired (TVI), Rehabilitation, and Orientation & Mobility.

Assessments

On-Campus Assessments

The AT team conducts technology assessments for all potential students during their Assessment of Suitability of Placement period, by performing a series of observations, file reviews, interviews, diagnostic tests, and device trials. Ongoing assessment for CSB's current students takes place through classroom observations and instruction, collaboration with the educational team, triennial assessments, and through individual instruction.

Off-Campus Outreach and Assessments

The AT team provides training and support for teachers, students, and families on campus and throughout the state on a wide variety of topics. A student's teacher for the visually impaired (TVI) can request an assistive technology assessment, which involves an AT Center team member conducting interviews, observations, providing collaborative consultation to the team, and preparing a series of technology recommendations. You can make outreach requests through signing up on our Outreach Application Form (Google Forms).

Trainings

The team at the CSB AT Lab provides online, on campus, and off campus training opportunities for TVI's and students with a visual impairment throughout the state of California on a wide variety of assistive technology topics. A TVI can have their student follow an online course of lessons on the Screen Reader Training (SRT) website teaching the use of screen readers such as JAWS and VoiceOver on iOS, or plan with us a customized in person training taking place on the CSB campus or in your home district. On a custom training, the AT team prepares a one day series of interactive lessons and activities to introduce, familiarize, or refine a team's skills with a particular device, program, or application. Previous workshops offered by the AT team have included Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), Job Access with Speech (JAWS) beginning and intermediate, iOS VoiceOver, Coding, braille note, Google Suite, etc. Subscribe to the Braille n Teach listserv or check the CSB homepage for current and future offerings. Please fill out the Outreach Application Form (Google Forms) to make training requests.

Short Courses

CSB offers week-long Short Courses throughout the school year. Previous Short Courses offered by the AT team have included the Braille Short Course, Google Short Course, and the iPad Short Course. You can find our current offerings on the Short Course Website.

Lending Library

TVI's can make requests to borrow devices for a period of up to 60 days to trial devices with students to aid in determining the most appropriate devices for students, and while devices are being repaired. Devices available include, braille displays, braille notetakers, embossers, etc. Please fill out our Lending Library Form (Google Forms) to make requests.

Training Materials and Resources

Computer Science Curriculum Resources
Day of Code Toolkit
Techie Toy Gift Guide
Curricula & How-To Guides
Google Suite with assistive technology (Video; 1:01:10)
CSB YouTube channel - under "Virtual Learning" where you can find a catalog of Assistive Technology discussions.

Events

Day of Code

News & Recognitions

Apple Day with CBS TV Network's Mission Unstoppable (Video; 4:27)
CSB partnered with Apple to host a coding day camp for students during Computer Science Education Week. The video is featured on CBS online.