Parent Resources for Virtual and At-Home Learning

Last updated: 5-May-2021

Online Classes and Webinars

All times are listed in Pacific Time unless otherwise stated.

Subject Name/Sponsor Days/Date Time Web/Zoom Link
National Coding Symposium APH ConnectCenter and California School for the Blind (CSB) May 11th to May 14th 9:00am-12:00pm
1:00pm-4:00pm
 Symposium Information and Registration
2020-2021 APH Virtual ExCEL Academy APH Through May 2021
Tuesday: Focus from Birth to 6th grade
Wednesday: Focus from 7th to 12th grade
Thursday: Focus on students with multiple impairments		 11:00am-12:00pm Register for ExCEL Academy External link opens in new window or tab.
CareersPlus youth and teen zoom seminars (ages 14-22) focusing on success in middle, school, high school, and beyond Sacramento Society for the Blind Thursdays and Fridays 5:30pm-7:30pm To register, please contact rrueda@societyfortheblind.org
Audiojack Live - an immersive listening and writing experience for all ages Audiojack

Tuesday and Thursday

Tuesday 11am and Thursday 8pm

Registration: Audiojack Live External link opens in new window or tab.

Bookshare webinars - live and recorded Bookshare Ongoing Check Website Bookshare Webinars External link opens in new window or tab.
APH webinars focusing on classroom and workplace tools APH Ongoing Check Website APH at home webinars External link opens in new window or tab.
Social-emotional safety skills for for all ages KidPower Check Website Check Website KidPower webinar link External link opens in new window or tab.
Transition Forum Teleconference Monthly Meeting Society for the Blind Second Thursday of each month 3:30-4:45 pm

Zoom Link External link opens in new window or tab.
Meeting ID: 355 779 7767
Password: 123987

"Conversations on life" an online class for the College Transition Success Program Utah School for the Deaf and Blind Wednesdays 5:00pm

Register for the class External link opens in new window or tab.

Visit Facebook for more information External link opens in new window or tab.

Assistive Technology

Description Subject and/or Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Touch Typing Keyboarding TypingClub External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
HW Buddy Product Help HW Buddy External link opens in new window or tab. Step-by-step directions for HumanWare products (Android and iOS)
Helpful gestures to use with VoiceOver on iOS devices iOS Commands

Gestures Voice Over External link opens in new window or tab. (DOCX)

N/A
Free (during COVID-19 Shelter in Place) accessible apps for Chromebook, iPad, Mac, Windows or Android Devices Apps Accessibyte Apps External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Free NVDA "Cheat Sheet" Eye.t NVDA Cheat Sheet External link opens in new window or tab. Available in PDF, BRF, and DOCX formats.
Technology YouTube "how-to" training videos TSBVI TSBVI YouTube Channel External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Free Technical Support for blind/vision impaired students, their families or teachers in California Sterling Adaptives Email john@sterlingadaptives.com N/A
BrailleNote training videos including Google Meet, Kahoot, & Google Classroom Mallory Carr YouTube Channel External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
ABC's of iOS for Toddlers and Beyond is now available for as a free pdf or epub document Canadian National Institute for the Blind

Information External link opens in new window or tab.

email store@cnib.ca or telephone: 1-866-659-1843 for a copy		 N/A
Past and Future webinars for HumanWare products HumanWare Webinar Homepage External link opens in new window or tab. (listing of past and future webinars) N/A
Microsoft Teams keyboard shortcut list Microsoft Team Microsoft Teams keyboard shortcuts External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Reading

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Free audiobooks for kids Audible Stories Audible External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Authors and celebrities reading elementary level books via YouTube Channel Various Story Online External link opens in new window or tab. Copyright compliant
e-books (all formats) Bookshare Bookshare External link opens in new window or tab. Student must have an account to access books. All accounts are free. Downloadable into any format, including braille.
Braille & Audio Books National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) The National Library Service External link opens in new window or tab. All materials are free and can be delivered free of charge in a variety of formats.
Scholastic learn at home day-by-day projects divided by grade level Scholastic Scholastic External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Full-text 24-page children's book about the coronavirus Elizabeth Jenner, Kate Wilson, & Nia Roberts Coronovirus A Book for Children External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF) N/A
Story time - interactive, fun, and inspiring story sessions. Gwyn McCormack Facebook Live Story Time External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
The Adventures of Abby Diamond: Hiding in Plain Sight - a fictional book about a smart girl who just happens to be blind. Kristie Smith Information about The Adventures of Abby Diamond External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
#AllInTogether - Summer Read-a-Thon Bookshare Registration and Information External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Join Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Taika Waititi as he reads James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, in full across 10 episodes Partners in Health YouTube Link External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Math/STEM

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Links to math games and activities divided by age level Sue Sullivan Math Games External link opens in new window or tab. (DOCX) N/A
Tactile math ideas for basic concepts and early math skills Paths to Literacy 56 Tactile Math Ideas External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Virtual BINGO-play with friends and family Lindsey Nelson

Engineering BINGO External link opens in new window or tab. (DOCX)

 N/A
MathMelodies- a video game, a tale and a math workbook for children within a single application! App Store MathMelodies External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Math Robot - fun drills and practices for simple math problems. Designed for students who are blind and visually impaired. ($4.99) App Store - APH Math Robot External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Bedtime Math - Choose the Math Problem of the Day, or explore over 1,000 additional math problems in English or Spanish. App Store - Bedtime Math Foundation Bedtime Math External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Math Apps and how to move students to digital math learning for grades K-3. Path to Technology Math Apps Link External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Electronic Nemeth Braille Searchable Database Pearson Nemeth database External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Braille & Literacy

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Tips and tools for teaching beginning braille skills Paths to Literacy - Cheryl Brown Tips and Tools for Teaching Beginning Braille Skills External link opens in new window or tab. Compilation of ideas to continue early braille literacy.
Braille Challenge samples including braille speed & accuracy, spelling, proofreading, reading comprehension, and charts & graphs Braille Institute Braille Challenge Practice Samples External link opens in new window or tab. Must be downloaded
Website with searchable literacy activities and resources for children who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind, or have multiple disabilities Paths to Literacy Paths to Literacy External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Beginning Braille is designed to introduce parents, caregivers, and paraprofessionals to the Unified English Braille Code. Participants in this course will learn alphabetic braille, numbers, basic punctuation, alphabetic word signs, and some of the most common short form words and initial letter contractions. California School for the Blind Beginning Braille curriculum External link opens in new window or tab. Each lesson includes a description, examples, and independent practices with answers.
Essay Contest by grade level NFB Newsline NFB Newsline essay contest External link opens in new window or tab. (Google Docs) Contact Emily Gibbs at egibbs@nfbtx.org or 281-968-7347 for more information
UEB Study Groups- all things braille UEB Study Group

Google Drive External link opens in new window or tab.
Instagram External link opens in new window or tab.
YouTube External link opens in new window or tab.
FaceBook Page External link opens in new window or tab.

N/A
Mini braille lessons on YouTube Norma Escobar Norma Escobar's YouTube channel External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
“Braggle Board” - adapted Boggle Elizabeth Symington

Braggle Board External link opens in new window or tab.
Braggle Files External link opens in new window or tab.

N/A

History/Social Studies

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Virtual walking tour of the USS Hornet Vista Center for the Blind Zoom meeting RSVP to Bethany Small at bsmall@vistacenter.org for zoom link
Free, downloadable history lessons and articles organized by theme External link opens in new window or tab. , time period External link opens in new window or tab. , and grade level. Zinn Education Project Zinn Education Project External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Orientation and Mobility

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
O&M resources for families divided by grade level O&M Parent Mobility External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Apps for O&M O&M

Virtual O and M External link opens in new window or tab.
Orientation and Mobility Apps External link opens in new window or tab.

N/A
O&M Games O&M O and M Games External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
A Guide to Outdoor Play for Children with Visual Impairments by the Royal National Institute for Blind People (UK) O&M

Messy and Muddy Outdoor Play Guide External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Full website with additional resources External link opens in new window or tab.

N/A
O&M resources, product reviews, and tutorials. Blind on the Move Blind on the Move External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Resources for students and families regarding Orientation and Mobility including games, apps, maps, bloggers, transportation, & support links. Contra Costa County Office of Education Orientation and Mobility Resources External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Rock the Cane - Facebook page of O&M resources Jennifer Freeman Rock The Cane External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
homeBOUND FOR ADVENTURE- a podcast to promote O&M skills remotely Tracy Spohn

Information External link opens in new window or tab.

homeBOUND link External link opens in new window or tab. 		N/A

Art

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Salt art painting for kids Kimbo Salt Art External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Art class for students with visual impairments taught by a TVI using materials found in your home Allison Alterman VI Art Class: Video 1 External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Braille patterns/designs (audio recordings and written directions) Paths to Literacy

Braille Patterns/Designs External link opens in new window or tab.

N/A
Fall braille patterns/designs Paths to Literacy Fall Braille Designs External link opens in new window or tab.
N/A

APE

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
30-Day Accessible Workout Challenge Northwest Association for Blind Athletes 30 Day Workout Challenge External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Instructional videos for various sports Camp Abilities Brockport Instructional Materials N/A
Audio exercise program including stretching, conditioning, strengthening, and toning. Blind Alive Eyes-Free Fitness YouTube page External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Music

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Beats for Braille - 19 visual impaired musicians perform a virtual music concert NFB Beats for Braille External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Independent Living Skills

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
YouTube channel of short videos describing how to complete tasks such as cleaning, folding, vacuuming, cooking, etc. Tina de Araujo ILS Videos External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Kitchen Exploration Paths to Literacy Kitchen Exploration External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

CVI

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
At home activities for children with CVI. Specific suggestions for each of the CVI phases Paths to Literacy by Dr. Christine Roman-Lansky Activities for Children with CVI External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Audio exercise program including stretching, conditioning, strengthening, and toning. Blind Alive CVI Adapted Story External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Mental Health

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Mindfulness Curriculum California School for the Blind CSB mindfulness curriculum Link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Recordings of mindfulness classes for children Utah School for the Blind Mindful schools free online classes External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Free teen telephone support group  to connect  high school students with other students all over the country who have successfully made the transition to life after high school Lighthouse Guild Free teen telephone support group External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Lighthouse Guild offers an acclaimed national tele-support network and a wealth of support services for parents Lighthouse Guild Support services for parents External link opens in new window or tab. N/A

Other Resources

Description Name/Sponsor Website Notes
Student telephone support for areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum: navigating accessible websites with JAWS, Nemeth and literary braille reading and writing, navigating tablet/laptop using JAWS and VoiceOver, and using refreshable braille display. National Homework Hotline for Blind/Visually Impaired Students
(NHH-BVI)

Homework Hotline External link opens in new window or tab.

N/A
Website with links to many free online resources for educators, parents, and students Share my Lesson Share my Lesson External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Ideas and lessons for students with visual impairments. All areas of curriculum Teaching Visually Impaired by Carmen Willings Teaching Visually Impaired External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Stay at home activities for children with visual impairments Charlotte Chushman- Paths to Literacy Stay home activities for children visual impairments External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Navigate social distancing and school closures with quality media and at-home learning opportunities for your kids. Common Sense Media Common Sense Media - resources for families External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Ongoing activities and webinars for distance learning. National Federation of the Blind NFB Distance Learning Resources External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Past webinars related to areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum Paths to Literacy ExCEL Academy Homepage External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
"Brailling with the Experts: Literacy for All" Conference Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired Agenda (including recordings and handout) External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
Video clips on blindness tips in various subjects (e.g., art, science, DLS, CVI) Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB) WSSB Video Clips on Blindness Tips External link opens in new window or tab. N/A
A blog with ECC projects/ideas, resources, and tutorials Robbin Keating Clark Robbin Keating Clark's blog External link opens in new window or tab. N/A