1. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES IN SCHOOLS FROM BEING ‘SPECIAL’ SCHOOLS TOWARDS BECOMING SPECIALISED CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE T van Sittert, Prinshof School, Pretoria

2. FOCUS AREAS Management and leadership Management and leadership Creativity and change Creativity and change Screening Identification Assessment and Support Screening Identification Assessment and Support Essential hard and software in your school. Essential hard and software in your school. Staff provision Staff provision

4. MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP Planning Classroom Classroom Hard work and dedication Hard work and dedication Computer literate Computer literate Please do not dictate the work to the learners. It is too time consuming. Please do not dictate the work to the learners. It is too time consuming. Principals should plan for class visits. Principals should plan for class visits. Budget for upgrades of software. JAWS 11.0 Budget for upgrades of software. JAWS 11.0 Budget for maintenance Budget for maintenance Plan for training sessions in your year plan. Plan for training sessions in your year plan. Keep-up with the latest development in technology. Keep-up with the latest development in technology. Plan for networking and lobbying opportunities. Plan for networking and lobbying opportunities. Always keep your three- to five year strategic plan in mind. Where is our school going to? Always keep your three- to five year strategic plan in mind. Where is our school going to? Plan for an open-day where you can exhibit your assistive devices. Plan for an open-day where you can exhibit your assistive devices. The community should know what your school has to offer. The community should know what your school has to offer.

5. Organising Create a teacher centre with necessary equipment Create a teacher centre with necessary equipment Organise your school: Organise your school: Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy and Science are near a TigerPro embosser. Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy and Science are near a TigerPro embosser. Organise for staff development. Organise for staff development. Empower your staff and make them part of the process. Empower your staff and make them part of the process. Ensure a continuity in skills. Ensure a continuity in skills. Reward staff for dedication, skills and knowledge. Reward staff for dedication, skills and knowledge. Apply their skills and knowledge to train other staff members on Duxbury, Open Book.. Apply their skills and knowledge to train other staff members on Duxbury, Open Book.. Take leadership. Take leadership. TIGER BRAILLE EMBOSSER

6. CONTROL Aspect of utmost importance Aspect of utmost importance Total quality management Total quality management Quality assurance: All assistive devices e.g. embossers, Duxbury software. Quality assurance: All assistive devices e.g. embossers, Duxbury software. The specific device is allocated to the specified learner and utilised effectively. The specific device is allocated to the specified learner and utilised effectively. Quality control: Layout and UBC contractions are embossed correctly. Quality control: Layout and UBC contractions are embossed correctly. Schools have state of the art devices. Schools have state of the art devices. Let your devices be utilised optimally. The learners are in need of it. Let your devices be utilised optimally. The learners are in need of it.

7. LEADERSHIP Motivation Motivate your educators to obtain skills and knowledge in assistive devices for the visually impaired. Motivate your educators to obtain skills and knowledge in assistive devices for the visually impaired. Motivate them to explore with new technology, e.g. Dragon. Motivate them to explore with new technology, e.g. Dragon. Let the educators be part of the planning and decision-making processes when installing new devices, e.g. binder, JSAY. Let the educators be part of the planning and decision-making processes when installing new devices, e.g. binder, JSAY. It gives a person a sense of belonging. It gives a person a sense of belonging.

8. INITIATE Initiate new projects. Initiate new projects. Money is available and society is eager to sponsor new projects. Money is available and society is eager to sponsor new projects. Be project specific and do not use the money for other projects. Be project specific and do not use the money for other projects. Promote your school and devices through submissions. Promote your school and devices through submissions.

9. CREATIVITY AND CHANGE Challenging environment. Challenging environment. Be creative in designing maps, graphs for the visually impaired. Be creative in designing maps, graphs for the visually impaired. Do not wait for things to be done for you, start it yourself. Do not wait for things to be done for you, start it yourself. We have been in our comfort zones for too long. We have been in our comfort zones for too long.

10. CHANGE People like to stay in their comfort zones. People like to stay in their comfort zones. Internal change: More educators are skilled in technology, this ensures higher standards. Internal change: More educators are skilled in technology, this ensures higher standards. External change: New Tiger can print pictures and graphs in textbook and not separately. External change: New Tiger can print pictures and graphs in textbook and not separately. REASONS FOR RESISTANCE TO CHANGE REASONS FOR RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Poor communication and lack of information. Poor communication and lack of information. People feels threatened and care for own interest. People feels threatened and care for own interest. Low tolerance for change. Low tolerance for change. Misunderstanding of purpose for change. Misunderstanding of purpose for change. Poor timing. Poor timing. Fear the unknown. Fear the unknown.

11. STEPS IN REDUCING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Train your educators and inform them. Train your educators and inform them. Involve them in the process. Involve them in the process. Provide support in follow-up training. Provide support in follow-up training. Reward them for their effort. Reward them for their effort.

12. SCREENING, IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT Familiar with SIAS Familiar with SIAS Be learner specific. Be learner specific. Utilise JAWS, Zoomtext to those who need it. Utilise JAWS, Zoomtext to those who need it. Be absolutely sure of the eye condition. Be absolutely sure of the eye condition. Will there be a deterioration of eyesight? Will there be a deterioration of eyesight? Will learner need a reader, magnifier, etc. Will learner need a reader, magnifier, etc.

13. SMALL PRINTING UNIT An embosser: TigerPro, Impacto texto An embosser: TigerPro, Impacto texto 2 or more computers 2 or more computers Paper cutter Paper cutter Binding machine or industrial stapler Binding machine or industrial stapler Software: Duxbury 11.0 Software: Duxbury 11.0 Mathematics: Scientific Notebook Mathematics: Scientific Notebook Braille paper Braille paper Glue Glue

14. EQUIPMENT USED IN BRAILLE PRODUCTION CENTRE: 1.BOOK BINDING MACHINE 2.PAPER CUTTER 3.IMPACTO BRAILLE EMBOSSER

15. STAFF PROVISION Most important aspect for a successful production unit. Most important aspect for a successful production unit. Control over software. Control over software. A Person should be computer literate to assist with technical support. A Person should be computer literate to assist with technical support. 1 Proofreader. 1 Proofreader. 1 to 2 people for data typing. 1 to 2 people for data typing. 1 person who binds the material. 1 person who binds the material. Technician for computer related problems. Technician for computer related problems. 1 person who can do the printing. 1 person who can do the printing.