Welcome to 2006 and the first issue of Parent News for this year. As the new Editor of Parent News, I would like to extend a warm hello to all of our parents, teachers and young readers.

With the Commonwealth Games and school holidays fast approaching, it seemed only appropriate to dedicate this issue of Parent News to sporting madness and entertainment for the whole family. Enclosed you will find a feature on tips and tricks to surviving the Commonwealth Games, with a particular focus on transport usage, as well as the opportunity to read up on the other games our young Aussies are participating in - The Southern Cross Games.

Our "What's On" section has plenty of events aimed to inform, as well as great activities which can be enjoyed by the whole family, such as information about Guide Dogs Victoria Open Day and Blind Sports Victoria Open Day, which both promise lots of fun, mishaps and potentially tired parents!

And for those who are interested in BCA's work in the provision of equitable student education, then the article "BCA Developments" is well worth the read, with its focus on student literacy and the development of the Education Standards and Library Services Policy.

With such a big issue, we recommend you sit back, relax and sip a nice cool drink (it is still summer after all), whilst being informed of the comings and goings of BCA.

Wishing you all a very safe and happy Easter!

Jessica Zammit
Editor

Young Blind Citizen's Victoria (YBCV) is a branch of BCA which offers young people the opportunity to be involved in a diverse mix of social, policy and discussion activities. The aim of YBCV is to act as a voice of young people who are blind or vision impaired and provide an atmosphere which encourages discussion, action and peer support, with a combination of formal and social activities.

In this issue of Parent News, the Editor speaks with President Mick Curran and Treasurer Amy Ni regarding YBCV and the plans for the immediate future.

The other activity YBCV organised was bowling at AMF Bowling in Box Hill, which was held in October last year. We all had a go at bowling which worked quite well, but we couldn't read the scores as well as we could. Everyone participated and had a good time, which was followed by lunch and socialising which was great.

Fundraising has also been really important. We are currently working with Vision Australia to provide some funding to either sponsor an individual child in financial hardship or the whole team to attend the Southern Cross Games. The Southern Cross Games, held in New Zealand this year, are held for blind and vision impaired youth, with the focus of participation in activities including athletics and swimming (for more information, read the article on the Southern Cross Games on pages 18-19) We've already raised the funds; now we just have to organise who needs it most.

Amy: We are currently planning an information session to talk about budgeting and independent living as a blind or vision impaired person. This could possibly include an update on Centrelink payments, managing your pension, as well as coping with a job. We're still finalising a date for now.

In terms of study skills, there will be programs held throughout the year, with the four study groups held in different parts of Melbourne. Any tertiary student with a disability can come along and discuss study skills and experience. It is also a chance for people to develop new networks as well. These groups are going to be run by Joanne Webber, the Disability Co-Ordination Officer (DCO) for the Northern and Eastern Region. The study groups are quite good - really casual and informal.

The work completed by BCA in the last year has lead to a number of changes in education provision. The following are only some the developments which have taken place.

The BCA National Office has a number of pamphlets in audio, Braille and large print which address key women's health issues, including the importance of having regular pap smears and what to do if results are abnormal, cancer prevention information and information directed towards young people regarding puberty. To obtain a copy of any of these publications, please contact the BCA National Office.

(Taken from The Bulletin, No 2, 17 February, 2006)

The Lions Eye Health Program, in association with the Centre for Eye Research Australia and Lions Clubs in the Gippsland area will be hosting a series of Low Vision Awareness Activities in Gippsland from Thursday April 20th to Tuesday April 25th 2006. These events will run in association with the Latrobe Health Lions Ride for Sight, a four day, 400 km bike ride which is conducted annually to promote eye health and raise funds for eye research.

The feature of this Low Vision Awareness program will be Low Vision Awareness Day, to be held in Sale on Thursday April 20th. This event will be similar to the Technology Information Days hosted by the Centre for Eye Research Australia over the last few years. The day will include both a seminar program and a comprehensive display of adaptive equipment, technology and services available to assist people with low vision.

A travelling display will include a sampling of the low vision equipment on display in Sale along with materials relating to the Lions Eye Health Program and the Ride for Sight.

The travelling display will visit:
Maffra - Saturday April 22nd;
Bairnsdale - Sunday April 23rd;
Paynesville - Monday April 24th;
Traralgon - Tuesday April 25th.

If you would like to participate in these community awareness events please contact John Simpson, National Program Manager, Lions Eye Health Program - Eye Research Australia on
Phone: (03) 9929 8328
Mobile: 0407 308 706
jsimpson@unimelb.edu.au

(Adapted from Melbourne News, January 2006)

Federation square, in its efforts to ensure accessibility, have announced a new addition - The Melbourne Mobility Centre, located on the first floor of the Federation Square Carpark. According to the City of Melbourne, the centre will be an integral part of the transport network and is aimed to provide easier access to Commonwealth Games Venues for people with disabilities, older people and those with temporary disabilities.

Features of the new centre include:

• Equipment for hire including motorised and manual wheelchairs, scooters, walking frames, spare crutches and canes for people who are vision impaired
• Proximity to available accessible parking and/or drop off point
• Information for people with mobility and sensory disabilities, as well as TTY telephone and accessible web access
• Information about city attractions, events and facilities
• Accessible kitchenette
• Volunteer driven commissionaire services including companion, transfer and 'meet and greet' services

The words Australia and New Zealand appearing in the same sentence often conjure images of friendly (and sometimes not so friendly) rivalry on our sporting fields. Drawing on this history, the Southern Cross Games, organised for vision impaired students aged between 9 and 18 years of age, sets the playing field to show just what are young Aussies are made of.

The Southern Cross Games is a biennial event to be held in Auckland, New Zealand from 18-22 April 2006. It is anticipated that 155 participants (67 from New Zealand and 88 from Australia, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga) and around 100 escorts and supporters will be in attendance at the Games. The sports offered at the Southern Cross Games include swimming, track and field, goal ball and soccer, leaving just enough time to enjoy some sightseeing.

The Southern Cross Games are open to any student athlete who:

• Is enrolled as a full time student
• Aged 9 - 18 years old as on 1 April 2006
• Totally blind or
• Low measurable visual acuity up to 6/60 (category P) or
• Visual acuity above 6/60 to 6/24 (Category S)

Charlie Roberts, Physical Education Teacher at Vision Australia has taken an active role in this year's Games, helping to prepare a team of 12 students aged between 12 and 17 who study at the Vision Australia school in Burwood or receive Vision Australia services.

Talking about the training involved, Mr Roberts maintains that the team has been required to regularly meet and train together, as well as train independently, as part of their commitment to the team. He says:
"There are a lot of benefits of being involved with the games - you see improvements in self confidence, socialisation, responsibility and independence as well as the thrill of international competition and cultural experiences. There is also the dedication required to train and the motivation to improve their (the students) results in individual events. Those who participate also learn the protocols and social skills of being involved with a group. It's a great experience".

Blind Sports Victoria is a state-wide non-for-profit organisation which offers the young and young at heart the opportunity to become involved in sport at all levels.

Sports on offer include blind cricket, goalball, golf, indoor bowls, lawn bowls, power lifting, sailing, snow skiing, swimming, tandem cycling, ten pin bowling, tennis and track and field. Most sports are available throughout the year, with the exception of blind cricket which is season specific.

Swish is also available, with the inevitable question being asked - what exactly is swish? Swish is played on a table similar to table tennis with a board instead of a net and by using balls with bells inside. A rectangular paddle is used to strike the ball by swishing the bat along the surface of the table, so that the ball goes under the board to the other end of the table.

Maurice Gleeson from Blind Sports Victoria, maintains that most of the sports are not age specific (with the exception of power lifting which is suitable for adults aged 16 years and over), and encourages youngsters who are interested in sport to have a go.

"There is no reason why a young person could not come and try a sport. We have a number of young adults who are involved in cricket, golf and swimming", Maurice said. "I feel that young people should have the opportunity to experience sport and recreational activities and then if they want to take it to a more competitive level, then there are wonderful opportunities to represent your state and country".

Blind Sports Victoria's next Open Day will be held on 28th April, 2006 at 454 Glenferrie Road, Kooyong. Hazel Hockley, an organiser of the Open Day, maintains that the day provides an informal setting where individuals can "get a good grasp of the basics" as well as find out information on other sports that they might be interested in.

For further information, contact Blind Sports Victoria on (03) 9822 8876 (Monday and Thursday mornings only) or Hazel Hockley on (03) 9561 6331. Email: blindsports@netspace.net.au

(Taken from The Bulletin, No 1, 3 February, 2006)

Some research done by Marion Blazé, Education Officer, Statewide Vision Resource Centre

(Taken from E-Access Bulletin, Issue 74, February 2006)

Editors Note: Whilst these are UK findings, the issues of accessibility raised are very relevant to Australia.

(Taken from The Bulletin, Issue 16, 28th October 2005) Source: LiveWire Magazine, October 2005

Editor's Note: An article for those of us who are still learning what all these acronyms stand for!

Many of Quantum Technology's readers will be very familiar with Talking Books as available from various blindness agencies throughout Australia. While the present cassette tape system has assisted many vision impaired people for many years to keep their passion for reading alive, there is a new format for talking books called DAISY.

DAISY is a new standard for the formatting of electronic books, and it stands for Digital Accessible Information System. This new standard permits everyone, especially people who are blind, vision impaired or have another print disability experience a better way to read.

The major issue with typical audio talking books is that they do not allow the reader to move through the book easily. People can listen to the book from beginning to end, but not much more.

DAISY books allow users to navigate through the book more easily using a table of contents or by inserting bookmarks; they even remember where you read up to and reopen the book at that place next time.

There is an every growing means for reading DAISY books, including SARA and special DAISY players.

Plextalk is a DAISY player available from Quantum Technology that is specially designed for people with Low Vision to access DAISY books. Featuring a voice guide for navigating through DAISY books, and just a few easily identifiable buttons. Plextalk can play DAISY books in CD format or for the computer savvy MP3 files.

The player is also lightweight, at just over a kilo and uses either mains power of up to 5 hours battery use for when you are out and about. Available from Quantum Technology.

Other ways to DAISY include: FS Reader for PAC Mate or Desktop and Mobile Daisy for users of Mobile Speak mobile phone software.

Arts Access is a non-for-profit organisation which addresses the challenges often experienced by people with a disability at arts and entertainment events. The Arts Access EASE ticket service offers practical information, personal service and affordable ticket prices to encourage greater participation.

Arts Access provides audio description of events, where a trained audio describer reads the programme notes and describes costumes and stage settings, as well as descriptions of actions and expressions. This is transmitted live, in between the dialogue. Sitting anywhere in the theatre, patrons receive audio description through a small black radio receiver and one earpiece collected on arrival.

The MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY is holding a number of events including:

Tactile tours are also provided for selected performances including:

OPERA AUSTRALIA also offers a number of Audio Described performances including:

Bookings: EASE price: $75.00 A reserve, $45.00 B reserve

Please note that in order to receive these special deals, you must be a member of Arts Access which costs $25 for individuals, $35 for group membership or $55 for organisations yearly.

(Taken from The Bulletin, No 17, 11 November, 2005)

Source: Future Reflections, Summer/Fall 2005 by Katrilla Martin

Playing games has been proven to enhance the intellectual, interpersonal, and physical abilities of children. Whilst it may seem that the joys of a boardgame are limited to those with vision, the world of card and board games, interactive computer games, or outdoor games does not need to be closed to blind children. Most games can be adapted and made accessible at little or no cost to parents, with a little fun thrown into the mix. The following article offers some guidelines to follow for making the experience of playing games an enjoyable one for blind children.

Making adaptations to card and board games involves simple, inexpensive modifications to cards, playing pieces, and game boards. Since the materials needed to adapt games in braille - Dymo tape, a slate and stylus, and/or a braille writer - may be already on hand, many parents and children opt to do the adaptations themselves. (I pause to mention that braille dice are available at the Adapt Centre - 9864 9247 and VisEquip - 9520 5588 but that most blind children have no difficulty in using regular playing dice).

Players and persons making the modifications must have a working knowledge of braille and be aware of how much space can be used without obscuring the pieces and board space of others. In other words, these adaptations should not make playing the game difficult.

When adapting playing cards, the convention is to use an abbreviated two-digit system and to emboss the braille numbers and/or suits in opposite corners. For example, '7g' indicates a green seven card in UNO and 'xh' is a ten of hearts in a standard deck. (Note: In braille usage, 'x' can be used to connote the Roman numeral ten. Also, it is not necessary to use the number sign if you teach your child that numbers come first, followed by the letter.) Doing this not only allows a young child to practice and master learning the braille alphabet and numbers, but can also be fun and informative to sighted family and friends.

As this is a magazine for teachers, parents and students, we would love to have your feedback about what you would like to see included in the next issue of Parent News. Letters to the Editor and suggestions are warmly welcomed, as are articles that you may wish to share with others. If you wish to receive Parent News via email in the future, please contact the National Office with your email details.

Please forward articles by 15th May 2006 to:
Jessica Zammit
Victorian Advocacy & Information Officer
PO Box 24 Sunshine
Victoria 3020 Australia
Telephone 03 9372 6400
Toll Free 1800 033 660
Facsimile 03 9372 6466
TTY 03 9376 9275
Email: jessica.zammit@bca.org.au