[Athen] Chalkboard tracking and digitizing?

[Merrell, Gabriel]

Hi Keith, maybe this info will help...not exactly smartboard but similar.  You can connect a USB to a smartboard, so conceivably the info could be pulled onto a laptop, but I've never done that.

We have a student this semester with very low-vision that wanted to be able to participate in a large lecture hall with the front of the classroom - especially the board for math purposes.  I brought in a similar product to Onyx (http://www.enhancedvision.com/) and while the student (and her dad) liked it for up close viewing (documents on a desk, if she was very close to the board), she did not like it viewed from a normal lecture hall distance.  She had to manually adjust the viewing angle to follow what was on the board and of course with such a magnified image, whenever the desk shook just a bit - the image got really wobbly.

We decided not to use one of those cameras, but instead had a cheaper solution for us.  She is plugging in directly to the document camera that the instructor uses and using her mac to zoom in/out as she wants.  This seems to be working well for her and I've heard no issues so far. Of course we have already put document cameras in most classroom - so this will be an expensive option if profs still use chalkboards.  It seems that a smartboard should work similarly.

We also thought about the CCTV option and brought it up with her.  She really wanted to draw as little attention to herself as possible - so having a big monitor wasn't the way to go - but if someone is open to it - seems like a good solution to me.

We would have purchased the Enhanced Vision product and loaned it out to her for classroom use as we do with other tech like ALDs, but if she would have wanted one for other use she would have had to purchase it.

Hope this helps!
Gabe


Gabriel Merrell | Program Manager - Virtual & Built Environments Access
Disability Access Services
Oregon State University
p: 541.737.3671



  

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On Behalf Of Keith Kolander
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 10:00 AM
To: 'Access Technology Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] Chalkboard tracking and digitizing?

Hi,
 As far as showing the smartboard info on another laptop for the student,  how is that actually done?
(If you have a write-up on it, and would like to reply off the listserv, that would be great.)

Would a more flexible option be to use a portable CCTV?  Not only can the board be viewed, but also
any handouts.  The cost may be restrictive, but maybe not. There are practical issues to consider.   Should it be considered a personal device?  What about loaning it out?  Who is responsible for it?  
(The Onyx from Freedom Scientific looks pretty impressive.)

Thanks for sharing any info or thoughts on this.

Keith Kolander
Adaptive Tech Specialist
St. Charles Community College
kkolander at stchas.edu





-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On Behalf Of Dina Rosenbaum
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 3:25 PM
To: 'Access Technology Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] Chalkboard tracking and digitizing?

I think the Jordy is not a good device for this task; have you looked at
smartboards where the info can be either viewed live on a laptop or saved
and emailed to the student??

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Nusen, Michael
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 2:22 PM
To: ATHEN listserv (athen at athenpro.org)
Subject: Re: [Athen] Chalkboard tracking and digitizing?

Hi Todd,

If this is for in-class use, for Spring '11 we are going to experiment with
the JORDY head worn magnifier (magnification range is 4x to 50x).
At this time I don't know if its auto-focus feature will allow a student to
take their own notes.
We have $3,200 budgeted for this which includes docking stand, case, monitor
& S&H.

Michael Nusen
Coordinator, OASIS/CAC
(Office of Accommodative Services and Instructional Support/Computer Access
Center)
Pikes Peak Community College
michael.nusen at ppcc.edu
719-502-3022

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Todd Schwanke
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 9:58 AM
To: ATHEN listserv (athen at athenpro.org)
Subject: [Athen] Chalkboard tracking and digitizing?

Good morning Athen:

Are you aware of or have you come up with any systems for tracking writing
on a chalkboard to provide visual or remote access for students
(particularly students with low vision) without switching away from the
chalkboard?  Are there any digitizing chalk holders or camera tracking chalk
holders that would work similar to the mic's that web confering systems
track?   

We have used and looked at a number of solutions including switching to
alternate media (white board, interactive white board, or document camera)
and other low-tech methods (notetaker, extra time with instructor after
class, telescope or distance CCTV, etc.).  But, I am trying to find out what
technologies others might have used that still involve using the chalkboard
and so that the student can track along directly with where the professor is
writing.  

This could be done with someone operating a camera for pan and zoom, but
what options are there to automatically track along with where the professor
is writing and provide that in a real-time digital format?  We already have
a way to share streaming video with the student on their laptop in
real-time, so mainly I'm inquiring about the camera and camera tracking or
some other type of digitization technology.

The quality of the image would need to be good enough such that the students
could still read normal size writing and zoom in a little if needed without
the image quality becoming too grainy.  Also, there is the variable of a
camera being obstructed depending where the professor is standing.

If you have any suggestions, please also comment on cost, setup, and tech
support.

Also, any thoughts/experiences/preferences in terms of students using a CCTV
with distance viewing options that they control to follow along in classes
(such as math) where a chalkboard is the preferred format?

Thanks,
Todd Schwanke
McBurney Disability Resource Center
UW-Madison


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