The Braille Brain II – Foundations of Braille Assessment Workshop
This Professional Development Workshop series empowers teachers of students with visual impairments to apply the Science of Reading to conduct robust reading assessments and analyze student data using the Braille Brain Foundations Assessment. This project is being funded by the Department of Rehabilitation Services Agency (RSA; H2600016). It is a collaboration between California State University Los Angeles, Florida State University, and the American Printing House for the Blind.
Details about this professional development opportunity are as follows:
What:
The Braille Brain II – Foundations of Braille Assessment Workshop – Topics include:
- Understanding the Science of Reading and braille literacy
- Implementing the BBII-FBA with fidelity to test braille reading skills.
- Analyzing reading data and reflecting on video footage
- Seeking your input on developing additional training materials that will be packaged and offered in the APH HIVE.
Commitment:
As part of the study, participating teachers will be asked to:
- Complete a knowledge pretest and posttest
- Attend 5 webinar presentations (2 hours each)
- Attend 4 power hour support sessions (1 hour each)
- Complete 4 assignments that involve actively working with a braille reader or dual media learner who is visually impaired
- Video record assessment sessions with your student
- Complete 5 opinion surveys
- Engage in 2 focus groups
Incentive:
Participants may receive up to $1,000 for full completion of the commitment.
When:
February to May 2027 (Choose one of the following days – see also schedule)
- Mondays (EST/ PST.) (1:00-3:00 p.m. PST / 2:00-4:00 MT / 3:00-5:00 p.m. CST / 4:00-6:00 p.m. EST)
OR - Tuesdays (4:30-6:30 p.m. PST / 5:30-7:30 MT / 6:30-8:30 p.m. CST / 7:30-9:30 EST)
Note: the Power Hours will take place during the first scheduled hour and last 60 minutes
Where:
Synchronous online sessions will take place via Zoom, with asynchronous assignments
Who to contact with interest:
If you wish to participate in this project, please reach out to Gina Michell – [email protected] If you have questions about the content of the workshops, please reach out to Cheryl Kamei Hannan – [email protected]
What to submit
To confirm your participation, by December 1 (for priority access to the class) you will need to:
- Submit your letter of commitment agreeing to the tasks outlined above
- Submit a signed photo release and consent form
- Submit a signed child photo release form (signed by the parent/caregiver)
- Obtain a letter of support on letterhead from your school district stating you may work with a student and videotape as part of the training
- Submit a W9 form and a contract for payment for your participation
Research Disclosure: As part of the BBII-FBA professional development, the Braille Brain II Leadership Team will be conducting research regarding your perceptions of the training and the accompanying Instructors’ Manual, as well as any knowledge gained as a result of the training. You will be asked to complete a pre-/post-training assessment, respond to five 15-20 minute surveys following each synchronous webinar, and participate in two focus groups.
Video taping will be collected as part of the training and may be used for future trainings, but they will NOT be used for research purposes.
Reports resulting from this study will not identify you as a participant. All information gathered in this study will remain anonymous and be given out only with your permission or as required by law. The data will be gathered via a secured website (Qualtrics) and downloaded in aggregate format onto a password protected laptop in a password protected file.
This study has minimal risks and is exempt from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for research involving Human Subjects. Associated risks of participation include the inconvenience of time and discomfort in responding to the questions. You may choose not to respond to any of the questions being posed, and you may choose to end the survey without completing it. Similarly, you may choose not to participate in the focus groups. If you choose not to participate in responding to the survey or focus group, you may still receive training on how to use the tool and a partial stipend for completing the training. If you are a student in a university program your decision to not respond to the survey will not affect your grade or training that you receive.
If you have any questions about this research at any time, please call Cheryl Kamei Hannan at 323-343-4400 or write her at [email protected]
THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW FOR EXEMPT APPROVAL BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH.