THE BIRTH OF AN APH PRODUCT Kerry Isham

THE BIRTH OF AN APH PRODUCT Kerry Isham, Field Services Representative

HERE IS HOW AN APH PRODUCT COMES TO BE FROM THE IDEA TO THE TIME IT’S READY FOR SALE.

SOMEBODY SHARES THEIR IDEA…

APH Products - We're Interested in Your Ideas! The American Printing House for the Blind gives serious consideration to ideas for products that improve the lives of persons who are blind or visually impaired. We are especially interested in product ideas that support Core and/or Expanded Core Curricula, since both are essential to the education of students and clients who are blind or visually impaired. HTTP: //WWW. APH. ORG/PRODUCTS/PROD UCT-IDEAS/

POTENTIAL PRODUCTS COULD ADDRESS SUCH AREAS AS: - CORE CURRICULUM - ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (ADL/ILS) - ASSESSMENT - ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRONICS - CORTICAL VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (CVI) - EARLY CHILDHOOD - HEALTH, P. E. , RECREATION, LEISURE - LITERACY, COMMUNICATION MODES, TACTILE GRAPHICS - LOW VISION, VISUAL EFFICIENCY SKILLS - ORIENTATION & MOBILITY, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - SELF DETERMINATION - SOCIAL SKILLS - VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, CAREER EDUCATION,

"AZER'S INTERACTIVE PERIODIC TABLE STUDY SET" (PICTURED ABOVE) WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED TO APH BY SAMIR AZER (PICTURED RIGHT), A SCIENCE TEACHER AT THE KENTUCKY SCHOOL FOR THE

APH Product Submission Form

http: //www. aph. org/products/product-ideas/

“Over 75% of our new products are the result of your suggestions. And the remaining 25% of new products, submitted by APH staff, are the direct result of listening to your needs, and then submitting product ideas based on those needs. ” -- Ralph Bartley, APH Director of Research, 2010 Annual Research Report

THE IDEA GOES TO AN APH PROJECT LEADER…

HOW PRODUCTS ARE ASSIGNED… § § Products are assigned based on project leaders’ areas of expertise and their schedules. APH project leaders and their focus areas: § Li Zhou, Ph. D. - Core Curriculum Project Leader § Dawn Wilkinson - Early Childhood Project Leader

• APH PROJECT LEADERS AND THEIR FOCUS AREAS (CONT’D) • Carolyn Zierer- Test & Assessment Project Leader • Elaine Kitchel - Low Vision Project Leader

• APH PROJECT LEADERS AND THEIR FOCUS AREAS (CONT’D) • Susan Spicknall - Braille Literacy Project Leader • Fred Otto - Tactile Graphics Project Leader

• APH project leaders and their focus areas (cont’d) § Tristan Gay Pierce - Multiple Disabilities Project Leader § Karen J. Poppe - Tactile Graphics Project Leader

• APH project leaders and their focus areas (cont’d) § Susan Sullivan - Cortical Visual Impairment Project Leader § Roseanne Hoffmann, STEM Project Leader

• APH project leaders and their focus areas (cont’d) § Larry Skutchan – Technology Project Leader § Cathy Senft-Graves – Braille Literacy & Technology Project Leader

• APH project leaders and their focus areas (cont’d) § Laura Zierer - Project Leader § Suzette Wright - Emergent Literacy Project Leader

IN INITIAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, THE PROJECT LEADER BRAINSTORMS AND RESEARCHES THE IDEA…

THE PROJECT SCHEDULE INCLUDES: § § § § § Product development Completion of prototype Field test/expert review Federal quota funds approval Revisions Product specifications Completion of tooling Pilot run (if needed) Production and sale

WHAT IS FEDERAL QUOTA? The Federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind was enacted by Congress in 1879. This act is a means for providing adapted educational materials to eligible students who meet the definition of blindness. An annual registration of eligible students determines a per capita amount of money designated for the purchase of educational materials produced by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). These funds are credited to Federal Quota accounts which are maintained and administered by APH and its Ex Officio Trustees throughout the country. http: //www. aph. org/federal-quota/what-is-federal-quota/

HOW FEDERAL QUOTA FUNDING FOR A PRODUCT IS DETERMINED: Products offered by APH through the Federal Quota program must be: § specially developed or adapted to meet instructional needs of individuals who are blind/visually impaired § commercially unavailable at the time of development § manufactured by APH or with APH specifications § designed for use by individuals who are blind or visually impaired that are enrolled in programs lower than college level, or for service providers working with such persons § available in the United States exclusively from APH http: //www. aph. org/federal-quota/

ONCE A PROTOTYPE IS DEVELOPED, THE PRODUCT IS FIELD TESTED OR EVALUATED…

HOW TO BE A FIELD EVALUATOR: § § Go to this web address: http: //www. aph. org/edresearch/index. html Go to: “Product Development” Click on the heading: “APH Field Test Form” Questions on the form include: § § § Your professional certifications/degrees Type of work you do Your own visual function Areas of interest/expertise Your availability for field testing

From APH News, March 2016

AFTER FINAL CHANGES ARE MADE BASED ON FIELD TESTING & EVALUATION DATA, THE PRODUCT IS READY FOR PRODUCTION AND SALE…

SOME NEW PRODUCTS IN 20152016 § Math Robot for i. OS § Labeling, Marking, and Organization § Orion TI-30 XS Talking Scientific Calculator

MORE NEW PRODUCTS IN 20152016 § Refreshabraille 18 § Parents and Their Infants Who Are Visually Impaired § Joy Player

MORE NEW PRODUCTS IN 2015 -2016 § VIPS@Home: Parent Empowerment Program: Emergent Literacy • VIPS@Home: Parent Empowerment Program: Power at Your Fingertips

MORE NEW PRODUCTS IN 20152016 § Touch, Label, and Learn Human Skeleton § All Aboard! The Sight Word Activity Express

MORE NEW PRODUCTS IN 20152016 § Read. Write mini § Draw 2 Measure Protractor App for i. OS Devices

AS FEEDBACK IS RECEIVED FROM APH CUSTOMERS, THE PRODUCT IS REVIEWED AND REWORKED AS NEEDED…

From APH News, February 2011

From APH News, October 2010

Do You Have A Product Idea Or Product Feedback? Go to this URL and tell us about it! http: //www. aph. org/products/product-ideas/ Kerry Isham, Field Services Representative kisham@aph. org