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EARTH DAY | MORE RCAA | LIL COMING SOON |
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GET ecoLOGICAL WITH THE DCMPBack to article listing
As we inch closer to the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, it is important that the Earth’s future stewards have both an appreciation of the progress that has been made and a firm understanding of their role in sustaining and protecting their planet. The DCMP has a wide variety of ecology and environmental science titles available for free-loan. Whether you’re looking for information on renewable energy, recycling, or reducing your carbon footprint, the DCMP can provide you with accessible media that fits your students’ diverse learning needs. Come to think of it, the DCMP can be thought of in eco-terms. Accessible media is an integral “seed of knowledge” in the modern classroom. Especially as education funding becomes an increasingly endangered species, it is up to the activists—teachers, parents, outreach personnel, and others—to help us to spread the seed (generate awareness of a valuable FREE resource like the DCMP) and tend the crop (recommend media to the DCMP). We take pride in providing teachers and families with accessible materials they need to fulfill their role in cultivating and nourishing our most important natural resource: our students. MORE ON READ CAPTIONS ACROSS AMERICA™!Back to article listing
Just like last year, our DCMP representative at the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind (ISDB), Dorothy Ogden, has filed a field report from this year’s RCAA celebration. Read Dorothy’s report below (or in the Spring 2009 edition of ISDB’s The Optimist newsletter [PDF]) or check out some photos from ISDB’s RCAA event on Flickr. ISDB students enjoyed March 2nd celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday and promoting RCAA… Arden Schmitt was our Master of Ceremonies with introductions of skits made by Jodie Hamilton’s preschool students. Suszan Reed’s class performed, “Green Eggs and Ham”, Kristi Amolin’s class performed a signed reading of “The Cat in the Hat,” Heather Burgen’s class performed “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now,” Sharon Larson and Risa Marshall’s class performed “My Many Colored Days,” and Danielle Migler’s class performed “The Lorax”. A special rap song “RDCAC” was performed by Jesus Garcia and Kelly Aguilar. This song was written by a former student, Alex Garcia to give recognition to the DCMP.
The event concluded with guessing games and prizes along with a Dr. Seuss cake decorated by Dorothy Ogden and green eggs and ham made by ISDB Kindergarten students. A very fun time was had by all! The Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) also celebrated RCAA. A recap of their activities—along with photos from the festivities—are available from the TSD website. RCAA events were also held at a public library in Montgomery, AL; the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and at several other locations. Get a jump on planning for next year’s RCAA by visiting our RCAA website. LISTENING IS LEARNINGBack to article listing
The DCMP and American Council of the Blind (ACB) are in the process of developing an exciting new campaign, designed to promote learning benefits of description. Called “Listening IS Learning” (or “LIL” for short), the effort is being defined as a campaign to promote a sound education. Puns aside, the campaign’s goal is to raise awareness of what description is, who it benefits, and why we recommend its use with all students. We hope to make the LIL website a focal point for information about description as well as a rallying point for developing partnerships and collaborations with individuals and organizations that share our vision for the potential of this exciting project. One of the exciting LIL-related activities launching now is the Young Described Film Critic (YDFC) contest (details will be available on the LIL website when it launches, or you can download a PDF of the announcement from the ACB now). In a nutshell, we’re looking for young people with visual impairments to enter their reviews of described films for a chance to win prizes for themselves and their schools (and, of course, to hold the awesome title of Young Described Film Critic of the Year!). The top nominees in each age category will be invited to an awards ceremony at the 2009 ACB convention in Orlando, FL on July 8. Take a moment and visit the temporary LIL website, where you can sign up for a notification of the site launch, coming very soon. |
TEACHER OF THE YEAR SPEAKS OUTLast month we introduced our readers to Colorado Teacher of the Year (and National Teacher of the Year finalist) Susan Elliot. This month we’re proud to feature a new article by Ms. Elliot: The DCMP: A Classroom Staple in 21st-Century Education [PDF]. Visit the DCMP Clearinghouse for access to hundreds of other accessibility information resources. 
SURVEY FOR TEACHERS OF THE B/VIWe’ve experienced quite a response to our survey about video usage by teachers of students with visual impairments. If you are one of the many who have already responded, thank you! If not, make sure your voice is heard by completing the short survey today! Your participation (along with your media recommendations) will help us to provide even better services for your students.
REMINDER ABOUT THE MIRACLE WORKERJust in case you missed our announcement a few weeks ago, the DCMP has added The Miracle Worker to our free-loan collection. You may also
ACB TO HOST AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT CONFERENCEThe first conference of ACB’s new Audio Description Project will take place from July 7–8 in Orlando, FL. This conference is open to anyone interested in the field of description for performing arts, museums, media, and myriad other applications. Check out this PDF announcement from ACB regarding the conference.
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purchase The Miracle Worker from Shout! Factory|
The Described and Captioned Media Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the National Association of the Deaf. |
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The contents of this newsletter were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Cooperative Agreement #H327N060002. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Ernest Hairston.