Distance Learning Math Classes for Bind and Visually Impaired Students

Students receiving math instruction using Microsoft Lync

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Closed Caption:

[Ali] I love my math class.
I think Lync is a great way
to communicate with my teacher. [Dominique] By comparing this
to my public high school, I would so totally prefer this as a math class.
[Juan] You can IM with your math teacher, I mean how many students can say that, you know?
[Chris] I like it, it's a challenge. Always up for a challenge and this has been a great
one because I got to learn a lot of new
technology. [Robin] A lot of people know what Lync is
in the business world,
not many people in the education world
use it or know what it is.
We decided to try to use it for an
education purpose. Using it as our platform
for delivering ours to our class, this math class.
[Chris] It's very accessible though. Once you get the stuff that you need
down you can just go in, set it up and
in three key commands, be exactly where you need to be for class. [Nathan] You can
send instant messages or communicate
with her verbally, we can do screen
sharing.
[TJ] So, if I'm doing an assignment and I need help on it
she can look at my screen through Lync
and say okay you did this wrong, you should have flipped that integer, you should have
made that negative or positive,
and then we can do that. [Chris] You know, your teacher doesn't have to be there in a
classroom she can be
200 miles away and you're still learning math. [Robin] We talk a lot.
We have lots of discussion, we go over
problems together
out loud. [Karley] Even though she's not there, I know she's
literally right at my fingertips.
[Robin] I am very proud of all of you. You are doing the math, you're doing the technology
Using Distance Learning and Microsoft Lync, I'm able to reach out to kids across
the nation; kids who are in need of higher level math that
is adapted to their specific needs. [Ali] It's not every day you get
one of the best teachers in the country. I don't think I would have had that
if I was still taking a regular math class, so I really thank
Lync for that opportunity.