MATCH Team
Technology Support

What is the MATCH Team?

The MATCH team was developed in 1997 as a response to a need to assist and support Rochester City School District students with special health needs and educational disabilities. The team is part of the Educational Support Services Department and is located at the Hart Street Family Learning Center. It is comprised of an administrator, a special education teacher, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, a speech-language pathologist, and a community health nurse.
The MATCH team provides Assistive Technology services which directly assists a student with a disability in the selection, acquisition, and use of a piece of equipment that increases, maintains, or improves their functional capabilities. In addition, the MATCH team provides technical support, training, medical transitions, and program transitions.
This website has been developed to provide families and staff additional information regarding technology for students with educational disabilities. Quarterly updates will address other tools that are available to assist students to achieve their highest potential.

This installation will be focusing on books recorded in alternative formats that are available to assist students with poor reading abilities or reduced access to print because of a disability. This website is designed for informational use only and does not promote one service over another.

New York State Talking Book and Braille Library

The New York State Talking Book and Braille Library, established in 1896, is a free library service for children, teens and adults with diagnosed reading/learning disabilities, visual impairments or physical handicaps. The library provides recorded and Braille books, magazines, and special cassette players to any eligible U.S. citizen or resident, who lives in one of the 55 counties of upstate New York. To be eligible, an applicant must have a visual impairment or other physical limitation which prevents reading standard printed materials, holding a book, or turning its pages. Those with diagnosed reading disabilities are also entitled to this service. Their physician has to certify the application form which is available by contacting the library by phone or by their website.
What kinds of fictional and non-fictional reading material can you receive from the New York Sate Talking Book and Braille Library?

• Classics
  
• Adventure
• Mysteries
• Biographies
• Travel
• History
• Westerns
• Best sellers
• Short stories and plays
• Historical novels
• Cooking books
• Science Fiction
• Magazines
• Periodicals
  

Newsline is a toll free newspaper service that you can access via your touch-tone telephone. Articles in almost one hundred United States newspapers are delivered to you in synthesized speech. You can listen 24 hours a day. For more information and to sign up, call (800)342-3688 and ask for a Newsline application form or visit the web at www.nfbny.org.

If interested, contact: New York State Talking Book & Braille Library
Albany, New York 12230
(800) 342-3688 or (518) 474-5935
email: tbblkids@mail.nysed.gov
website: www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) , established in 1948, contains more than 98,000 titles in their library, making them the number one producer in the world of audio textbooks for individuals who cant read standard print. All the recorded titles are produced with the permission of the publisher and are protected under copyright laws. It is interesting to note that more than 70 percent of the membership of RFB&D is made up of individuals identified with a learning disability. Books on tape can be put on a student’s Individual Education Plan as specialized equipment/devices.

Books are recorded on cassettes and can be played with either a desktop or portable four-track player which is also purchased through RFD&D. Since September 2002, AudioPlus digitally recorded textbooks on CD have been available. These CD’s provide members with additional convenience and navigation abilities. The AudioPlus CD’s may be used on either a special CD player purchased by RFB&D or on a standard computer equipped with appropriate software.

RFB&D records educational and reference materials that are not available on tape or disc from other sources in the area of history, math, science and economics. An application form is available through their website or contacting their toll free phone number.

A membership fee is required to receive services from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.. An initial fee of $100 enrolls the individual into the service; then an annual renewal fee of $35 continues enrollment. RFB&D members may borrow up to 35 audio textbooks for a year.

If interested, contact: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
20 Roszel road
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
(800) 221-4792
website: www.rfbd.org

Bookshare.org

Bookshare.org offers a national storehouse of scanned books for students with reading, visual, or mobility impairments. It offers access via web download to a broad selection of books needed for classes, outside projects, and just regular reading.

Books from Bookshare.org contain the full text of the book, but do not contain pre-recorded audio. For Windows PC users, Windows 95 or above is required to access Bookshare.org. On Windows systems, a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape is required. The Victor Reader Soft DAISY format book reader is provided with membership which includes text-to-speech software. Otherwise, individuals may use their own assistive technology such as screen reading software.

Individual subscriptions cost $75.00 ; there is an annual renewal fee also. Proof of a disability that affects reading must be submitted with the subscription application.If interested, contact:

Bookshare.org
The Benetch Initiative
480 California Avenue
Suite 201
Palo Alto, California 94306
Website: www.bookshare.org