Portal Tutor ing - Fall 2015 Newsletter
Portal Tutoring
Portal Tutoring's Web Site: http://www.portaltutoring.info
Phone: (585) 244-0477
Letter From the Editor
Welcome to Portal Tutoring's fall newsletter. As usual, we have a great deal
to tell you, and we have some new offerings. You will read about our new
certification by Acces-VR, teaching Braille to the deaf-blind, recent
upgrades in computer technology, and more. We hope that you all had a happy
and productive summer and that you are ready for the new academic year to
begin.
It's been a while since Portal Tutoring has sent out a newsletter, and we're
happy to do so now. We hope that you will enjoy the articles below.
Private Vendor for Acces-VR
In August of 2014, Portal Tutoring was pleased and proud to add
certification as an Independent Vendor for Acces-VR to its list of
abilities. This certification will allow us to be paid to tutor not only
those who are getting services from NYSCB, (New York State Commission for
the Blind), but those who are getting services from Acces-VR. We are happy
to be working with this group of talented counselors.
New Windows Operating System
As many of you know, Microsoft Corporation has introduced a new operating
system, Windows 10. Portal Tutoring will be delving into this operating
system soon, learning how to use it, and generally becoming acquainted
with it. Portal Tutoring should be ready to work with students who need
computer training in this OS by January of 2016.
Teaching Braille to Adults
During the past couple of years, Portal Tutoring has been privileged to
teach Braille to several students. These students have all been adults who
have either lost their sight recently or who are losing their vision. It
has been a distinct pleasure to watch these students as they learn and
grow in their new skill. It is rewarding to know that these individuals
will be literate again.
Literacy has many definitions, but I use it to indicate the ability to
encode and decode the symbols which are used to reproduce spoken language
in a permanent form. Listening to someone reading aloud either a
computerized voice or that of a human being is not the same as being able
to decode the letters for oneself. Braille gives an individual this
freedom.
Some of my new students are deaf-blind. This is a truly exciting challenge
in teaching. I work with an interpreter in order to make the tutoring
possible. Working with an interpreter has taught me a great deal about
people who are deaf-blind as well as about myself. It is stretching my
abilities and causing me to look at teaching in a new way.
Working With Project Starfish
Project Starfish is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to train
blind and visually impaired individuals for the job market. they offer
training in computers and in business, and they encourage their students to
start their own businesses. they offer their students an opportunity to
gain skills and experience by pairing them with small businesses who need
their talents. The students work for these organizations and then move on
to other employment or to their own business ventures. You can find more
information about this organization at: http://www.pstarfish.org.
Portal Tutoring will be offering a monthly tutorial in Business Writing
for Project Starfish, beginning on September 10th. More about this venture
will follow.
Continuing Education
Ms. Parsons, Portal Tutoring's sole tutor and CEO participated in several
webinars this year. Most of these were held online. We attended several
webinars given by EASI (Equal Access to Software and
Information) including two on how to use Microsoft Word to create DAISY
content, a refresher course on PowerPoint, A four-part course on Microsoft
Word, information on 3D printers and graphics from Benetech, and
webinars from AI Squared on how to use Window-Eyes more effectively to
surf the web.. In addition, Portal Tutoring's CEO took a course in Windows
10 so that she would be able to use the new OS more easily. Portal Tutoring
intends to continue to take advantage of all possible avenues for continuing
education so that when you employ Portal Tutoring
or purchase our training materials, you can have the most up-to-date
information possible.
The Importance Of Networking
Portal Tutoring is pleased to announce that our networking with
ABVI-Goodwill of the Finger lakes is continuing. Both Portal Tutoring and
the Computer Center personnel at ABVI-Goodwill have benefitted greatly
from this opportunity to network. Portal Tutoring believes that by
networking, organizations and individuals can improve themselves through
the exchange of ideas.
Announcements
This fall, we will be updating our offerings at the bookstore, so check
out our web site to see what's new and different. In addition, we would
like to remind you that you can now pay for any Portal Tutoring training
or materials with a credit card through Paypal. Paypal will process your
credit card and you do not have to sign up with them or be connected with
them in any way at all. We continue to take money orders or personal
checks when necessary.
Thank you! We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our
patrons, both past and present. We continue to serve you, our students to
the best of our ability.
Unsubscribing: If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, please do
not hesitate to contact us at the above email address or by calling us. We
will immediately remove your name from our list.
Ann K. Parsons
akp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.portaltutoring.info
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost." JRRT
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ng.info
Robert Acosta, President
Helping Hands for the Blind
(818) 998-0044
www.helpinghands4theblind.org
