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Using BlindSquare to Create a Resource for Beginning College Students
Information on how to create important POIs on a college campus and then sharing these POIs with college students who are visually impaired/blind.
I work with several college students on campuses in the area. I used the Blind Square app to develop a Word document containing specific points of interest which are helpful for all beginning college students attending a particular university. In this lesson, I used NC State University in Raleigh NC. The document contains several places frequently traveled by students on campus. It is easy to email to students and can be modified as needed. Time at the beginning of the semester for campus orientation is typically limited so this is another resource for students to use to explore on their own.
To Create the Document
- Find a specific Point of Interest using BlindSquare.
- Select the POI.
- Select the Share Arrow on the right side of the screen.
- The screen shot below will display. There are several options including email and text message.
- Select email. Enter the email address and press Send.
- The information will appear in the email document like this example:
- The name of the POI will display in the Subject line of the email. Make sure you identify the POI in the Word document for each set of options.
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Google Maps
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Copy and Paste the information contained in the email to the Word document. Repeat this process for each POI. Once all POI’s have been copied and pasted to the Word document it can be sent via email to your students. It is very easy for me to make changes to the document as a campus expands or offices relocate.
Below is an email example of one of three tunnels students use to travel under the railroad tracks between sections of campus. The location information is in the subject line.
Subject: Shared location: Tunnel behind SAS Hall, Raleigh
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Another example of The Atrium Dining area on campus.
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Your students can then select from one of the 5 options to access navigational information about the destination.
BlindSquare
Google Maps
Maps
Navigon
TomTom
To Access a POI in BlindSquare using a Word document
**Note: The BlindSquare app must already be open on the student’s phone before selecting it as a navigational option in the Word document.
- Select BlindSquare from the Word document.
- You will be prompted to “Open this page in BlindSquare” or Cancel.
- Select Open.
- POI information will open and your student can begin using BlindSquare to track the route to the desired destination.
I included pictures in my examples for this lesson by downloading them from the email document. Simply select Download pictures and a map of the area as well as a picture if one is available will display within the body of the email. While pictures can be helpful for some students with low vision to assist with learning the characteristics of an area, it does take more space in your word document and can be confusing for students without any usable vision. I did not include pictures for the Word document I developed for use with my students and would probably not recommend including them because of space constraints.
I asked some of my current students to choose some specific POI’s that would be helpful to know how to locate as a new student on campus. Campus locations serving food were always popular choices with the students.
One student commented that having access to this type of Word document would give her more confidence to venture off on her own and explore the campus.
