Photo Courtesy PWPSD

By Tanner Smith

PWPSD

Bonanza School students create Braille books for visually impaired youth

Mar 19, 2024 | 1:00 PM

Grade 5 and 6 students from Bonanza school have finished translating 100 books into Braille for visually impaired students across Northwestern Alberta.

After a visit with Peace Collaborative Services Visually Impaired Teacher, Mrs. Karen Betty, 16 students from Bonanza school worked together to create these Braille books for other students.

Over a few months, students purchased used books, translated them to braille, recorded audio to go along with the stories, and added Picture In A Flash (PIAF) machines, so any student dealing with visual impairments, or other disabilities could still enjoy reading.

Bonanza School Principal Theresa Simmonds credited the student’s teamwork throughout this project, saying, ” the students helped edit each other’s braille work and critiqued each other’s recordings to ensure a high-quality result, and that it took approximately 1,400 recordings to get the perfect audio.”

Photo Courtesy PWPSD

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These books will now be distributed to students in five school divisions; the Peace Wapiti Public School Division, Grande Prairie Public School Division, Peace River School Division, Holy Family Catholic Regional Division in Peace River and Northern Gateway Public Schools in Whitecourt.

The books have already been delivered to the Crystal Park School Library and will be catalogued, and then made available to any student in the five districts.

After reflecting on their work, students shared their new perspective in the release, saying they are more confident in their writing and editing skills, they enjoyed learning a new language, their empathy for others has grown and that hard work can bring them great happiness.

Bonanza School would also like to send their thanks to Faking Sanity for its “generous deal on books” and Saddle Hills County for supplying 100 data sticks for audio recordings.

Anyone wanting more information on this project, can visit PWPSD’s website.