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January 18, 2006
The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf enhances its 'Literacy Rich Classrooms'
The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD) in Germantown has received a grant of $15,000 from the Verizon Foundation to purchase classroom technology in the form of six Tandberg Document Cameras. Use of these cameras greatly benefits deaf and hard of hearing students who are primarily visual learners because the cameras allow teachers to take any document -- textbooks, graph, diagram, photograph, or map -- and display it directly on a SMART Board or TV monitor on the wall.
The cameras have zoom capabilities and show materials in color. Deaf students can study the materials being projected while being taught in sign language simultaneously and there is no need for transparencies or other reproduced materials.
"Verizon is pleased and proud to improve the quality of life for children, teens and adults in the City of Philadelphia," said James A. Reed, Director of External Affairs, Verizon Pennsylvania. "By building bridges to technology through computers, digital cameras and the Internet, we can partner with The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf to provide valuable technology training and enrich our communities."
Founded in 1820, PSD currently educates over 200 students ages 3-21 in grades K-12. According to PSD Director of Education Dr. Marcia Volpe, "These document cameras make literacy and deaf kids a perfect match. We also will place one of the document cameras in our library classroom where students can practice reading together at the same time."
Posted by 4HL on January 18, 2006 10:21 AM
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