Emporia State University has announced the creation of a new resource for differently abled students.
ESU Associate Professor Erika Martin teamed up with her friend Whitney Davidson to create the “Adapted Biology Lab Manual,” an “Innovative and affordable digital resource” aimed at blind or visually-impaired students. Martin says the development of the manual dates all the way back to her first year at Emporia State, 10 years ago, when she was teaching introductory labs to several blind students.
Included in the manual are 12 adaptable modules for those who are blind, low-vision, or sighted learners, with a number of teacher resources, including low-cost equipment and budget-friendly methods for teaching and completing each lesson.
During an interview on KVOE’s ESU Buzz Thursday, Martin walked KVOE News through one of the modules, which focuses on Photosynthesis.
The manual was field tested on a national scale with visually impaired individuals, which was a crucial piece to the puzzle of development, according to Martin.
The manual, which, according to a news release from Emporia State, is believed to be the first and only of its kind, is available through American Printing House for just $20.
