And even more-the job hunt

I receive several newsletters related to the Deaf. Included in them are various job postings sometimes. Well this week I got one newsletter and in it was listed a job as an Instructional Technology Facilitator at the school for the Deaf closest to me in this state (New Jersey is actually closer) Next newsletter which is only jobs and resumes also has it listed. And finally it was listed on the school website.

I was not sure exactly what that position entailed so I emailed for more information. It is for what I want to do. I would be able to stay in Pennsylvania which would prevent any problems with my son and his needs.

On the negative side the school is in Philadelphia so that woud mean a wage tax of about 3.8%. Gas is skyrocketing and it would be an hour or more drive (I drive 45 minutes now.) So basically I'm not sure that I would make enough pay to cover my bills. Unlike the Clerc Center it is only a 10 month position. I also really enjoy working with the Deaf student I work with. She is doing so good and I don't want to leave her. But at the same time I want a job in the technology field. Needless to say I am confused, nervous and fearful. I hate that.

Soooo, I'm filling out an application and sending it in. Don't know what will happen if anything, I'll just have to wait and see. And if I'm offered the job than I will make a decision about it all.

And There's More

PESDHH, which I presented at two years ago-I think of it as the time that if it could go wrong it did-will be held again this year. It will be at Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) and we will have access to their computers. I have been encouraged to submit a proposal for a technology training. Not sure what I will propose. There are so many possibilites and I have 90 minutes or 3 hours to cram it all in to.

Missing Jewels Game and Storybook

Both the game and storybook are finished except for the sign language videos. I hope I am meeting a friend on Monday to make the video for the game. She is going to try to make the story videos too but she feels she is more English than ASL so it may not work out very well.

The story may have only a few pages done for the NTID International Symposium but at least it will give the people an idea of what will be there when school starts up again. Hopefully it won't take me too long to remember how to do the videos and put them in.

This summer I'm taking two Flash classes so hopefully I can learn more about the program.

A Lot's Been Happening

The game story is finally finished and I've been very busy creating the 3D graphics. It's not done yet-still need to add sign language to it but here's a link.

http://www.games.koolkidssign.com/stories/The_Missing_Jewels/

I'm having problems with the pages that have scrolling on them. I could only get a scroll bar to work in input text mode which isn't the greatest solution since it is possible to type into the story. It still needs a preloader. I also wish that I knew a way to preload the videos so it won't take so long for each page to load since they will all have video. The story is 42 pages long so if I preload the whole story as one it will take forever-especially on dialup.

I now have to go back and rework the game-change the graphics to match the story and of course add in the sign language videos.

The Best Yet

This June is the last International Symposium Technology and Deaf Education. When they asked for proposals I submitted the Kool Kids Sign ABC game and the in works color game for a poster session. I was accepted. I will be "presenting" on the Monday of the conference. I can't wait. Perhaps this will open a door to a technology job in Deaf education. I'd be torn though. I have a full caseload this year-one of whom is Deaf and very ASL. The interpreter is also a good friend and he keeps telling me that I'm not changing jobs.

I still have a great desire to work in the field despite my fears that I wouldn't be able to do everything I would need to do. I go along quite content in what I am doing but if I start to think about it I really want to change what I'm doing and get into the technology end of things. There is so much that can be done with Deaf kids and I don't have the time in my schedule to do anything and I only have one student anyway. At least this will spread the games to more schools so they will get more usage.

Missing Jewels update

Dixie finally finished the story she was writing and I am in the process of shortening it. I haven't done any videotaping yet because I decided to have the story signed too. It is an absolutely wonderful story and will make the game more fun.

While I was waiting for the story to be finished I started working on illustrating it. The graphics I had gotten to use for the game would not be enough to illustrate the story and my drawing skills are not very good. Another friend suggested posers. A poser is a 3D graphic. I started looking into them. DAZ offers free software along with some free things to use and a lot of pay things. There are also other companies selling porducts that work with DAZ/Studio. I have accumulated a lot of graphics to use and started planning out the graphics for the game.

Solve One Problem and Another Appears

Well, I solved that problem. I needed to have a separate tile for each of the letters in all of the words.

New problem-some of the color words have double letters. I can't set it so that the double letters can go into either place in the word-they just bounce back to their starting point. If I tell it one letter to one place then the child could spell the word right but then it would tell them they spelled it wrong.

Here's a link to the current problem:
Double Letter Problems Game

Since I made the little fairy for the game my mind has been thinking up all kinds of ways to embellish the game to coordinate with Dixie's story better. I just need to learn to draw.....

Missing Jewels Problems

I got the great idea to include a drag and drop page for each of the color words so the children could practice spelling the words. I started another file and got the eight colors set up then copy and pasted into the game. What I didn't do was put the letters on them.

I went through all eight words. Put letters on the tile when I did a test movie the box moved but the letter stayed. Next I tried to double click on the box and put the letter in there. That didn't work-all of the first ones changed on all eight pages. I suspect that I have to add a lot more of the dragging tiles-can't reuse them it appears.

I also got a picture of a little fairy-colored her grey because of the story and put her in in place of the arrows. She is pointing. I will probably have the person signing for the game to tell them that the fairies are helping them and click on them.

Missing Jewels Storyline

The game is pretty well finished except for the video. I have someone who is going to do the signing for me and I hope it works out okay. Unfortunately, I can't get it done until after Labor Day.

While I was waiting I thought it would be cute to put a storybook online that went along with the game. So since I'm not the most creative person I thought that I would start one of those stories, on a message board I belong to, where everyone adds to it.

So yesterday I started the story and my dear friend Dixie added to it and got a little carried away and hijacked(her word)it. She began writing the most wonderful story-no one even wants to touch it-we just keep posting what happens next questions. This story has gone way beyond what I can put online in a storybook. I will probably summarize it for the game when it is finished. Unless we all miss our guess, Dixie's story will be published.

Another dear friend has been considering whether or not to let me use her graphics for my next game. She asks questions and I answer them and she asks more. Yesterday I got to thinking about how secure a flash (swf) game really is. I know there has been software created that allows people to download them even though they are set to not download but I began to wonder if the graphics were accessible. From what I have begun to read they may very well be. I just started looking at this question last night and haven't found any software that makes them accessible yet. So far I haven't found anything that can access the graphics but I have just begun looking. Since I am using CS3 the software may be lagging behind still but I have to think about the future. My friend's graphics are wonderful and I would not want her income to be hurt because I used them in the game. Soooo more research is needed.

I also heard about the job I desperately wanted. They have decided on a hiring freeze so will be filling the position with someone who already works for them. Oh well, my friend said they may post it next year but I doubt it. I can't imagine the person they hire not wanting to continue doing it and after a year they will know what they are doing.

Lost Jewels Game

The lost jewels game is almost finished. I just need to add the credits and the videos. I sent a request out on a mail list I am on to see if I could get a volunteer to do the signing for me. Now I just have to wait and see if anyone volunteers.

Finally

I finally solved the problem. Somehow the frame I was using the button to go to, had directions to go back to the page I was starting on so everytime I hit the button I stayed where I was. Now it's working fine. I can't imagine making any really complicated games. I run into enough problems just with the simple things that I do.

Game Making Can Be Frustrating

I spent more than two hours working on the directions/information part of the Missing Jewels game. I created the information pages and buttons and figured out the navigation. I then decided it was time to test it. Every single button works perfectly except one. I have deleted the button, renamed the button changed the name of the frame I want it to go to.... So far this has been going on for about 30 minutes and it still won't work. I wonder if I sent it to a frame number instead of a frame label if that would work. I'll go try that real fast although I don't want to do it that way just to see what happens. Then I'm quitting for tonight. Maybe if I start fresh with it tomorrow I will see what I am doing wrong.

On a positive side, I spent quite a bit of time trying to make the jewels that the children will gain along the way to earning the missing jewel. I didn't like how they came out so I posted them to the Message Board at Daisie Company where I have many friends asking for input. Audrey Jeanne Roberts one of the artist's there was wonderful and created some great jewels for me.

Still Waiting

Jobs post publicly on Monday at the school and the job didn't post today. Now I have to wait another week to see if it posts. It is so hard to make any plans when everything is on hold. It is a 12 month position so I don't know when the start date would be. I asked someone today how much notice I would have to give at my current job if the school year started before I was able to interview and change jobs.

Since I could very well still be here this year, on Wednesday I take the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment test. Pennsylvania has established minimum standards for their interpreters and while my job is not interpreter I sub for them sometimes so I need to meet the standards. When I took the test before I scored a little below the minimum so hopefully I will have improved enough that I meet the standards.

I got an inkling today of what I will be doing this year if I stay where I am. Some subbing and some technolgy things. In the past we have been supporting the sound fields in the schools and the teacher primarily responsible for them has retired so I will possibly be doing that some too. I may also be involved in working with our C-Print captionists (like closed captioning TV but on a laptop for a hearing impaired student to supplement what they are able to get from the teacher so they don't miss anything.)

The Stakes Have Been Raised

I got an email today telling me that there is a new job opening in Educational Technology at a school for the Deaf. This specific job is the job I have dreamed of getting but didn't ever expect there to be a job opening for it. I have no idea how soon this will post publicly or how in the world I would up and move/sell the house/make arrangements for my son but I can't not apply for this one. I can't wait to hear more information about this.

The Lost Jewels sample and a question for input

I decided on a name for the game with the prince and princess-The Lost Jewels. I have also decided it will be a color game. It has three components:
1. a video telling the color of a jewel in sign language, fingerspelling and print.
2. a video asking the child to find the right color jewel from three choices.
3. a video asking the child to find the right color word from three choices.

4. I just thought of another way to do this and that is to match the color word to the right color jewel.

I roughed out #1-3 today and made a video of myself doing the signing (not a very good one either and I forgot how to add the replay button) because I wanted to see how it worked out. I still need a Deaf person to sign it in ASL. It would be really cool is they would dress up as a princess but I don't expect that will happen. I'll be thankful if I can get someone to sign for me.

There are 8 color words and 6 missing jewels. For each right answer the child gets a small jewel and when they collect a certain number (undecided right now how many) they get the big jewel and it goes into the crown until all the jewels have been found.

It's been two years since I made the ABC game and I am having to remember how to do some of the things. Hopefully it will all come back pretty easy.

Here is a link to check out how #1-3 above work.

Now the question:
I'm wondering if I should go through each color completely parts 1-4 or if I should first teach all of the colors, then do all of the color jewels, then find all of the color words, and then match all of the colors with the printed word.

The advantage of grouping all of one color together would be that it would be easier for a teacher to use it to teach the color/sign/written word.

So what do you think? any other input will also be accepted.

More Game Ideas

I still don't know if I can use the graphics I asked the artist about-I had told her there was no hurry because I had to study for a test. Haven't been studying much though now that I feel like making a new game.

I found another set of graphics at Delightful Doodles and have obtained permission to use them to make a game. I'm not sure about what this game will be about since I don't know if I can use the other graphics to make a counting game or not. I have been thinking about how the game will work and have started putting together some ideas for different parts.

Here's a screenshot of one of the frames.



I made the room and the pedestal. The prince, princess, crown and window frame are from Delightful Doodles. The scenery outside the window is by Gina Jane Johnson, CEO and Founder of The D.A.I.S.I.E. Company.

My last problem for either game is that I do not have a Deaf person to sign for me in the videos-which is the way it should be done. It's their language not mine. I also am thinking of offering these up for sale for a minimal price since they do need high-speed internet to be able to view the videos.

Next summer is the final International Symposium on Instructional Technology and Education for the Deaf at National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York. If I can get a couple more games created I would like to present them in a poster session. That would be the ideal way to get the word out that there are these games available for the kids.

A New Game???

I had an absolutely awesome idea for a new game after seeing graphics by one artist. I emailed her and she is thinking over whether or not I could use them for the game. In the meantime, I can't make my brain stop thinking and planning the game. I sure hope she agrees to my use of the graphics. They would make such an awesome math counting game.

This is Getting Ridiculous

Rosemary (my supervisor during my instructional technology internship) told me today that there is a job opening at MSSD (Model Secondary School for the Deaf.) They need a combination Computer Applications teacher and Yearbook person. Not quite what I would like but definitely where I would like.

It's the same problem as Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. It's not in Pennsylvania so Jonathan would have to go on a waiting list for services. Why are there no jobs here in Pennsylvania?

Maybe I'm supposed to just go on faith that all will work out. Wish I knew what was happening with the Mentoring grant-I would feel better not looking at the job. Of course if I just look around the house and think one month to find a place to live and move......

I really want to make changes in my job and shift more into the technology end of things. It would be so much simpler if it could happen in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania-possible interpreting mentorship grant and other things

I was at the interpreting summer institute Monday and Tuesday at the Nittany Lion Inn. While there we were told that Pennsylvania had applied to get a grant for a mentorship for interpreters to help them improve their skills and pass the Educational Interpeting Performance Assessment (EIPA) which the state has now set a minimum skill level of 3.5 out of 5. One thing that was also mentioned was that they plan to produce materials for practice (videos) During one of the breaks I asked if they would be hiring someone to make the materials. I was told that they did not know if they had to use people already working for PaTTAN however it would be great if they could hire me for it because I already know the field and the kinds of materials needed. They will keep me in mind when the time comes. I assume that this would be part time work but I will have to wait to find out after they get the grant. (I did make myself very useful with technology problems while I was there so I will definitely stay in their mind-besides I actually know two of the people involved so I know my name will come up if they begin discussing hiring someone.) Keeping my fingers crossed that maybe this is where I am supposed to be heading.

I finished my degree two years ago and it wasn't until last year that I submitted the paperwork for the certification. I still don't have it. Yesterday I came across the Praxis test results letter and found out that the university never received a copy of the test results. Now I know why I never received the certification.

Looking to next summer-Next year is the last International Symposium on Instructional Technology for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, NY. I have gone to the last two and loved it. It is really great to see the things that can be used with the kids. I think that unless Rosemary (my internship supervisor) is going to show my ABC games during a presentation that I will write an abstract to submit to show them during a poster session. Even if she is going to show them I think I will try to do a poster session. It would be great if I could get more games done by next year. I'll have to start thinking about a new game. There had been a request for numbers. Colors would be another good idea.

More info about jobs

Well, I seem to have adjusted fine to not applying for the job in Virginia.

On the plus side of all this, I had a friend (the one who dragged me into PESDHH last year) offer to write me a reference. That would have been the third one I needed. Oh well. Maybe another job will appear. In the meantime, here I sit in my nice comfortable life and I don't have to get up the bravery to leave my comfort zone. I really was going to go through the process before I found out about the time frame for services. I filled out half of the application even before I found out what I needed to know.