VI Guide-Entertainment

Entertainment

For information about obtaining books in electronic format, visit the Materials Adaptation page in the Vision-related Services area of V. I. Guide.

Movies and Radio

Assistive Media

This site offers professionally narrated audio recordings of literary works. You listen to them via the Real Audio Player which you can download for free. Currently their titles include only titles of interest to adults, but perhaps it will be expanded to include books for a wider age range at some point.

AudioNet

This site offers hundreds of TV and radio broadcasts, music CDs, audio books, etc. that you can listen to while surfing the Internet. You must first download two plug-ins called Real Audio Player and NetShow for your browser (from this site).

Blindspots

This site offers movie reviews for and by visually impaired people. Besides offering perspectives on the plot and actors, it evaluates how distinct each actor's voice is, how confusing "jumps" from one scene to another are, and how much silent activity there was (with no dialogue), etc.

National Audio Theatre (also known as the Blue Ridge Radio Players)

This is a nonprofit organization that produces fully cast audio plays in English. Their audio plays are distributed free of charge to over 80 blindness-related organizations nationwide, including many of the regional or state libraries serving the blind and physically handicapped in the USA. Their web site lists the plays they've recorded and the places to which they've been distributed. You can also order the tapes yourself at $4.00 each, with a minimum order of 5 tapes being required.

National Public Radio

You can listen to current news broadcasts as well as past programs once you've downloaded the RealAudio player. Among their excellent programs are: Fresh Air, Weekend Edition, Talk of the Nation, Science Friday Kids, and Jazz from Lincoln Center.

Radio Mystery Theater

This site features past broadcasts from 1974 to 1982 which can be downloaded or played via streaming media. Available programs include the original CBS Radio Mystery Theater hosted by E.G. Marshall and Tammy Grimes, plus the 1998 revival of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater hosted by Himan Brown.

Yesterday USA

This site broadcasts old-time radio shows and vintage music, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Although you can listen to it on the Internet using the link above, you can find out additional information (including how to listen to it via C-band satellite dishes, some cable systems and some AM & FM stations) by visiting their "How to Listen" page. By pledging a monthly amount as you might do during a National Public Radio station fund-raiser, you will receive access to a password-protected area of the Internet homepage which contains 2 additional CD quality audio feeds, downloadable (audio on demand) versions of many of their shows, plus a complete listing of titles and air dates of all programs currently on the air.

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Audio Books available for downloading

Assistive Media

This site offers a small but growing collection of books in RealAudio format. RealAudio format can be played through your PC's multimedia speakers once you've downloaded a free RealPlayer program. You can listen to excerpts of any of these professionally narrated audio recordings before you download the whole book. Book topics include robotics, the e-commerce revolution, and Peter Pan.

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Miscellaneous Links

Abacus Attack

This is a game for students who are visually impaired or blind. It was developed by three teachers of the visually impaired/mobility specialists, and is designed to reinforce math facts and abacus skills for students in grades 1-6. Using a magnetic board with large print an a braille overlay, the student uses games pieces to travel to "Attack Alley." Each space on the board has a raised shape. Upon landing on the shape, the student answers a math problem from the enclosed cards. Math problems are included for all elementary grade levels, and are presented in large print and in braille. Up to6 players can play simultaneously. Optional abacus is used to do computations, but large print or talking calculators can be used as well. Price is $70 without an abacus; $85.00 with an abacus. Add $10 for shipping and handling. Send check or purchase order to Mostly Mobility, 7100 Route 183, Bethel, PA 19507. For further information contact Robin Adler at Rhejadler@aol.com or call Shelly Faust-Jones at 717-933-5681.

Berit's Best Sites for Children

This site provides an extensive list of links to other sites appeal to children: sports, stories, music, finding an Internet "pen pal," history, science, animals, etc.

Guide to Toys for Children who are blind or visually impaired

This page, sponsored by the Toy Manufacturers of America and the American Foundation for the Blind, lists a wide variety of toys for all ages. Information for each toy includes its name, manufacturer, description, and usual retail price.

Love Bike

This web site showcases a uniquely designed tandem bike, called the Love Bike. It was designed by a father who wanted his visually impaired son to be able to ride in the front, not be pulled unseen from the rear. It steers from the rear or the front and, of course, has two sets of pedals.

Music Instruction

This site offers CD and audio cassette instruction to teach someone who to play the piano and guitar by ear.

National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA)

Interested in learning more about beep baseball? Try the NBBA's site. There you'll find the history of the game, how it's played, and information about beep baseball tournaments.

Space Camp for Visually Impaired Students

This page, part of the Texas School for the Blind's site, provides information about a space camp program offered to visually impaired students in grades four through twelve to teach them about aviation and the space program. Simulated space missions are conducted in mockups of the Space Shuttle orbiter and other simulators are used to experience the sensations of astronaut training.

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Entertainment

Table of Contents

Movies and Radio

Audio Books available for downloading

Miscellaneous Links