Sunday, December 05, 1999
Computer could help mother help her children
BY JOHN JOHNSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Dawn Early surrounded by family: Husband Dana; Aaron, 9; Allison, 4, and Danielle, 10.
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Dawn Early wants to help her children with their homework.
Her middle child, 9-year-old Aaron, especially needs her right now. He's struggling with reading and math.
Mrs. Early has visited the library with Aaron and her other children, Danielle, 10, a voracious reader, and Allison, 4, who is in Head Start. They've sat together at a computer.
“I couldn't help them,” Mrs. Early says, “because I couldn't see (the screen). They were trying to read the screen to me so I could tell them what to do.” But the half-hour limit doesn't allow time to accomplish much.
Mrs. Early was born blind, a result of congenital cataracts. Several eye surgeries brought some improvement. But at age 20, glaucoma wiped out almost all vision in her right eye.
Today, she sees colors, and can read only the largest newspaper headlines. Even using a magnifier, she strains to read her children's school work.
Those trips to the library showed her something, though. Aaron thrived on the computer. “He does better with hands-on technology,” says Mrs. Early. “He seemed to really take to it.”
“It's fun,” Aaron says, “and you can learn more.”
Allison caught on, too. “She sat down and started clicking the mouse and reading Dr. Suess,” Mrs. Early says.
Mrs. Early has worked for Clovernook Center for the Blind in North College Hill for 15 years. Her husband, Dana, is being treated for anxiety attacks and is not working; he acknowledges he's not the best person to help the kids with their schoolwork. The family lives in Riverside.
A computer with large print and speech output technology would allow Mrs. Early to assist her children. Math and reading software would especially benefit Aaron. “I think it would give him a chance to be more successful,” Mrs. Early says.
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