Congratulations to the graduates of the 2015 CBVH Pre-College Program!

The English professors and Technology instructors of Echoes Instructional Design, Inc. enjoyed hosting virtual classes for students at both Lemoyne and Manhattanville Colleges in New York State as part of the NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped’s 2015 Pre-College Program.  Students experienced a complete college-immersion experience including dorm-living, classes, campus activities, and off-campus trips.

Our staff enjoyed getting to know the students in the online learning environment, using the latest conferencing and course management technologies. For many students, this was their first exposure to online learning. We are proud that with proper training and support, these students not only adjusted, but flourished. Many students demonstrated significant growth in their writing skills and in their proficiency with technology.  As colleges and universities continue shifting toward online and hybrid courses, we will continue to help our students develop these critical new learning skills.

We look forward to having these Pre-College Program alumni back next year to share tips and stories with the next generation of students!

Echoes Instructional Joins the NYS CBVH Summer Pre-College Program

Echoes Instructional Design, Inc. is pleased to join the NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped’s Sumer 2013 Pre- College Program!  In this four week residential program, participants will experience college life first hand as they develop research, writing, technology, and independent living skills.  Echoes Instructional Design’s Developmental Writing Seminar (DWS) has been incorporated into the program to provide challenging academic and technological instruction.

The DWS program uses the framework of a Freshman English class to  introduce writing techniques and new technologies via online learning with real-time discussion.   Our goal is to help students develop fluency with mainstream, accessible tools and applications to facilitate college academics. Our Writing Professors, Technology Specialists, and Distinguished Guests will work closely with participants to challenge, guide, and inspire.

Dates: Saturday July 13, 2013 through Friday, August 9, 2013

Where: Choice of two campuses

  1. LeMoyne College (www.lemoyne.edu) in Syracuse, NY, facilitated by Aurora of Central NY
  2. Manhattanville College (www.mville.edu) in Purchase, NY, facilitated by Visions of NYC

Who: To be eligible, students must be NYS residents who are legally blind and going into their senior year of high school in the fall of 2013. The program is strongly recommended for students requesting CBVH college sponsorship.

Contact: Your NYS CBVH Counselor

The Other Kind of Campus Credit

Most colleges  have longstanding agreements with banks to offer credit, debit and/or prepaid cards to their students. In fact, the bank card may bear the school logo or club/team emblem. Most schools will have bank tables set up during college fairs, orientation, and registration days, offering you fast credit. Some schools even offer students the option of receiving their excess financial aid money on a  campus approved card rather than wait for a check. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Remember, students pay for this convenience through fees, fees, fees. Are you ready to pay for nothing? Many cards will charge students for NOT using them, called an inactivity fee. 

 A recent report from the NY Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) found that students are often charged excessive, and possibly illegal fees and rates.

Fees can be steep and frequent for students using the university-adopted cards, including a variety of per-swipe fees, inactivity fees, overdraft fees,  ATM

fees and fees to reload prepaid cards.

Be sure to ask about fees and read the rules before you decide “paper or plastic”.