Accession Number: 2009.20.16
Scope & Content: Ivory plastic audiocassette, "BABL--Children's Songs Tape 1, Vocal and Instrumental Versions".
Creator: American Printing House for the Blind
Interview Date: / /
Collection: APH Collection
Credit Line: APH Collection, 2009.20.
Administrative History: APH identified a "major deficit in appropriate auditory training materials" to teach audiolinguistic skills to very young visually impaired children in 1973. Requests from the field reiterated the need for more records and tapes. In January 1973, APH sponsored a workshop that brought together five outside consultants to guide development of such materials and establish priorities. The workshop, organized at APH by Fay Leach, led to the BABL (Basic Approach to Beginning Language) project, which prototyped workbooks and recorded materials before being discontinued in 1978. A major component of BABL was Sing About Me (SAM), 28 original songs based on common experiences of young children. Field testing and review by experts resulted in the programs termination "because of the number of revisions needed, the availability of recordings for young children, and the lack of technical expertise for recordings of this type at APH." (1978 Research Annual Report).
Subjects: Child development Children Children singing Education of disabled persons Education research