LYNN CARROLL

Lynn Carroll has been a volunteer at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB) for the past 16 years. She possesses a unique skill of being a nationally certified Braille Transcriptionist for the blind. Carroll has volunteered her special skills to enable the blind to access educational materials in Braille. She devotes seven to ten hours per week helping the USDB produce educational materials in Braille for blind students.

Carroll has also shared her unique talent, training two staff persons at the USDB in Braille transcription. Under Carroll’s guidance, these two people have obtained national certification in Braille transcription. She has taught classes in Braille transcription and in the Nemeth Braille code, used in science and math, for teachers and aides at the school. Recently Carroll finished team-teaching an introduction to Braille that was broadcast to other parts of the state via Utah’s EDNET.

Educational materials in Braille are costly and can be difficult to find. One textbook or reading book in Braille may cost anywhere from $600 to $2,000. Many books are not available in Braille and must be transcribed. Carroll has employed her specialized training and expertise to enable hundreds of students to access educational materials while saving the school thousands of dollars. USDB now has a Braille production department staffed by people she trained, and together they produce text books, tests, worksheets, pamphlets and an array of additional materials that otherwise would have been unavailable to a blind student.

Carroll has had unique challenges in her service to the deaf and blind. She earned her Braille Transcription Certification in 1981 and has volunteered in various ways since then. She has studied specialized Braille codes at home and traveled to workshops provided by the National Braille Association. Carroll worked with the Lion’s Club to secure two Perkins Braillers as a donation to USDB. She is also active throughout her community and has taught classes in reading Braille by sight for Ogden City Schools Continuing Education Program. In addition, Carroll is active in the Ogden Community Choir and the Audubon Society. The list of students, teachers and community members that have received direct and indirect benefit from Carroll’s volunteer service is abundant.