Don’t Leave Our Kids Behind
CTEBVI Conference - April 2010
Presented by:
Diana M. Dennis, TLC EIP
Anne Bell, TLC EIP
Maria Zavala, Parent Advocate
Jeri Hart, Blind Babies Foundation
Remember that Education
starts at home!
Know your rights,
Educate yourself, go
with your gut, ask
questions.
Your child’s education
will be most effective
if you, the parent ,
have an active role in
the process.
Experiential Learning
Direction - daily schedule
Understanding
Caring
Active Learning
Teaching
Interesting
Observation
Never lose hope
Develop Team Work – Educators,
Specialists & Parents
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Build & maintain positive relationships
Maintain close contact
Communicate a sense of teamwork
Neither intimidate or be intimidated
See others’ perspectives
Keep expectations high but realistic
Ask questions – you shouldn’t have to wait until
an IFSP or IEP; team work is more than an annual
or semi annual meeting.
Know that Collaborations Can &
Should Happen
• Vision Impairment Specialists can collaborate
with specialists from other programs. Parents
can help by asking for collaboration & keep
communication open between you and …
• School Districts
• Private Infant Programs
• CCS – Medical Therapy Units
• Medical Professionals – Pediatric
Ophthalmologists, Neurologists, Pediatricians.
Know the Systems
• General Education System
• Special Education System
• Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
and Regional Center Systems
• California Children’s Services (CCS)
• Medical System
• Community Support Systems
The Maze of Early Intervention and
Transitions into Preschool
• Initially you may have one or two people come to your
home, some families start with 3-4 and then by the
time they have left the Early Start System they have
met anywhere from 10-20+ individuals who have come
to help??
• Are they helping? Sometimes, and sometimes they are
adding frustration, confusion, lack of coordination,
poor communication, and the family is left feeling lost.
• As a parent, know what you are entitled to & how best
to advocate for your child. Remember, you know your
child better then anyone.
READ
• It’s never too early to read to a child, a child who is blind or
visually impaired is no different. Reading is critical to brain
development and developing language based on real
experiences. Making sense of print, braille or symbolic
representation requires careful consideration.
• To help develop this meaning making – use songs, book
bags or story boxes, tactile books, and more .
• Children begin by tasting books, feeling books, throwing
books and eventually looking or touching books.
• Make time for Story Time it’s critical for your child’s
development. Think of your child’s best learning style,
auditory, tactile or visual and foster their interest in books.
Braille Instruction
•
An IEP team is obligated to assume even
before an evaluation is conducted—that braille
instruction will be a necessary service for the
blind or visually impaired child.
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This is an important shift from past
educational practices when it was typically
assumed that children with some usable vision
would read print and only be provided with
braille instruction as the last resort.
Consideration of Special Factors
Here is the pertinent section from the IDEA
reauthorization of 2004: Section 614 (d)(3)(B)(iii)
(B) Consideration of Special Factors –
The IEP Team shall – (iii) in the case of a child who is blind or
visually impaired, provide for instruction in braille and the
use of braille unless the IEP Team determines, after an
evaluation of the child’s reading and writing skills, needs,
and appropriate reading and writing media (including an
evaluation of the child’s future needs for instruction in
braille or the use of braille), that instruction in braille or the
use is not appropriate for the child.
For school-age children: Ask About Expanded
Core Curriculum and Know What it Includes
• Compensatory Skills (Braille; listening skills,
handwriting skills; abacus)
• Orientation & Mobility Skills
• Social Skills
• Independent Living Skills
• Recreation and Leisure Skills Career Education
• Assistive Technology
• Visual Efficiency Skills (NA-1995)
Parent Perspective
• Maria’s story
• A Need for Low Vision resources, thinking of
ways to make things more accessible.
• Strategies that parents can try to make the
educational system a more successful one.
Know who is serving your child
• Feel good about the services you are getting? If
not, why not?
• Ask questions
• If you are not satisfied with the services ask
yourself “Why not?”
• If your child is not making progress or you are not
agreeing with the approach, then find someone
who you can talk to (teacher, administrator); If
you disagree with the assessment, you have the
right to ask for and obtain an independent
educational evaluation (IEE) at public expense.
Know your rights, READ them
• It’s important that you know your rights, and that
you know what your child has the right to.
• It’s important that you agree with the IFSP or IEP
that has been put in place and that your child is
getting the services they need.
• Get your team together; if your service
coordinator doesn’t include everyone for your
IFSP or IEP meeting (you can invite them) or you
can ask them to collaborate or facilitate by
scheduling or requesting a meeting.
CA Department of Education
• www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa/pssummary.asp
To obtain more information about parental
rights or dispute resolution, including how to
file a complaint, contact the CA Department of
Education, Special Education Division,
Procedural Safeguards Referral Service, by
telephoning 800-926-0648.
Or writing to…
California Department of Education
Special Education Division
Procedural Safeguards Referral Service
1430 N Street, Suite 2401
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: 800-926-648
FAX: 916-327-3704
Are our children falling behind?
In many instances children who are blind are
leaving preschool as the just begin to feel a sense
of self and develop a willingness to explore with
their hands. They are just a year away from being
expected to not only read and write their letters,
but to comprehend that these symbols … have
meaning.
Ask your self, is my child stressed ?
If so, is he or she able to learn under these
conditions?
Avoid or un-learn
“learned helplessness”
• Teach Active Learning
• Teach Experiential Learning
• Promote explorations early, never give up and
keep your expectations high and realistic.
• Children with multiple disabilities can thrive
and have enriching experiences if the setting
is right and conducive to learning.
• Read to your child, build pre-literacy and
literacy skills in the early years
Social-Emotional Skills
• We cannot overlook the importance of our
children’s feelings and their social-emotional
well being.
• This may be the most critical stage of
development for our children to make
progress in all other areas of development.
• Foster awareness, and read your child’s cues,
find ways to alleviate their stress…
Resources
• Extracurricular activities are just as important for your
child who is blind or visually impaired as your other
children.
• It’s important to tap into community resources like:
Mommy & Me groups, Gymboree classes, dance
classes, Story Time at the Library, Swim classes, music
classes, Music Together opportunities, Hippo Therapy,
Gymnastics. Children’s art or discovery museums.
• Varied activities can help foster self-awareness & selfesteem, support incidental and experiential learning.
Be creative.
Questions Contact Us
• Diana M. Dennis @ [email protected]
• Anne Bell @ [email protected]
• Jeri Hart @ [email protected]
• Maria Zavala @ [email protected]