[blindkid] School placement question

[Kieszak, Stephanie (CDC/CCEHIP/NCEH)]

I should have stated that my husband and I did visit the resource room
school twice, in two different school years.  We did the same with the
other school we want her to attend.  Kendra's TVI was with us for the
most recent visits to both schools as well.  For confidentiality
reasons, I did not want to disclose everything but I will quote some
sections from a letter I wrote to the head of TVIs after our last visit
to the resource room school:

1.  We did not observe any Braille signage in the building.  Doors were
not labelled with the Braille room numbers, nor with the teachers'
names.  In order for children to develop independence in orientation and
mobility, it is helpful for them to have such information.  

2.  There were no Braille books in the kindergarten classroom we
observed but there was a shelf of print books.  When I questioned the
TVI about this, I was told that the children could walk to the resource
room for a Braille book.  Blind children should have the same access to
reading materials as the sighted children have.

3.  The children did not initially have a Perkins brailler in their
classroom.  When it was commented upon, one was brought into the room.
Blind children should have the same access to writing materials as the
sighted children have.

4.  The two blind/visually impaired children we observed were seated
separately from the sighted students in the classroom.  Whether this was
by their choice or not, they did not seem to be integrated into the
classroom activities.  We observed them working with a separate teacher
at separate tasks.

5.  The most upsetting thing we observed at our last visit was a
para-pro placing a printed worksheet in front of a blind child, telling
her "here is a fence, color it in" and then placing a crayon in her hand
and putting the child's hand over the picture.  

When we visited (SCHOOL X) two years ago, we brought up many of these
concerns (lack of Braille signage and lack of Braille classroom books,
in particular).  It was disheartening on our second visit to see that
none of these issues had been addressed.  These were not surprise visits
so our conclusion was that the things we observed were typical of how
things are run at that school.  I would be happy to talk with you,
either in person or on the phone, if there is any other information I
can provide about our visits.