[blindkid] IEP goal/objective help needed

[Jami Cole]

Hi Carol,
I appreciate your response.  Even I need to rethink how I approach my
daughter given the new information about her vision.  We have given Calli
many, many experiences out of our home, community and even country and will
continue to do so, however now our approach and our challenge will be to
bring these experiences to her in a non-visual way.  

I'm sure that school staff was thinking that she could see and thus much of
her lack of progress must be due to cognitive delays.  We are very stressed
by our schools approach as they do not see Calli as able to make progress
with her DynaVox thus the "recreation" phrase.  Is she severely motorically
challenged? Yes. But does she have potential cognitively?  Again our answer
is emphatically YES!  We sound like a broken record with them but without
being given a chance to be educated in how to utilize an AAC device, how
else can she learn to interact and communicate at an appropriate social
level?  Thus we will drone on again in advocating fuller utilization of her
DynaVox.

I like what you said about thinking of what the "next logical step is" in
addressing her needs and goals.  And "how are we going to teach concepts
non-visually".  I will definitely be looking for the IEP teams approach and
hoping that they rise to the challenge in our discussions tomorrow.
Thank you,
Jami

Hi Jami,

I have been thinking about Calli's situation and have a few questions and
thoughts.

It sounds as if the team/you have been able to address many of Calli's
physical, health, and speech needs.  It seems appalling that the school
would only want her to use the DV4 for "recreation."  Am I missing something
here?  What could their reasoning possibly be?

Was everyone assuming in the past that Calli was able to learn through
looking at things?  Can she to some degree or is this what you are in the
process of finding out?  This will be a real switch in thinking if the team
has to start from scratch thinking of her as learning by touch and
listening.

It sounds as if listening is one of Calli's strengths.  I would certainly
continue with that.

So much learning for young blind children, developmentally delayed or not,
comes through direct experience with the world.  Has Calli had opportunities
to experience many things.  I am sure this is quite challenging given her
physical situation and fine motor issues.

Sometimes it is helpful to think about a child's needs and goals this
way:  What would be the next logical step in her development in the various
areas--gross motor, fine motor, speech & language, social, emotional,
academic, etc.  Then, add in the special materials and techniques to
accommodate her visual impairment.  For example, if everyone was assuming
that Calli could see them coming to her, they now could talk to her as they
approach.  If they were using pictures to teach a concept, now they could
add in real objects and help her examine them with her hands.

Is this anywhere near on the right track?

Best wishes,

Carol

Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nfb.org/nopbc