[blindkid] Questions for parents of blind high schoolers

Bonnie Lucas lucas.bonnie at gmail.com
Sun Apr 18 23:20:57 UTC 2010


Sally,
We are in the same position as you with Aubrie going into 9th grade and starting high school. We have had her IEP and because of the very limited amount of elective time available and because Aubrie is on the university tract, it is not easy to fit real time with a vision teacher into her schedule. At this point, she only receives direct services for O&M and her TVI comes in a couple of times a week for math. However, if she looks like she is understanding everything that's going on, she doesn't come in for that. For next year, we still think that math will be the subject where she will need more help so at this point, the TVI will come in a couple of times a week unless we discover a need to change that. She will have time before school starts to get technology support, whatever that might be, and she will have O&M after school one day a week. However, if she does decide that she will do marching band for sure, (still not sure), then we will probably need to put off the O&M training for another year or for summer. For me, the most important thing is that she get her classes, as long as she does not need any help with Braille and computer skills. I'm sure there are things she could learn but the TVI working with her could potentially come to a class if there was really a need. Sometime, especially when I hear that other students receive a lot of support from the vision staff, I wonder if Aubrie is really learning everything she needs to know. However, when she hands her homework in and gets good grades, I have to conclude that things are coming along all right. Last year she did very well on the end-of-year testing and they are in the middle of testing right now. She says that so far nothing has been too hard and she thought that she did better in math this year than last. As far as I can tell, she knows most of what she needs to know and she doesn't say much about not getting the information she needs. Of course, she is shy and there is always the possibility that she isn't telling me all that I should be hearing. Because I received little help in high school as a blind student, I think I unconsciously expect Aubrie to be the same way. Perhaps years from now she will begin telling all the things she missed because she didn't open her mouth! LOL.
Let's just keep in touch and compare notes. Oh, yes, one thing that she is doing right now is working with the O&M instructor to learn the high school before school starts next year. He will also be her TVI next year so that is a nice little bonus. 

    Bonnie Lucas
770-992-0484
Cell: 678-480-0864
lucas.bonnie at gmail.com


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