[blindkid] Becoming aware of services?

Leah Roberts hikingshoes at gmail.com
Sun Jul 25 17:39:50 UTC 2010


I love the brochure “Braille and Visually Impaired Students--What does the
law require?" I have provided it to help set the stage when I am meeting
with a new professional who will likely be asking why I want my child to
learn Braille when he is not totally blind.

Is there a similar brochure that factually explains that all visually
impaired students in the US are entitled from birth to the services of a
TVI? That would be great for distribution to a number of types of
professionals.

When my son was found to be blind I happened to have an acquaintance from a
playgroup, an OT, who invited me to her house. She just kept repeating that
he was entitled from birth to the services of a TVI. I didn't really know
what she was talking about so it was good that she kept repeating herself!
When I called the local school district they didn't know what I was talking
about and they didn't have a TVI. But we soon got it worked out.

All I had to do was get to the NFB website to get a subscription to Future
Reflections and a huge packet of information that helped our family so much.
Whoever worked to create those materials, find funding for them, and decide
what would go into those early childhood packets, did such a service to the
future! But it was a matter of knowing the organization existed. And that
was a matter of accident - I think both of my parents had worked with people
who were involved. The childhood VI professionals I know around here would
not recommend the NFB.

Is this a potential project for local chapters - to offer a phone call or
email to local parents of blind babies/children and offer to have sent the
early childhood packet?

Leah



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