[blindkid] Monocular issues

[Carlton Anne Cook Walker]

Carol,

My take on this is to go back and look at the statute (not surprising, given
my previous life as an attorney).

The IDEA and its enabling regulations mandate that students with a visual
impairment are entitled to special education services if the student has an,
" impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a
child's educational performance."  Additionally, the braille provision
mandates that the IEP team's consideration of braille must include, " an
evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use
of Braille ."  One last important provision to remember is that the IDEA
includes within its definition of special education, "instruction in
physical education."

So, the loss of vision in one eye is important to the determination of
eligibility for special education services because it may:

(1) adversely affect the educational performance of the student

(2) may be a consideration for the IEP team regarding the future need for
braille (if the remaining vision is not definitively stable)

or

(3) the student's physical education needs modification as a result of the
monocular vision.



Take care,


Carlton

-- 
Carlton Anne Cook Walker, cTVI, NCLB
Voice: 717-658-9894
Twitter: braillemom