[blindkid] Large Print Texts

[Kim Cunningham]

Stacy,
My daughter is also "low vision" and began school as a print reader. The large print textbooks were always in black and white - even the maps and charts! Plus there is the added burden of having multiple (and heavy) large print books for one regular print book. While in high school she was able to get a few of her text books on CD. Usually, her large print text books were ordered in early spring prior to the beginning of school in the fall. I would suggest calling to make sure this is done. You will also need to get a copy of the list of classroom books for the upcoming year. Start working ahead of time to locate the books. All of them won't be available. I don't know how may times a book was copied, NOT bound, and given to my daughter as a stack of paper. I'm sure you can figure out the outcome of that!
I would like to caution you about how hard it is for a large print reader to be successful in school. What I say doesn't mean she won't be successful, but she will struggle to keep up with her peers. Your daughter is young and most print in books and text books for younger children is usually very large. I believe 18 pt. font is the standard size font for large print readers. First graders usually have even larger font sizes. As your daughter progresses through school, each grade, the print becomes smaller and the amount of reading increases. A child with partial vision will never match the reading rates of totally sighted children. She will still need to complete the same assignments as her peers. She will still need to read all the books. 
When our CTVI's do reading assessments for our "low vision" children, it is usually done in optimum conditions such as: clear, crisp reading material (large print copies are often grainy), quality lighting and usually not for an extended period of time. At the end of the assessment the kids are deemed "visual" learners. I assume this is determined because our kids are able to read print, but they don't take into account other obstacles. When our low vision kids are faced with reading novels, with very small print, they are often fatigued after a short while. My own daughter complained of neck aches, back aches, and head aches from the strain of visual reading. Homework always took twice as long if not longer. Most nights usually ended in tears from fatigue. Parents presume the professionals such as CTVI's have the knowledge and foresight of best educational decisions for our children. The fact is, that most hold low expectations for their educational
 outcome. Many don't know braille or how to teach it. Most have the presumption that braille is hard. Many say how horrible it is to ask a child to wear sleep shades to learn braille. None of my daughter's CTVI's ever witnessed what it took for her to complete her homework visually. While I complained, it fell on deaf ears. 
I write this to you as one mother to another. Children do not have to be "totally blind" to benefit from braille. Low vision kids who learn braille are able to keep up with their peers in all reading material. You will hear this often - braille is an equalizer! My own daughter began teaching herself braille in the 7th grade. Her CTVI chastised her for wanting to learn braille, so she became a closet braille reader. We fought the school district and she finally received braille instruction her senior year of high school. Since she learned braille at an older age, her braille reading speed will probably never be equal to her peers, but now she has the opportunity to read for "pleasure"! 
I hope I have given you some things to think about. I only wish someone had given me the wisdom and foresight into what would best benefit my child in the long run. 
Thank you,
Kim Cunningham

--- On Tue, 5/10/11, slemmonrn at spotlight-music.com <slemmonrn at spotlight-music.com> wrote:


From: slemmonrn at spotlight-music.com <slemmonrn at spotlight-music.com>
Subject: [blindkid] Large Print Texts
To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 12:23 PM


My daughter Adison,7, is in 1st grade and has low vision (currently 20/200
corrected). I had been asking for large print texts to come home for us to
complete homework assignments for months(and yes, it is in the IEP).
Finally, one was sent home. I was a little shocked to see it was black and
white photocopies of the regular print text.  The books were to be ordered
Fall prior to the start of school, and supposedly have been ordered for
next year. Per my call with the publisher, they are available. What have
any of you experienced?

Thank you,
Stacy

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