[blindkid] How do you get to bring Braille note home

[Carrie Gilmer]

Dear Trudy,

The law states:

IDEA Sec. 300.308

(b) On a case-by-case basis, the use of school-purchased assistive
technology devices in a child's home or in other settings is required if the
child's IEP team determines that the child needs access to those devices in
order to receive FAPE. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(12)(B)(i)) 

 

So..it is by law:

*         case by case

*         REQUIRED.IF.the IEP team DETERMINES the child NEEDS ACCESS to
THOSE DEVICES.(and then writes it in)

 

The argument would be based on summer learning ACCESS, AVAILABILITY, etc. as
compared to the student's sighted peers. Sighted students are encouraged to
write and read all summer long.  If any student is behind grade level or at
an argument for summer "catch-up", an argument about RENTENTION through
summer practice.for the gifted or above gradelevel an argument about
maintenance and challenging practice.

 

Sighted children have tons of FREE and AVAILABLE writing/reading
opportunities, encouragement, PRACTICE over the summer. Including it in an
(or AS AN) ESY program that COSTS them NO MORE money is a good argument.
Sometimes it works to ask for all (FULL SUMMER ESY for example) and then
take equipment at home as a willing compromise (IF the child truly has NO
need for summer instruction) that costs them nothing.NO STAFF, no extra
equipment $$, no transportation.

 

Always remember in reality: *If it in NOT in the IEP; it does not exist.

 

Our son was behind gradelevel in reading when we first requested this, and
we were fortunate that on this point there was not argument. He had ALL
equipment and tech 365. During maintenance periods he would use a temp
"loaner" while his computer or BrailleNote was cleaned and updated, often
this was done in the fall when the teachers were back. He was also a highly
responsible student.and in my experience that has been the rule with all
blind kids, not the exception. 

 

I disagree with the signing of a paper that indicates a parent is
financially responsible if it "breaks"-EVEN from misuse. This is not FREE
and appropriate.these things are always well insured by the district. They
are covered for accident and misuse and theft etc. on ALL, ALL, school owned
equipment.

 

You can find "template" letters, arguments on this issue at
www.wrightslaw.com <http://www.wrightslaw.com/> ; also it has been
productive I believe for some to offer a letter or argument on this list for
editorial help.

 

I also recommend begin addressing these issues no later than Feb. or early
March.

 

Best of Luck,

Carrie Gilmer

 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of DrV
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 11:29 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] How do you get to bring Braille note home

 

We are in a small school district.

There was never even any discussion about keeping the BrailleNote or

Perkins over the summer - its a given. There is no nationwide or statewide

rule. There are almost always ways around such arbitrary local decisions.

You just need to make the proper justification to the right person.

If it's an issue, I like the idea of writing it into the IEP.

If you need to, be creative & make it the home component of the "extended

school year" - the student then needs the tools to "work on their summer

school assignments". You can choose to do selective participation in an

"extended school year." Our district has posted suggested (& some

mandatory) Summer Reading Lists - its hard to read an e-braille file

without the appropriate tool.

Best wishes,

Eric V

 

 

On 5/25/11 12:27 PM, "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org> wrote:

 

>I'm sure it is a case by case thing (or at least system by system), but

>we sign a form at the end of the year that says basically if we break it,

>we bought it... and then we take it home, just like it comes home every

>day after school in her backpack. (There is one form for the school year

>and one for the summer.) We have borrowed braillers in the past and still

>borrow the BrailleNote and various other things from printers to smaller

>items like an abacus, etc.

> 

>Our daughter does virtually all of her work on a BrailleNote, and this

>saves them a LOT of work at school because that means they have no need

>to transcribe any of her schoolwork back to print-- they just have her

>print out her assignments directly from the BrailleNote. It does cause

>some issues in reviewing her work after it is graded though, as there is

>no marked up braille copy, but then again, if they mark-up braille work

>in print, that's not much better, as it still requires a print reader to

>assist.

> 

>Apparently, in some cases, they want to keep the equipment there to do

>maintenance and I suspect some systems fear they would loose the

>equipment and not get repaid if someone skips town or whatever. I doubt

>there is any legal way to compel a school or system to loan you the

>equipment (apart from possibly IEP inclusion), but from a practical

>standpoint, they probably only have one student using most pieces like a

>BrailleNote, so it is either with the student or on a shelf at the

>school, and if kids don't practice all summer, they fall behind, making

>more work for the school.

> 

>Now as kids get older, there is probably also an argument to be made for

>say, a BrailleNote, if they have ANY at-home work to do over the summer,

>and if you can get a need for something into an IEP for over the summer,

>then you'll be all set.

> 

> 

> 

>On May 25, 2011, at 1:39 PM, Trudy Pickrel wrote:

> 

>> 

>> 

>> Trudy L Pickrel

>> President MDPOBC

>>           &

>> TLC by the Lake 

>> Standard Poodles

>> www.tlcbythelake.weebly.com

>> 

>> 

>> On May 25, 2011, at 1:00 PM, blindkid-request at nfbnet.org wrote:

>> 

>>> 

>> 

>> 

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