[blindkid] Braille note

[Traci Wilkerson]

Thanks Richard, thats a good reminder to go through the processes and stop
and take a deep breath.  Iep isn't til May so I have time to research my
options but its pretty clear they aren't going to drop money for a BN right
now.  So, I have to explore my options.

They give kids laptops in 4th grade but to me that isn't reinforcing
braille literacy, that's just a substitute and audio isn't a replacement
for reading.

Thanks again,
Traci
On Mar 28, 2012 10:22 PM, "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org> wrote:

> I would start at least pretending you don't assume they will object, and
> just politely ask what their plan is for technology. I know we had a
> BrailleNote in first grade and several others here did too, so clearly this
> is not unheard of. They are probably aware of that as well.
>
> Is your daughter exclusively a Braille reader? How far along is she with
> her Braille? There are many great things about BrailleNotes, but they also
> require more than just a basic knowledge of Braille-- there's a bit of a
> learning curve, so to speak.
>
> If you learn they are already planning to move in that direction soon,
> obviously you're all set and there is no need for hard feelings if you're a
> few weeks ahead of their schedule. This late in the year though, my guess
> is they may not plan to start this year...
>
> If indeed they say you're many months (or years) away, be prepared with
> reasons you thnk sooner is better.
>
> Perhaps you're concerned that...
>
> It is hard for your child to keep up because a brailler is slower.
> Your child is unable to transport a brailler because it is so heavy.
> Conventional Braille keys are hard for your child to work with.
> Your child has limited access to digital books which could be accessed on
> a BrailleNote.
> Your child has need to access multiple documents in a way poorly managed
> with a perkins.
> Your child will end up way behind in a couple of years because it will
> take her so long to "catch up" on BrailleNote skills, so you feel it is
> time to move forward.
>
> Perhaps you feel that your child is not getting equal access to other
> materials because...
>
> Other kids have the capacity to access to computer and the web at school
> and a BrailleNote may be part of the broader solution to assist your
> daughter gain access to the web at school.
>
> If they come back and say she already has JAWS on a PC (or something
> similar) you may argue that she is a Braille writer and you want electronic
> access witha familiar input mechanism, such as an electronic Braille
> keyboard.
>
> These are just items from the top of my head. You'll want your own
> appropriate list, obviously. This may be a casual discussion that solves
> the entire matter or you may have to have one or more meetings, from
> semi-official, to formal IEP's.
>
> Off the record, I would point out that ultimately your daughter needs to
> be able to work with qwerty keyboards on computers as well as electronic
> Braille, but you need to position all of that carefully at first if you
> want things to happen in a particular order.
>
> They are going to factor in your child's development and Braille
> proficiency, which may be reasonable to some degree. They are also going to
> (at least UN-officially) also factor in budget and what equipment they have
> available. This technically should not be an issue, but let's be honest, a
> BrailleNote on a storage room shelf is WAY easier to get assigned as
> opposed to one that will put the Special Ed department $6,000 further into
> the red.
>
> If you want access to the equipment at home, be prepared to assume
> financial responsibility for a $6000 range piece of gear. Some schools want
> you to sign a document. Others, I have heard, want proof that your
> insurance will cover the gear which could require a rider added to your
> insurance.
>
> Again, first things first though... See what they plan to do when before
> you try to force a situation. Chances are you have 11 more years working
> with this school system, and probably at least some of the exact same
> people.
>
>
> in my experience, the calmer and easier you are to work with up front, the
> better the chance you can avoid a battle to begin with, and remember that
> in most cases, as soon as any sort of treat falls out of a parent's mouth,
> like a casual mention of legal action, there is a huge chance the school
> will pull back and send in the lawyer. That's a thing to avoid until an
> absolute last resort!
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Mar 28, 2012, at 8:45 PM, Traci Wilkerson <traci.renee27 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > My daughter is at the end of her 1st grade year and does not have a
> > braillenote and I want to push for one, but know I'm probably in for a
> > fight.  How do I start the discussion? I have brought it up with her TVI
> > that I am interested in technology very soon for her.... and made it
> clear
> > that I want it, but how do you go about the "fight".
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Traci
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