[blindkid] 5year old with low vision (again)

Sat May 12 19:23:41 UTC 2012

Jill,
we've been there too ... when our daughter had an O&M assessment that indicated she was "good" for travel, I asked for an independent educational eval (IEE). You have the right to have the school do their assessments first, and if you disagree with their eval, you can ask for the IEE. I also have been asking for the "criteria" for the evaluator. That means that the district will give you a list of "credentials" so to speak of the evaluator doing the eval. They can also give you their list of evaluators, but I didn't go with that person. (We are in FL, so I wanted to make sure we had a CERTIFIED O&M instructor, not one who was "endorsed" -- meaning from what I understand, they did not have the full O&M classes and they did not take a national test for certification.)

I got an IEE thru mediation (long story, but my district would not give me an IEE - they have that right) and I got the IEE for O&M. What a HUGE difference the eval made!!! The district's was 3 pages and there was no current observation of my duaghter (don't ask, long story). But the evaluator ran the whole day with my daughter who was in pre-k 4yr old program, then we went to an unknown school for her to do stairs and the playground (again, issues with sun and descending stairs) and then we went to the grocery store (and evaluator had her "look" for specific things -- which she couldn't see but did guess wrongly at!!). It was a 14-page evaluation that blew the district away. Then for the meeting, she was on the phone the first 15 minutes or so to sum up her eval and answer questions. (She provided her eval to district ahead of meeting so they could review it). She got O&M services ... it was a start!!!

Your child should be evaluated AT LEAST every 3 yrs by law (unless team decides it is not necessary, which in your case it is necessary). But re--evals can be requested every 1 yr+ 1 day. Have school do their eval first, then if you disagree, ask for the IEE. I understand you do not need to tell school the reason for disagreement, but I did.

If the school will not do an IEE after their eval, ask for a Notice of Refusal -- it is a federal code I believe and the refusal will contain not only the "no" to your request but why the school is refusing, what did they base their answer on, what options did they give you and maybe a few other things. 

As for low vision, the doc will usually start out with low tech devices - like a magnifier. Our low vision eval gave us the info we had always thought -- that she had a peripheral loss. Not that that pushed any further services!!! Unfortunately, it continues to be the argument at the table. And our school was the same as yours -- our daughter doesn't have a vision problem, she can see and use her vision!! 

I can tell you that NFB is the best place to be -- not only for resources and other info, but the amount of encouragement and support has been a huge blessing for us!!! I really don't know where we would be without NFB and the parents division, FOPBC for FL and NOPBC nationally!

Feel free to email me privately if you would like more tips for the IEP meeting -- I am an employee of an OSEP agency and we help parents with their IEPs and services. 

Good luck. 

Doreen

From: Jill Fass <jillfass at gmail.com>
To: blindkid at nfbnet.org 
Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2012 1:35 PM
Subject: [blindkid] 5year old with low vision (again)

I had sent this to from my work email by accident!!! This is my correct email

Hi All!

I am new to this blind kid thing so I hope I am doing this right.

I have a 5 year old boy with albinism. He has low vision. His vision
is about 20/200.  Outside in the sun much worse. What can an O and M
person do for my child. It seem like since my son has sight our state
Commission (not for) the blind does not do much for my son. He has not
had any O and M services since he was 3. They were in the backyard for
maybe 20 minutes and said he is fine. Then she has him at his
preschool and said he is fine. Call when he goes to elem. school. I
feel stupid, is my son missing something?

Also, can anyone give any insight on Low Vision evals. I want my son
to have a cctv and a monocular for kindergarten. Are there specific
questions I should ask? When should he start keyboarding? They will
not give him Braille because he has too much sight for that. He does
seem ok with large print. Then again he is only 5. He has nystagmus so
I know reading will become a problem when he is older. I am sorry with
so many question..

Mrs. Jill Fass

Hamilton, NJ

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