[blindkid] IEP development for 3rd-4th grader
Brandon and Sarah
lanesims at gmail.com
Wed Feb 6 21:04:26 UTC 2013
I absolutely agree that having Carol's book, Making It Work, is
essential. In fact, before my original post, I wandered around the
house looking for our copy. It turns out that Emilia's teacher had it
on loan. I have it back now and will study up on the IEP chapter.
As for the testing and grades as a source of guidance - that would be
great if I believed the progress reports. I'm suspicious that the
testing has been a bit generous regarding her progress, so may not be
much use in this case.
We do have a budding summer program that is 100mi away at the Idaho
School for the Deaf and Blind. Idaho isn't big on funding education
(last in the nation, Yay!), but the folks at the school have worked
hard to pull together a summer camp. Emilia has gone and will return
this summer. Thanks for the input.
Brandon
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2013 12:38:02 -0500 (EST)
> From: SCDUFFLEY at aol.com
> To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] IEP development for 3rd-4th grader
> Message-ID: <4daf.696f350.3e3ffa7a at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> It is important and VITAL to have Carol Castellanos book "Making it Work".
>
> You will find a review of her book on the NFB website. It is the bible
> to education for the visually impaired.
> _https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr19/fr05si11.htm_
> (https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr19/fr05si11.htm)
>
>
> Secondly, I googled the internet for information on IEP for blind students
>
> and found good articles and a few examples. Here are a few links I
> found.
> _http://www.unco.edu/ncssd/bviIEP/index.shtml_
> (http://www.unco.edu/ncssd/bviIEP/index.shtml)
> _http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/ieps-parents-blind-or-visually-impaired-
> children#sample_
> (http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/ieps-parents-blind-or-visually-impaired-children#sample)
>
>
> I have been through the same thing. ONE of the biggest challenges was
> needing exposure to peer interactions and some daily living skills that
> were
> very slow going. I was able to convince my team, in a calm, objective
> way, that my son, who is now 11, needed time at Perkins School for the
> blind
> (about 1.25 hrs away) to develop these exposures in their Outreach
> Program.
> They also offer a summer program. Do you have any services like that in
> your area or 100 mile radius?
>
> Speech and OT can be tricky areas and we built his goals on testing
> results. Do you have testing evidence or grades to help you for any of
> your IEP
> areas?
>
> I am sure the other parents and professionals will have some wonderful
> advice as well.
>
> It takes time, but it is well worth it.
>
> My best,
>
> Christine Duffley
> NH
>
> In a message dated 2/3/2013 9:37:10 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> lanesims at gmail.com writes:
>
> Up until now we have been passive participants in Emilia's IEP development
> and meetings. I have never felt that the document was particularly
> understandable or helpful in a practical way. I now realize that this
> cannot continue and I have decided to be much more active in the process
> of
> writing the document.
>
> I have looked at some online advice and samples and still have a question
> about what to include/exclude from the Goals/Benchmarks. The common core
> standards are clearly published on the district website. It seems to me
> that if we expect her to have the same expectations as her sighted peers
> with regard to learning the curriculum, then we just need to state that
> clearly, rather than go through each individual element of the curriculum.
> Then we just need to address areas of weakness or blind specific
> accomodations, and the expanded core curriculum (like reading speed,
> assistive tech, testing accomodations, O&M, etc). I'm thinking something
> like this:
>
> Language: Emilia will have the same expectations as her sighted peers for
> mastery of the 4th grade common core standards.
>
> After this we could go on to a specific reading goal and so on.
>
> The same would apply to math and so on.
>
> It seems to me that if we refer specifically to the published expectations
> for her sighted peers, then the same expectations in their entirety are
> applied to Emilia. Am I missing something here? Thanks.
> Brandon
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