[blindkid] Braille instruction time in IEP

Deborah Kent Stein via blindkid blindkid at nfbnet.org
Wed May 28 22:17:13 UTC 2014



As far as I know, there is no rule in Illinois stating how much time a 
visually impaired student should have in service from a TVI.  It is worked 
out on a case by case basis, depending on the student's needs.  The IEP team 
(including parents and advocates, if they have been brought in) establishes 
what the student's needs are and then determines how much TVI time will be 
required to meet those needs.  Usually a beginning Braille reader needs more 
TVI minutes per week than a student who has mastered Braille and other 
skills.  It sometimes helps to remind the school that if the student gets 
good instruction at the beginning, he/she will need less time with the TVI 
in the years ahead.

Debbie



-----Original Message----- 
From: m-masek at hotmail.comvia blindkid
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 3:02 PM
To: Sarah Thomas via blindkid
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Braille instruction time in IEP

Does anyone know where to find the times for vi for children in IL

>From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

----- Reply message -----
From: "Sarah Thomas via blindkid" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
To: "Pui" <pburmahln at yahoo.com>, "NFBnet Blind" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blindkid] Braille instruction time in IEP
Date: Wed, May 28, 2014 4:49 pm


This sounds like very good news.  I will say, from personal experience, that 
you will need to monitor the delivery of services.  I naively thought that 
the school would actually follow the IEP we agreed to.  In very rare cases 
this proved not to be the case.  They just did what they wanted to do while 
I wasn't watching.

Even when the law and common sense are on your side, you need to keep 
watching.  Also, your continued involvement helps keep the school diligent. 
Good luck.

Sally Thomas
On May 29, 2014, at 4:13 AM, Pui via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hello everybody,
>
> I wrote a few weeks ago about my son's case. He is legally blind and a 
> dual learner. We had his IEP a few weeks ago and the district wanted to 
> reduce his monthly TVI time from 300 minutes weekly to 90 minutes (30 
> minutes a day, 3 times weekly) as he starts kindergarten this fall.
>
> For the past week and a half I have been emailing the district to say that 
> I did not agree with this reduction. I also sent them the braille 
> provision act under IDEA, as well as studies about learning dual media, 
> low vision kids who couldn't keep up with print later on etc. I have heard 
> nothing from them.
>
> Today I spoke to a special education lawyer. I explained my case and he 
> said that my son is in a good legal situation that did not require his 
> legal services. The laws in CA are in our favor. It is very difficult for 
> the district to reduce those 300 minutes once they have agreed to them. 
> They would have to file legal action and go into due process to take those 
> minutes away from him. CA laws allow us parents to pick components of the 
> IEP we want, and don't want.
>
> All I have to do is go to the district and register a letter that I am 
> sending them in reply to their kindergarten IEP. The lawyer said that 
> basically I just tell them "thanks" for the offer but 1) we don't consent 
> to the reduction of VI services and 2) we consent to the new kindergarten 
> goals (and other details we agree on). The district lady was telling me 
> that if I did not sign the IEP his service minutes would stay the same, 
> but we wouldn't be able to move forward on the goals. This is obviously 
> not true according to the lawyer.
>
> Anyway, there you have it. I am obviously pleased to know my son will 
> continue to get daily braille instruction. I am glad that his initial IEP 
> was written well enough that the district have less wiggle room for his 
> second IEP. I am glad that we asked for and got 1) daily TVI time (no VI 
> or blind student gets daily TVI time in our district, it is such an 
> outdated model of itinerant teaching) 2) half of that time as well as his 
> O&M and OT are done outside of his school hours 3) assistive technology 
> provided for school and home 4) braille books, tack tiles etc. were added 
> to the IEP 4) summer school with service as above 5) consult time with 
> parents and general education teachers. Our school district is relatively 
> wealthy, so there are funds.
>
> Parents - make sure that first IEP is ironclad and don't be afraid to ask. 
> Research on your own, and don't always assume the "professionals" know 
> best.
>
> Thanks everyone for your input, they were all very helpful and 
> encouraging!
>
> Pui Burmahln
>
> Sent from my iPad
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