[nobe-l] NOBE-L Digest, Vol 138, Issue 4

Greg Aikens gpaikens at gmail.com
Tue Nov 24 16:30:48 UTC 2015


Hi Jonathan,
As a blind TVI, I have had to work through many of the situations you describe to perform the FVA and LMA for my students. I have primarily worked with blindness/vi without any additional disabilities. I have been able to complete my observations through a combination of prep and sighted assistance from para-pros, other TVIs, and general ed teachers. 

When using sighted assistance, I make sure to explain exactly what I am looking for and have the other person take notes to minimize discussion between my assistant and myself during the assessment. I make sure to have an accessible copy of all reading materials and charts I will ask the student to read. I also measure distances and sizes of objects ahead of time that I’m going to ask the student to view. 

My best collaboration is when I work with another TVI because they generally already know what to look for. I get help with my assessments in exchange for helping them complete their assessments. Even though I can not visually observe, I often catch verbal cues the student gives and take notes for the other TVI. Having someone to take notes speeds up the process greatly so it seems to be a pretty fair trade. 

I’d be glad to talk with you further about the strategies I use. My email is gpaikens at gmail.com

Best,
Greg

> On Nov 24, 2015, at 11:10 AM, Jonathan Lima via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I would really appreciate some response to these questions I have posed. If
> you would rather contact me directly, you may do so at LimaMJon at gmail.com.
> Your experiences and suggestions are important to me and the research I am
> proposing.
> 
> 
> On Fri, Nov 13, 2015 at 7:00 AM, <nobe-l-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
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>> Today's Topics:
>> 
>>   1. Question for TVIS and educators who are visually impaired or
>>      blind related to observation and assessment strategies (Jonathan
>> Lima)
>> 
>> 
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Jonathan Lima <limamjon at gmail.com>
>> To: nobe-l at nfbnet.org
>> Cc:
>> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 10:51:16 -0500
>> Subject: [nobe-l] Question for TVIS and educators who are visually
>> impaired or blind related to observation and assessment strategies
>> I am a graduate student in the college of education at Florida State
>> University studying to become an O&M Instructor. I am working on a
>> potential article related to technology that
>> 
>> could be useful for teachers who are blind or visually impaired in the
>> field of education, especially those who are TVIs/O&M. I am wanting to know
>> what technology, tools, and strategies do you currently use to observe
>> children in assessment situations that typically rely on an observer’s
>> sight such as conducting a functional vision assessment or learning media
>> assessment. What challenges exist for you in this aspect (if they exist),
>> and what strategies, tools, and/or technology do you think would be
>> beneficial to you that you currently do not have access to?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> For more of a background, we have a student in our program who is
>> adventitiously blind. I have worked alongside a supervising professor in
>> writing a tech grant that has provided us with various technology that has
>> allowed this student and colleague to conduct her practicum observations
>> for class, and it has been especially helpful to her when conducting
>> essential assessments such as the  FVE, ECC, LMA, and Communication Matrix.
>> We have set up a camera that can be mounted or attached to her person while
>> working with a student with a visual impairment and multiple disabilities
>> who is nonverbal. We have bug-in-ear technology that then allows an
>> assistant to observe and hear the classroom environment from a distant
>> location and speak to my colleague pre-service teacher about the behaviors
>> and situations that she is unable to see for herself. This allows her to
>> work closely with her student. In addition, it has allowed for a less
>> intrusive classroom environment for those students who might be easily
>> distracted by an additional observer especially if other classroom
>> activities are going on in the background.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I really look forward to hearing input by trained professionals who have
>> had to overcome these obstacles in the field.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Thank you!
>> 
>> 
>> Jonathan M. Lima
>> 
>> 
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