[Ohio-talk] Proposal To Ohio Department of Education Standards urgent action needed

Sun Mar 10 23:02:27 UTC 2013

Colleen, I totally agree. I am a TVI and I am teaching a student online in
Kansas.  This is my first attempt at virtual education but I believe it has
promise. I think a combination of direct instruction and virtual
instruction could increase the quantity of time students receive. I think
your observation gives further credence to the idea that to spread TVI's
even further is a very bad idea.  I have problems with people providing
both O&M  and TVI instruction.

On Fri, Mar 8, 2013 at 8:57 AM, COLLEEN ROTH <n8tnv at att.net> wrote:

> Hi Marianne,
> Unfortunately Aides or Paras are doing much of the teaching of blind
> students without the training needed.
> TVI's are basically instructing these Paras and do not have much time to
> spend with their students.
> It is unfortunate that this is happening.
> There are some families who opt to send their children to a Residential
> School because they can get instruction in Braille and other things which
> do not get addressed in a local school.
> Some of these aides who work with blind children do a good job but some of
> them want the child to be dependent on them because this allows them to
> keep their jobs.
> We do need more TVI's. In the meantime we might consider encouraging
> districts to hile blind adults who are Competent in reading and writing
> Braille.
> We might even find people who are willing to volunteer if Transportation
> was covered.
> Just a thought.
> These blind adults could be tested to make sure that they are proficient
> in Braille.
> They would be good role models and could help with other things as well.
> They could also encourage interactions with other students.
> I really think that these standardsare not appropriate as proposed.
> Colleen Roth
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marianne Denning <marianne at denningweb.com>
> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
> Date: Thursday, March 7, 2013 8:24 pm
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] Proposal To Ohio Department of Education
> Standards urgent action needed
>
> >
> >
> > I strongly encourage everyone to take action.  TVI's are spread too thin
> at
> > this time.  Adding more students to an impossible caseload would further
> > decrease needed services.  We are also not properly trained to work with
> > these populations. It would be a disservice to the students we currently
> > serve and the additional students we would have to serve. I agree these
> > students need service but are TVI's the appropriate choice?
> > I interviewed for a TVI position and learned that I would be expected to
> > serve 30 students over 7 school districts.  No student would receive
> > adequate services due to the heavy caseload and travel time involved.  We
> > need to solve the extremely critical shortage of TVI's before we consider
> > working with additional populations.
> >
> >
> > Marianne Denning
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 7:54 PM, Eric Duffy <eduffy at deltav.org> wrote:
> >
> > > On Tuesday afternoon I attended a meeting of the OSU Advisory Bord for
> the
> > > teeacher training program. I learned that the Ohio Department of
> Education
> > > is considering changes to standards that could impact services to blind
> > > students in a negative way.
> > >
> > > Please read the below and attached information and act as soon as
> possible
> > > If you have questions or concerns please let me know.
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Eric
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Please use this information to respond to the proposed changes.  Please
> > > forward and share this information to any other individuals who may
> assist
> > > in providing feedback to ODE regarding these proposed changes as well.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> ****************************************************************************
> > > **********
> > >
> > > Attention:          Administrators, educators, therapists, parents,
> > > stakeholders and individuals who are involved in the support and
> services
> > > of
> > > students who are blind and visually impaired
> > >
> > > The Ohio Department of Education is proposing changes to the ODE
> Operating
> > > Standards and VI Qualifications that will affect the population of
> students
> > > who are receiving related services under the category of "Visual
> > > Impairment."
> > >
> > > These proposed changes may require VI professionals to work with
> students
> > > who are not visually impaired, but those who have dyslexia, binocular
> > > dysfunction or visual processing disorders.
> > >
> > > What can we do?
> > >
> > > Please take a moment to visit the ODE website at:
> > >
> > >
> http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&Topi
> > > cRelNID=967&ContentID=136416&Content=140476<
> http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=967&ContentID=136416&Content=140476
> >
> > >
> > > Click on "Click here to comment"
> > >
> > > Select:  3310-51-01:  Applicability of requirements and definitions
> > >
> > > Enter your comments into the "Comments Section" of this page.
> > > If you would like to submit a "General Statement" as opposed to
> original
> > > comments, please feel free to "cut and paste" the following statement:
> > >
> > > *******
> > > I do not support the proposed changes to the ODE Operating Standards.
>  The
> > > proposed definition makes the category of visual impairment less
> definitive
> > > and vague, as there are conditions and disorders that simulate visual
> > > impairment, but are more medical in nature.  For instance, conditions
> such
> > > as dyslexia or visual processing disorder are not considered visual
> > > impairments, but learning disabilities.
> > >
> > > Please consider changing the qualifications for students with visual
> > > impairments to the following:
> > >
> > > A student with a visual impairment is one who has been determined to
> meet
> > > the criteria for visual impairment as stated in 34 CFRIEND,
> s'300.8(cgggg13) -
> > > "Visual impairment" including blindness means an impairment in vision
> that,
> > > even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational
> performance.
> > > The term includes both partial sight and blindness."
> > >
> > > The visual loss should be stated in exact measures of visual field and
> > > corrected visual acuity at a distance and at close range in each eye
> in a
> > > report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist. The report should
> also
> > > include prognosis whenever possible. If exact measures cannot be
> obtained,
> > > the eye specialist must so state and provide best estimates. In
> meeting the
> > > criteria stated in 34 CFRIEND, s'300.8(cgggg13), a student with a
> visual
> > > impairment
> > > is one who:
> > >             (I) has been determined by a licensed ophthalmologist or
> > > optometrist to have:
> > >
> > > (I) a visual impairment, not primarily perceptual in nature, resulting
> in a
> > > measured visual acuity of 20/70 or poorer in the better eye with
> > > correction;
> > > or
> > >
> > > (II)  a total field loss of 140 degrees, or more; or
> > >
> > > (III) a physical eye condition that affects visual functioning to the
> > > extent
> > > that special education placement, materials and/or services are
> required in
> > > an educational setting; or
> > >
> > > (IV) a progressive medical condition that will result in no vision or a
> > > serious visual loss after correction."
> > >
> > > Submit
> > >
> > > ininAll comments are submitted anonymously.  You are allowed to visit
> the site
> > > and submit your concerns more than one time, to ensure that our
> concerns
> > > are
> > > documented.
> > >
> > > All comments must be submitted prior to Thursday, March 14th to be
> > > considered in the next draft.
> > >
> > > **********
> > >
> > > If you are interested in reading more about this proposal and the
> response
> > > of the Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB) to the ODE changes,
> please
> > > refer to the attached document prepared by a team of educators at OSSB,
> > > approved by the OSSB administration and the members of The Ohio State
> > > University Advisory Board for Visual Impairments
> > >
> > > If you or your organization would like to submit a similar written
> > > statement
> > > to ODE, please feel free to use the information contained within the
> > > attached document for informational purposes.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Danene K. Fast, COMS/TVI
> > > Outreach Consultant
> > > (614) 995-0405
> > > dfast at ossb.oh.gov
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Celebrating 175 Years of Excellence"
> > > Ohio State School for the Blind
> > > 5220 North High Street
> > > Columbus, Ohio 43214
> > > www.ossb.oh.gov
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Ohio-talk mailing list
> > > Ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
> > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk nfbnet.org
> > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> > > Ohio-talk:
> > >
> > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk
> nfbnet.org/marianne%40denningweb.com
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > —
> > Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
> > Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
> > (513) 607-6053
> >
> > Ohio-talk mailing list
> > Ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ohio-talk:
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk nfbnet.org/n8tnv%40att.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ohio-talk mailing list
> Ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ohio-talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/marianne%40denningweb.com
>
>

-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053