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<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">The National <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Reading</st1:place></st1:City> Media Assessment: A Future of Literacy for Blind and Visually Impaired Children<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></H3>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">In October 2008 and January 2009, a group of teachers of blind and visually impaired students, university professors, parents, and researchers gathered at the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">National</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> for the Blind in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Maryland</st1:State></st1:place>, to begin work on a new assessment that paves the way for the achievement of literacy. They began to develop an accurate, easy-to-use tool that will clearly identify the reading medium or media of blind and visually-impaired children. This tool will determine whether each child who is assessed should be taught Braille, print, or both. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">After studying and comparing existing assessments, the following areas of need were identified: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>High expectations, standardization, specificity, realization of the importance of future need, and time efficiency for the evaluator.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">The National Reading Media Assessment will address these needs by integrating the following central concepts: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">1.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Expectations for literacy will be the same as they are for sighted peers. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">2.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Assessment conditions will be standardized.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">3.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The assessment will answer the specific question of which reading medium should be taught.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">4.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The assessment will take future need into account.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">5.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The assessment will make the assessment process less time-consuming and more concise for TVIs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In July, we completed the first pilot test, and are now engaged in the second stage of field testing. We are looking for TVIs to assess blind, visually impaired, and sighted children in each of the following categories: Pre-reader/Pre-K, grades K-12, and children of all ages with cognitive disabilities. If you are a teacher of blind and visually impaired students and would like to participate as an evaluator, please contact: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Jessica Bachicha, Project Coordinator <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Department of Affiliate Action <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">National Federation of the Blind <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">at <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Jernigan Place</st1:address></st1:Street></I><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">200 East Wells Street</SPAN></st1:Street><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">, <st1:City w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">MD</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">21230</st1:PostalCode></SPAN></st1:address><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Tel: (410) 659-9314 ext. 2529 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">E-mail: <A title=blocked::mailto:jbachicha@nfb.org href="mailto:jbachicha@nfb.org"><SPAN style="COLOR: black">jbachicha@nfb.org</SPAN></A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">A joint project: Department of Affiliate Action, National Federation of the Blind, and the Professional Development & Research </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Institute on Blindness, Louisiana Tech University<SPAN style="COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P></BODY></HTML>