<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Recently on AERnet I noticed a post that bothered me. I have responded and I am sending this response to the PIBE list. Every time I think that we are making progress something like this comment is used to justify not providing for the needs of blind kids. Here is the post and my response:<div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Monaco; ">Recently in response to a question posted by Sheila one of the posts stated "Weaknesses: 1. still no published research proving or disproving that poor teacher braille skills are responsible for poor braille outcomes for students. Nevertheless, we've gone full steam ahead addressing a "problem" that may not exist. Assertions by advocacy groups are not evidence, nor are gut hunches. We need DATA. And thus far no data exists." I find it astonishing that an assertion is being made that teacher competency in an essential skill to be taught to students is not relevant to student outcomes. Lack of Data cannot take the place of common sense or best practice. I cannot think of another subject area, for example: Language Arts, Math, Science or Art, where a decent state licensing entity will not expect an instructor to demonstrate competence. As a parent I would be very concerned if my child's English teacher could not read or write English. Let us not throw out critical thinking as an alternative to non-existent DATA Collection. I do not want to say that legitimate research and legitimate data results are not beneficial to best practices. But let us not sacrifice common sense to the altar of statistics. </div><div><div><div><div>
<div>Denise Mackenstadt, NOMC</div><div>Mackenstadt Rehab Services</div><div>(206)419-9555</div><div><a href="mailto:cane.travel@gmail.com">cane.travel@gmail.com</a></div><div> </div><div><br></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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