<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;font-size:18pt"><DIV>Hello,</DIV>
<DIV>Would you please let me know specifically where I can find these perspectives. They are a reflection of me growing up with low vision and I am currently in a TVI program, getting my Masters. I would like to reference these in my class discussions. Thank you for your assistance.</DIV>
<DIV>Joanne<BR></DIV>
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<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> DrV <pumpkinracer@gmail.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> braille-n-teach@mlist.cde.ca.gov; Professionals in Blindness Education Division List <pibe-division@nfbnet.org><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Fri, May 13, 2011 1:00:13 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [Pibe-division] Large Print or Braille: Reflections of a Mother & of a Low Vision Young Adult<BR></FONT><BR>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)">Hi All,</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">The topic of Large Print vs Braille came up recently on the NFB Parent Listserv. I realize that everyone’s situation is different & am passing no judgments, but would like to share the following 2 responses for they illustrate an important perspective & complement each other nicely. The first is a really well written post by the mother of a low vision child, the second is a post by a low vision young adult. </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">1. One Mother’s Perspective:</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">My daughter is also "low vision" and began school as a print reader. The large print textbooks were always in black and white - even the maps and charts! Plus there is the added burden of having multiple (and heavy) large print books for one regular print book. While in high school she was able to get a few of her text books on CD. Usually, her large print text books were ordered in early spring prior to the beginning of school in the fall. I would suggest calling to make sure this is done. You will also need to get a copy of the list of classroom books for the upcoming year. Start working ahead of time to locate the books. All of them won't be available. I don't know how may times a book was copied, NOT bound, and given to my daughter as a stack of paper. I'm sure you can figure out the outcome of that!</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">I would like to caution you about how hard it is for a large print reader to be successful in school. What I say doesn't mean she won't be successful, but she will struggle to keep up with her peers. Your daughter is young and most print in books and text books for younger children is usually very large. I believe 18 pt. font is the standard size font for large print readers. First graders usually have even larger font sizes. As your daughter progresses through school, each grade, the print becomes smaller and the amount of reading increases. A child with partial vision will never match the reading rates of totally sighted children. She will still need to complete the same assignments as her peers. She will still need to read all the books.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">When our CTVI's do reading assessments for our "low vision" children, it is usually done in optimum conditions such as: clear, crisp reading material (large print copies are often grainy), quality lighting and usually not for an extended period of time. At the end of the assessment the kids are deemed "visual" learners. I assume this is determined because our kids are able to read print, but they don't take into account other obstacles. When our low vision kids are faced with reading novels, with very small print, they are often fatigued after a short while. My own daughter complained of neck aches, back aches, and head aches from the strain of visual reading. Homework always took twice as long if not longer. Most nights usually ended in tears from fatigue. Parents presume the professionals such as CTVI's have the knowledge and
foresight of best educational decisions for our children. The fact is, that most hold low expectations for their educational outcome. Many don't know braille or how to teach it. Most have the presumption that braille is hard. Many say how horrible it is to ask a child to wear sleep shades to learn braille. None of my daughter's CTVI's ever witnessed what it took for her to complete her homework visually. While I complained, it fell on deaf ears.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">I write this to you as one mother to another. Children do not have to be "totally blind" to benefit from braille. Low vision kids who learn braille are able to keep up with their peers in all reading material. You will hear this often - braille is an equalizer! My own daughter began teaching herself braille in the 7th grade. Her CTVI chastised her for wanting to learn braille, so she became a closet braille reader. We fought the school district and she finally received braille instruction her senior year of high school. Since she learned braille at an older age, her braille reading speed will probably never be equal to her peers, but now she has the opportunity to read for "pleasure"!</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">I hope I have given you some things to think about. I only wish someone had given me the wisdom and foresight into what would best benefit my child in the long run.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">Thank you,</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">Kim Cunningham</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">2. One Young Low Vision Adult’s Perspective:</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">I agree with Darci! I LOVE reading now. It wasn't always like this though as I was a low vision child struggling with normal sized print because nobody would give me large print (most of the time). But when I was in 7th grade (1996-1997 school year), I taught myself Braille because none of my teachers thought I needed it (had 20/80 2/60 vision at 7inches from my nose, my eyes don't and never have worked together)! That changed in 2 years in 9th grade when I had a major decrease in vision to 20/200 to 20/120. So, I am very glad I learned Braille even though I had to teach myself!</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-JUSTIFY: inter-ideograph; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue">T. J.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue"></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>