<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19170">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Hello
Colleagues:</SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Can any teacher of the blind and
visually impaired recommend books and articles that I may read to understand how
cortical visual impairment is diagnosed as a child's visual impairment and how
the diagnosis is made or ruled out if a student has an additional disability of
autism? I have been teaching a student who has autism with a visual impairment
that was reported to be as exotropia. Since my local cse wants updated eye
reports on all my students who have additional disabilities I've been assisting
he parents of <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>this student to get
an ophthalmologist to evaluate the student. One optometrist noted that the child
might need glasses. I then went with the child and parents to another
ophthalmologist to determine if the student had a visual impairment. The
ophthalmologist indicated that the child could see both near and far objects
with different characteristics although it was reported by parents that the
student tends not to look at items unless the student is prompted to do so. I
have another ophthalmologist appointment to get a visual diagnosis and an
accurate visual acuity. From speaking to the office staff the ophthalmologist
will be able to decide if the student has cortical visual impairment or another
visual diagnosis and hopefully get me a visual acuity. . Until this
appointment,which is on January 30, 2012. that is next week Monday afternoon,
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>how can I understand how cortical
visual impairment is determined in children particularly children with multiple
disabilities who are nonverbal. The parents are extremely involved in the
child's education and have been pleased that the child is learning to use the
picture exchange system I created to teach the child how to request a particular
food. The student can be told to look at the picture of the food; the child will
look at the picture and will hand the picture to me and then get the requested
food. Since the student can't sit for long, I developed a reward system, whereby
if the child hands me the picture of the requested food and receives the food,
upon 10 times repeating the procedure the child is allowed to go for a short
walk. I have been the only teacher who has been able to teach this student and
have seen significant progress. Many other related service providers that teach
the child are at a loss how to teach this student particularly speech
therapists. Since the student is nonverbal, I notice since the student can't
express needs and emotions that the student cries a lot if the student is forced
to do something the student may not understand. When I went with the parents to
both appointments, I noticed how the parents were patient with the child and how
the child felt at ease in my presence. For instance, while traveling to one
appointment. The child was open to me presenting in my hand a piece of cereal
and was able to take it from my hand which the child ate <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>and didn't cry during the whole time I
was assisting the child to eat. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Thanks for any recommendations of
reading material about cortical visual impairment and how it is diagnosed in
children with multiple disabilities. Since I am blind, <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I would appreciate recommendations that I
can read using my screen reader Jaws for Windows and my Braille display that is
attached to my computer. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sara Rooz</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Certified Teacher of the Blind and
Visually Impaired in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Independent Related Service Provider
Vision Education Services in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York
City</st1:place></st1:City></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Email:
sararooz@gmail.com</FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>