[blindkid] IEP goal/objective help needed

Sun Dec 20 01:38:51 UTC 2009

Hi Jami,

I have been thinking about Calli's situation and have a few questions 
and thoughts.

It sounds as if the team/you have been able to address many of 
Calli's physical, health, and speech needs.  It seems appalling that 
the school would only want her to use the DV4 for "recreation."  Am I 
missing something here?  What could their reasoning possibly be?

Was everyone assuming in the past that Calli was able to learn 
through looking at things?  Can she to some degree or is this what 
you are in the process of finding out?  This will be a real switch in 
thinking if the team has to start from scratch thinking of her as 
learning by touch and listening.

It sounds as if listening is one of Calli's strengths.  I would 
certainly continue with that.

So much learning for young blind children, developmentally delayed or 
not, comes through direct experience with the world.  Has Calli had 
opportunities to experience many things.  I am sure this is quite 
challenging given her physical situation and fine motor issues.

Sometimes it is helpful to think about a child's needs and goals this 
way:  What would be the next logical step in her development in the 
various areas--gross motor, fine motor, speech & language, social, 
emotional, academic, etc.  Then, add in the special materials and 
techniques to accommodate her visual impairment.  For example, if 
everyone was assuming that Calli could see them coming to her, they 
now could talk to her as they approach.  If they were using pictures 
to teach a concept, now they could add in real objects and help her 
examine them with her hands.

Is this anywhere near on the right track?

Best wishes,

Carol

Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nfb.org/nopbc

At 08:56 PM 12/17/2009, you wrote:
>I would like to take a minute of your time to introduce my daughter, Calli
>very specifically and then ask for your input and help.  We have an IEP
>meeting next Monday, Dec. 21st to address, for the first time, our
>daughter's vision needs. What I specifically need is input on
>goals/objectives.  What services should Calli receive and what amount of
>time per week she should be serviced?  Are there any tools or technology
>that Calli should be provided?
>
>
>
>Calli suffered an anoxic event during birth. She is now 11 years old and
>we've just found out how extensive her vision loss is.  She's had an IEP for
>her other needs since she was an infant.
>
>-          She has choreoathetoid cerebral palsy.  She is able to bear
>weight and walk and ride an adapted bike when assisted with complete upper
>body support.  She rolls but doesn't sit or crawl.  She is in a manual
>wheelchair with a head/neck support system.  Her fine motor skills are
>extremely challenged as she cannot hold anything independently or isolate a
>digit for pointing.  We feel her developmental age is around 5.
>
>-          She lacks a sufficient swallow reflex and is 100% gtube fed.  She
>is non-verbal except for a voiced "yes" response.  She turns her head for
>"no".  She has a DynaVox 4 which with voiced prompts she accesses with 2
>switches.  A switch recessed into her lap tray is her scanning switch and
>one mounted on her head rest is her select switch.  She has had a different
>SLP at school every year since she started using the device.  She was the
>first student in our rural district with a device so the learning curve has
>been very steep for her educational team.  The school is very resistant to
>her using the DV4 for anything but "recreational" time.  We'd like her
>educated.  Based on her responses to conversations, we feel her receptive
>communication is in the early elementary age range.  She enjoys being read
>Junie B Jones books and laughs appropriately.
>
>-          Her medical needs have included multiple respiratory problems and
>2 seizure episodes.  She requires frequent suctioning, oxygen monitoring,
>TID nebs and pulmonary Vest treatments.  Her doctor decided it was best for
>her to remain homebound this year until at least May.
>
>-          Lastly we have always known Calli has CVI.  If anything, we felt
>her vision had improved following hyperbaric oxygen treatments in 2005 and
>2006.  We have been led to believe based on the school's vision consultants
>testing that her vision was 20/190 with strengths in certain visual fields.
>Her IEP has included presenting her with letters/symbols at that size using
>partner assisted scanning.  She has shown no identifiable successes with
>these goals for over 2 years.  We now know why.  Her MD ophthalmologist had
>never given us a specific measurement until this fall when I told her the
>school's measurement.  She was appalled and told us her vision was assessed
>that day at 20/2400 and even if she was having her worst vision day ever,
>she still would never be anywhere near the 20/190 level.
>
>
>
>We need help as this vision area has been completely unaddressed for 11
>years.  We have been advocating for increased use of her DV4 for over 2
>years with minimal success.  We are pleased to finally be getting home bound
>services where we can try and approach staff with a positive attitude and
>show them Calli's abilities with her device.  We have no intention of her
>returning to school as it has become a hostile environment towards her and
>our trust level has been severely eroded.  Currently her IEP provides 15
>minutes/month of indirect vision services.  I have seen her vision
>consultant at only 2 IEP's in over 6 years.  What should we ask for in terms
>of direct vision services?  What goals/objectives would be appropriate for
>her?  I've heard that she should be assessed for Braille.  I could only
>imagine this skill to be possible with hand over hand assistance.  Has
>anyone ever heard of success in this area without more fine motor control?
>
>
>
>Any direction that you all could provide prior to next Monday's IEP meeting
>would be a great help.  We have no ideas for goals/objectives, besides
>pushing utilization of her DV4.  We are sure there is technology that could
>be added to her home PC to read to her.  Whether or not the school should or
>can provide technology, we are committed to providing for her with little
>consideration of cost alone being a deterrent.  This may be a separate
>question, but any leads on accessibility and technology would be greatly
>appreciated.
>
>
>
>With much respect for your time,
>
>Jami Cole
>
>
>
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