[blindkid] bump - IEP question/braille etc.

[Leah]

I'm bumping and shortening this post from March 22 because there were  
no replies then.

Since that time we've had a recommendation for possible homebound  
schooling, but it's all undetermined officially.


This is a small part of some larger IEP questions I've been working on.

John is 4. His estimated vision is 20/200 and 20/100 though he also
has nystagmus, field limitation and eye movement limitations. Also
gross and fine motor impaired, speech impaired (just learned to talk
after taking a new med), mild PDD, and energy-related disorder  
("possible mitochondrial disorder").
He is non-ambulatory for all practical
purposes. He crawls or uses a wheelchair. IF he does attend PPCD next
year, he will be on an energy-conserving protocol and
a limited classroom day and week because of the energy-
related medical issue. Cognition seems normal but has had no testing,  
YET.
He is interested in learning.

Note: our district does not currently have a PPCD teacher. They have
the PPCD students in a pre-kindergarten class because of lack of a
PPCD teacher. Given what I saw when I visited the PPCD classrooms when
they did have teachers, lack of teacher may be a blessing in disguise,
even though it is probably not legal.

In May of 2008 we had an IEP with one service: services of TVI. John  
qualified for district therapies and classroom, but we declined them.

The IEP had three goals for TVI service:

1. follow a multistep handwashing routine. Result: little work on this
item and no measurement. Our TVI was initially very interested in
implementing intensive use of daily routines because they are used at
TSBVI, but I haven't - I find it hard to
understand how they help outside of institutional settings.
2. assemble several objects from home environment to complete an
activity. Result:this has been done 2-3 times. He's able to locate
things if he knows where they are.
3. John will identify 100% of Braille and print letters 100% of of the
time. (I requested this goal.)

Services provided for goal #3: The TVI visited one hour per week. For
about 4-6 months she did not do Braille instruction, and then she
began using about half of each service time on Braille instruction.

I've also worked with him on print and Braille, of course more than
the TVI because I am with him all the time.

Result on goal #3 as of March 2009:
John can identify 22  PRINT letters 100% of the time, 4 most of the
time, and 2 cannot identify. I have done the measurements and
provided them to the TVI on different dates.
John can identify maybe 2 Braille letters, and no one has done a
measurement.

===============
**First question: Given the progress on goals, how many hours of direct
Braille instruction would be appropriate for the new IEP? And should
it be different if he is in PPCD vs at home? The TVI offered to spend
5 hours total per week with him next year for all needs, but I'm not
sure if that was meant to be only for a 5 day school week.

I'm starting to understand how over the past year, I didn't provide
the immersion in Braille that he has in print at home. That can and  
will change.

**Second question: What else should I be requesting?

I'm planning to request for home use a Mountbatten brailler, slate and  
stylus,
Braille paper and index cards. We already have two swingcells and a
set of Tack-Tiles on loan. I'm also planning to request social  
facilitation (not currently available in our district)

**Third question: Carlton mentioned asking for a Braille teacher who was
NLB certified. At what age or ability level would this be appropriate
for a student?

Our TVI is really nice and we have a lot of discussions. She has
really stretched to work with him on Braille when I insisted. She has  
also worked a lot on
relationship building with John. Compared to private professionals who
treat John, I would say she underestimates him a bit. John and she
like each other. Compared to the school district's evaluation
of him, she has a more accurate understanding of his abilities and
needs than the other evaluators, who grossly underestimated him in
providing sample goals. (I guess that is a nice way of saying they all
underestimate him but she tries not to?) She does have the standard
belief that people who can see letters don't need Braille. She had no  
Braille readers in her
former career in another setting as TVI, and in her new
position with our district, also does not teach any Braille readers. I
joked with her in a friendly manner that once I know my alphabet well,
I will challenge her to race each other to become proficient. She was
not offended, but again she doesn't believe that actual reading in
Braille is necessary.

I would appreciate any specific suggestions on appropriate potential
IEP items.

I am really looking forward to any feedback this list has. Thank you!

Leah