[blindkid] PE for blind student

[Joy Orton]

Last week our daughter Ahbee, age 9, grade 3, came home with a problem in
her physical education class (PE). She said that the kids who were helping
guide her around were passing her off. In other words, one student was tired
of helping her, so he or she asked someone else to help her.  Ahbee's
concern was that people were getting tired of her, and she was feeling
rejected.

I am concerned about the social problem of feeling rejected, but also about
the other issues raised. Why does she need someone to lead her around in PE?
She has excellent cane skills and can walk independently in and out of
school. She has no other disabilities or delays in addition to her
blindness.

I called the TVI, the O&M teacher, and the adaptive PE teacher. The adaptive
PE teacher met with the PE teacher and Ahbee the same day I talked to her.
They concluded that the PE teacher will designate three or four people each
day to be Ahbee's helpers. The TVI told me that last year when the beeping
balls were collected at the end of school, they were covered in dust. Hmm.

My questions:
1. To other parents and teachers: Does this seem like an appropriate
situation? How can I tell?
2. What activities do other blind children have in PE? Do they participate
with sighted classmates in regular class or have a special pulled out PE
time?
3. Anyone else have peer students acting as guides for their blind student?
How much of the time? How well does it work?
4. What can I ask for? What would be the wording for the IEP?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Joy Orton