[blindkid] go for braille!

Thu Jun 10 11:39:29 UTC 2010

He has a supervisor too!  Sounds like you are doing all you can.  Keep up
the good fight.  Remember to put everything in writing and keep a copy, but
I am guessing I am preaching to the choir.
Blessings,
Sue H.

On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 8:55 PM, Doreen Franklin <theconelady at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Sue
> Actually the ESE director has been in our last 3 meetings - the ones after
> our mediation. He has also been copied on all of these emails. He doesn't
> jump in much, except he did say to "let the O&M work" so I am trying to do
> that, except I have questions which need clarification.
>
> I have the Cutter book and got an "update" for O&M instruction at the state
> convention of NFB over Memorial Day. That has helped. I am having my
> daughter use the longer NFB cane (her ambutech is at least 1-2 inches too
> short) and am having her do constant contact instead of the diagonal
> technique. I know she is safer with constant contact and she will need that
> for kindergarten next year. (I also have both of Carol Castellano's books,
> as well as other resources). The O&M did answer me on diagonal and indicated
> that she had not "mastered" the easier diagonal technique and she cannot
> "move on" to constant contact. So he is admitting that the diagonal is not
> as safe, but wants her to master it better before moving on. With the little
> bit of time he is spending on the cane instruction, it is hard for her to
> "master" anything. SO now I am very confused!
>
> As for Braille, I will give them the 9 weeks, but I will also be doing
> braille at home over summer. I do believe that the teacher will be the one
> pressing it for me, instead of me pressing it. The teacher will be the one
> seeing that Torrie cannot and will not be able to keep up. I have a meeting
> already scheduled for Oct 25 -- that will be the 6-month mark for
> "progression" in her goals. If she doesn't show progression, all kinds of
> things will break loose.
>
> Both our TVI and O&M continue to believe Torrie has "good vision" and that
> is why she doesn't need services. We've had 2 functional vision assessments,
> which don't "support" one another in all areas, and we've had the
> independent eval for O&M. But the TVI keeps telling me how well she is doing
> .... I am trying to let it all go until the Oct 25 meeting. It is hard
> though. I am hoping her kindergarten is much different ... the ESE
> person/LEA at least "sounds" like she is more interested in doing things to
> HELP Torrie that may not be "in the box" and I told her I am all for that!
>
> I will be keeping everyone posted on this ... but please keep all
> suggestions coming!
>
> Thank you.
> Doreen
> support Torrie in the Race for Independence;
> go to www.raceforindependence.org/goto/TorrieF
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- On Tue, 6/8/10, Susan Harper <sueharper at firstchurchgriswold.org>
> wrote:
>
>
> From: Susan Harper <sueharper at firstchurchgriswold.org>
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] go for braille!
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)" <
> blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 3:06 PM
>
>
> Your O&M person has a supervisor.  Send a copy of all your emails and
> letters to the supervisor and ask that person to respond.  Don't expect
> much, but you may be pleasantly surprised.  Don't wait on the Braille.  It
> is too important and we found our TVI had very low expectations like not
> being able to even read words until 3rd grade.  You are your child's best
> teacher anyway.  I had to learn the O&M techniques to teach our son, as the
> O&M was insisting on skills that were counterproductive to Independence.
> *“Independent Movement and Travel in Blind Children, a Promotion Model”  by
> Joseph Cutter is a great book!*
> *Blessings,*
> *Sue H.*
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 9:26 AM, Doreen Franklin <theconelady at yahoo.com
> >wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> > Joy and Mery-Noel,
> >
> > Thank you for your encouragement!!! We knew that Torrie would need
> braille
> > and "accepted" that back in 2007, but trying to get it passed our
> district
> > has been a big fight. (I got lambasted by the O&M at one meeting when I
> > asked for braille). We had the option of what "fight" to pursue in 2009
> --
> > that of cane or braille as I could only handle doing one at a time. Since
> > Torrie was banging into our furniture all the time, and then she had a
> low
> > vision eval done which indicated a loss of peripherals in all 4
> quadrants,
> > we knew she needed the cane instruction. It took a year, and an IEE for
> O&M
> > which blew the socks off of our district, and so we have instruction
> > (although I am using that word loosely).
> >
> > Our daughter is receiving the diagonal technique only and I cannot get a
> > "timeline" from the O&M for when he will move to constant contact and/or
> > two-touch. (District director asked for timeline to be sent to us on
> 5/27; I
> > followed up on 6/2 to director - he did another email - and I still have
> > nothing. I have just done an email myself about diagonal technique and
> her
> > not being safe as she is not reading things in front of her whole body,
> just
> > to the left side of her with that technique. I have also asked for a
> > timeline for when he will be teaching constant contact to her).  Right
> now,
> > he is doing sighted guide with the teachers, bus drivers and himself with
> > Torrie (school is done this Friday), but David and I have NO INSTRUCTION
> in
> > it! (I learned it as an emergency evacuation of blind adults when I was
> at
> > the Lighthouse for the Blind back in 1987. It is fuzzy and I don't have
> all
> > the ins and outs and certainly not the "cues" he is using).  This has
> >  been an unbelievable battle for us ... and unfortunately our O&M is
> > legally blind so the district believes his word as "gospel" as he lives
> it!
> > And they are not looking anywhere "outside" of what HE says!
> >
> > As for braille and other services, I started in the visual disabilities
> > program at FSU in January, and will have braille. I have pre-braille
> things
> > for her to do right now - her fingers are too stiff so I will be working
> > with her over the summer for pre-braille things as well as teaching her
> > braille letters to match her printed letters. I have not geared up for
> the
> > braille fight yet ... I am letting them hang themselves and I believe the
> > kindergarten teacher will finally "see" that she cannot and will not be
> able
> > to keep up with her sighted peers. In pe-k, she only read one letter at a
> > time instead of actual words and sentences. Once that begins in August in
> > kindergarten, she will quickly fall behind and the braille will be pushed
> > from the school -- and that is what I am waiting for, on one hand. I also
> > wanted the TVI to hang herself with her font size .... Torrie has
> supposedly
> > been referred to the low vision initiative (I filled out my paperwork but
> >  am unsure if she was actually referred by the TVI) to use magnifiers,
> > which I am okay with also. But I will be teaching her braille now so that
> > she doesn't have to do the "catch up" that I am fearing could happen. (we
> > have a 14-yr old and 2 yrs ago, she had to do oral presentations on her
> > reports. I wondered how would Torrie be able to give an oral presentation
> > and address her audience and look at them when the paper would be on her
> > nose for her to read!) I have not even pulled out the IDEA federal law
> > yet!!!
> >
> > I don't think our district much cares .... I still have heard nothing
> from
> > our superintendent about her not using the cane at her graduation. They
> are
> > too concerned with the FCAT reports not coming out due to a glitch with
> the
> > scoring. So Torrie just gets lost off to the side. I am not sure where I
> > will be going with it .... it has been suggested to do a letter to the
> > editor. I may call the DoE and talk to the person I've talked to before.
> >
> > I am glad I am getting everyone's suggestions and words of encouragement!
> > It just reinforces what David and I have "known" as necessary tools for
> > Torrie for her tool box. Too bad the district doesn't get it yet! I don't
> > know how I can do this for another 13 years!
> >
> > Please keep any suggestions coming ... they are certainly helping!!! We
> are
> > most appreciative of everything!!!!
> >
> > Doreen
> > support Torrie in the Race for Independence;
> > go to www.raceforindependence.org/goto/TorrieF
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- On Tue, 6/8/10, Merry-Noel Chamberlain <owinm at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: Merry-Noel Chamberlain <owinm at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: Re: [blindkid] go for braille!
> > To: " (for parents of blind children)NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List" <
> > blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> > Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 6:52 AM
> >
> >
> > Doreen,
> > I second what Joy said about Braille.  Enlarging only can go so far.
> It's
> > great for the child to learn the shapes of print letters so they can read
> > raised signs (ie:  Ladies, Men) but when it comes to learning and reading
> > for pleasure - Braille is the answer!  If Braille becomes a part of the
> > child's life early - it becomes a part of the child's life forever!  As a
> > Teacher of Visually Impaired Children, I have had several older students
> > move into my district who didn't know Braille and it is much harder 1)
> for
> > them to learn it and 2) for them to accept it.  Often times, they would
> much
> > rather lug a huge CCTV from classroom to classroom - NOT!  They end up
> > having to go to a special room where their CCTV is located - leaving
> their
> > classroom and peers in order to read an assignment.  Wouldn't it be
> > better for the child to be able to stay with their peers?   Plus, as they
> > are learning Braille (mostly because they have lost more vision and
> > can't see the large print any more) they often fall behind and struggle
> to
> > keep up with their peers.  The best gift you can give your child is the
> > opportunity to learn Braille as soon as possible.  I sure wish I had that
> > opportunity myself!  Frankly if I received a student who's IEP stated the
> > child needed 26 point font - I would start teaching Braille RIGHT AWAY!
> >
> > Merry-Noel
> >
> > --- On Tue, 6/8/10, Joy Orton <ortonsmom at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: Joy Orton <ortonsmom at gmail.com>
> > Subject: [blindkid] go for braille!
> > To: "NFB Blindkid list" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> > Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 3:29 AM
> >
> >
> > Hi Doreen,
> >
> > I'm so sorry you had a painful experience with the pre-K graduation. I've
> > had to do my own advocating (I hope modeling for my daughter) for proper
> > mobility help with dance recitals, talent shows, and so on (as in, "don't
> > drag or push her, please"). There are lots of opportunities as your child
> > goes through school.
> >
> > You mentioned that your child was uncomfortable with the type that the
> TVI
> > has chosen for next year, 26 or so? That is much bigger than "large
> print."
> >
> > If your child is unable to read 14 point type, then I would strongly urge
> > you to go ahead and ask for braille instruction. In kindergarten or first
> > grade, 24 or 26 point type is probably a matter of enlarging the papers,
> > but
> > if the student can only read at 26 or larger, what will you do when she
> has
> > to read 20 pages (or more) for a history assignment in middle school, or
> > 100
> > pages for a literature assignment in high school ... If she has braille
> > instruction and the skills to read braille, she can keep up with reading
> > assignments.
> >
> > I am sure there are oher parents who can address how difficult it is to
> > learn braille during high school, rather than early on. If your daughter
> > can
> > see the huge print, then let her be a "dual reader," but please give her
> > the
> > opportunity to learn braille.
> >
> > It sounds like you have an uphill battle in getting what you want from
> the
> > district, but remember that it is not just what you want, but what your
> > child needs in order to be successful, and also what the law requires.
> Hang
> > in there.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Joy Orton
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