[blindkid] High School

[EMMOL at aol.com]

Hi, 
Realized I had saved the questions regarding blind high school students for 
 a less busy time. Not sure when that is. So, I apologize for the delay in  
responding. Patrick is a junior preparing for college. Our recent time  and 
focus relates to our many college visits on the weekends. Also  time 
devoted to the SAT.
So...things that we have found to work: 
*Key the locker rather than the standard combination lock. Add his  
combination lock to the gym locker. A locker on the end of a row helps.
 
*O&M always after school, once a week. It has interfered with certain  
after school activities and we try and work the schedule around that. We have  
switched the day different years depending on his activity schedule. It is 
his  responsibility to let her know ahead of time if he will be running late 
due to a  mandatory meeting, which happens in high school. Urban travel is 
scheduled for  teacher in-service days.The O&M would prefer that he misses a 
Friday once a  month for this. We feel that the missed class work, trying to 
make up work  and/or tests is too much to ask.
 
*Identify one librarian (there are several in our high school) who is  
familiar with Patrick's equipment so that if he needs assistance when  
researching or scanning etc. someone is knowledgeable. He's generally  independent, 
but it's good to have a "go to person" as the vision teacher is  only in 
district for part of the day.
 
*Vision Teacher is in the building, daily. In ninth grade they met after  
school. In tenth & eleventh grade one period a day for technology. (Patrick  
gave up choir and they eliminated health from his schedule.) Technology  
time can be "soft" such as previewing materials for geometry or more  
sophisticated such as programs used in chemistry, an internet/jaws glitch,  scanning, 
power point assistance, to name a few.
 
She is available to push in to math if needed. Usually at the beginning of  
the year, not needed now. Some years more challenging, such as with  
geometry.
 
She also has consult time in her schedule to meet with teachers. Much  
information gathering is done via email for assignments etc, but it is important 
 that she is in the building and available for questions.She oversees his  
technology in the building. She oversees the ordering of books, etc. but we  
added that as a goal for Patrick to begin in 10th grade. Contacting next 
years  teachers, getting book lists and ordering materials, to assist with the 
 transition to college. We also find that the early contact gets teachers  
thinking and they have their questions ready. They also see Patrick  as 
responsible for his program and feel more comfortable directing  questions to 
him. 
 
Sorry for the length of this. I could go on. There are many little things  
that help to make it work. Patrick actually did a power point on this topic. 
 (Maybe next year's convention...) I would be happy to answer specific 
questions  as I only touched on many things and didn't get into other things. We 
are  preparing for his final IEP meeting. Hard to believe!
Eileen