[blindkid] 2 questions for the group

[Pat Renfranz via blindkid]

Our family had a reasonable experience regarding gifted programming for my
daughter (blind/no light perception). We were never given the impression
that she should not be tested for the program. Once she qualified, we were
never given any indication that she was not welcome.

She was tested for our district's gifted and talented elementary magnet
program (3rd-6th grade) in 2nd grade. Typically, the district based their
assessment on the Abbreviated Stanford Achievement Test at 2 grade levels
above the candidates' current grade, the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test,
and the Cognitive Abilities Test.

She was able to take the above-grade-level Stanford (in her case, the test
for 4th graders) in Braille.

The Naglieri and the CogAT tests (both highly visual; I think the CogAT is
at least 1/3rd pictures) were obviously not appropriate. Thus, we worked
with the district's G/T program to determine a series of tests to replace
the largely visual tests. Furthermore, we specifically requested that these
tests be administered by a school psychologist who had experience giving
such tests to blind children. She took the following:

(1) Wisc4: only the non-visual subtests (8/15 tests were given). The results
were given with the explicit caveat that scores are standardized on a
sighted population and that certain "adaptive procedures" were required. The
district received all the subscores and such.

(2) ITVIC (Intelligence Test for Visually Impaired Children - Selected
Subtests). I do not remember the source of this test. Her scores were
compared to those of the "Braille-reading normal population." Five subtests
that best corresponded to the nonverbal-type of subtests on the WISC4 were
given: Perception of Line Figures, Figural Analogies, Block Design,
Exclusion, and Verbal Analogies.

I think the most important things were to work with the district, to have
the test moderators be familiar with testing blind students, to order the
tests ahead of time, and to work out a reasonable procedure for how the
student is to mark answers on written standardized tests.

Pat Renfranz

On 5/22/14 8:57 AM, "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Hi there,
> 
> I've got two fairly easy questions for you.
> 
> 1.  How do you go about stocking the library shelves for your children?  How
> many books are available to them and/or how many blind children are in the
> school they attend?  My son (rising 3rd grader) is the only blind student in
> his school and probably has maybe 10 books available to him at a time, but
> wondering how to get more on the shelves.  The books that are there are
> ordered by his TVI and some purchased by the school.
> 
> 2.  For any of you that have had your child tested for the gifted program, can
> you give me some insight on how the test was performed, what is the name of
> the test, and any other details.
> 
> Thanks so much,
> Erin Teply
> 
> 
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