School for the deaf and blind.?

Question

Question about blindness?
Just recently found out that my 8 year old is leagally blind due do a tumor and cyst that was in her brain. SHe will never drive a car, cannot play contact sports etc. She has 20% vision in her left eye, also it is tunnel vision. It cannot be corrected. Could it get worse. The Dr. said it will never get better. Glasses won't help. Should I send her to a school for the deaf and blind I know public schools do not cater to blind children. She is not mentally challenged, she was on the A honor roll all last year so she is a strait A student she just can't see any more. What should I do? I have been crying all day, She has been throuh so much. 3 brain surgeries now this. Could she go fully blind. I am soo worried. Please i need input.

Answer 1

I understand your grief very well. I have a child whose very severe disabilities did not show up until he was older... we didn't know how serious things would be until the last five years or so (he's 12 years old). From one parent who's been there, to another just starting out... focus on the NOW, and remember that the wonderful young lady you got to know over the last 8 years is still there. Believe that the highly trained specialists CAN help her, be a strong advocate and watch her education programs closely, and involve her in a variety of activities after school to give her lots of chances to explore and grow.

Special Education is all about teaching kids with normal or better smarts, who have a disability interfering with academic learning (such as Visual Impairment -- VI). There are 13 SPED categories, only ONE of which is Mental Retardation. ALL the other 12 are about normal or better smarts. As a Special Education Resource teacher, I rarely have a (very mild) MR kid... most of my students are average or better in IQ. Be certain that your young lady will be surrounded primarily by normal kids dealing with a disability challenge (sensory, neurological, and/or physical), just like she is.

I would strongly recommend that you start out by sending her to your state's School for the Visually Impaired, if your state has one, or demand that they pay tuition for a private School for the Visually Impaired (SVI) if your state does not have a public one. You are within your rights to do so... VI kids have such different needs even from the usual special needs crowd, that specialized instructors are needed, who are trained in instruction techniques for the blind. While ones with VI training are around in the "regular" public schools, most special education teachers do not have VI-specific training. Your daughter also will be taking state testing this year (3rd grade), and the School for the Visually Impaired is better equipped to help her get through the stress based on her particular type of disability.

I would also recommend that you make the decision about where to place her a yearly one. Being at an SVI school for the first two or three years is very important. She needs to learn Braille, how to navigate her environment rapidly and smoothly, and how to study. They WILL also challenge her academically... most students at the school will have average or better intelligence.

However, being at the SVI for more than a few years does not necessarily prepare her for work in the sighted world. Everyone at the school who is sighted is highly aware and trained for the needs of the Visually Impaired. They are therefore very alert, accomodating, and sensitive to her needs. Once she has developed her compensatory skills, such as Braille, Orientation & Mobility, etc., she needs to practice ongoing practical applications among the untrained sighted. At that point, the "normal" special education teachers at your neighborhood schools WILL be able to provide adequate support, especially with the paperwork, therapists, etc. feedback from the SVI school.

Public schools are required by law to provide accomodation, specialized instruction, etc. In a move back to her neighborhoood school, the speacialized therapies (e.g. O&M) will follow her, the school will have to provide Braille textbooks, etc.

Transferring her back should only happen after at least 2 years at the SVI, and only when it is very clear that she is ready.

To help you feel better about her prospects, here's a sample from a standard University about accomodating VI students ...
http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/RDS/specinfo/specinfo1.html

Job accomodation and adult supports:
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/DisQuery.exe?030


OK... now that you've seen that she can go to college if she learns to compensate and self-advocate....

Educate yourself about special education law, advocacy, etc. Start at this page on wrightslaw, and then browse your way through the site. It is THE site for parent learning about special education.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.index.htm

Sample websites for state schools for the visually impaired:
http://www.edvisors.com/Special_Education/Schools/Visually_Impaired/

Fellow parents websites, all about support and sharing:
http://www.viguide.com/
http://www.spedex.com/napvi/
http://www.php.com/
http://www.spedusource.org/ (check back regularly for updates... still working on building it)
http://parentpals.com/gossamer/pages/Visually_Impaired/index.html
http://www.iser.com/CAadvocacy.html


You are not alone, and neither is she.

Answer 2

These two women both gave you excellent advice! I am deaf, and I could not help but notice that you said "she will never drive a car, cannot play contact sports, etc." Really, it is much more important to focus and think about the things that she CAN do! Mybeing deaf all my life has never been about what I could not do, but about what I could do. I have lived a great, quality life. I never felt like I lacked something.

Just because we lack something in our bodies, does not mean we lack in spirit, we are always whole in spirit.

We live in a great time and age of technology which helps the blind even more these days. They can even type documents and surf the internet with a laptop!

I wish you and your daughter success on this journey. It will all work out just fine as long as you utilize all of the resources and education available out there for her.

Answer 3

I have not the answer for you, yet, my nephew is also in the same area of the blindness you speak of. He has been to normal school and also plays the piano awesome! If you would like to email me, i will ask my sister for the references and who to contact. I am in californmia and i am sure she had help from the federal government as well. I am so very sorry you have this on your mind now, i remember how she did too and it was miserable, but she buckled down and look at the lad now. Just hit the email and i will be glad to get in touch with her for you. Bless your heart, and there is no reason that something can not be done, we all can help you!!! Guy

Answer 4

I might propose that you simply appear into your regional disabilites and detailed demands forums and different non-benefit companies. My brother is a resident of Texas too and he has a tender daughter that has a few most important develpmental disabilities and he and is spouse are having a tough time discovering the offerings they want as good. I suppose with the massive populace of the state it will possibly account for the loss of offerings. I have recommended to him and his spouse that they bear in mind relocating backpedal south. Best of good fortune to you and your daughter!

Answer 5

If you can tell me what state-- i could investigate and give you the info.