Parent to Parent For Parents and Families of Students in Kentucky who are Blind and Visually Impaired Spring 2007 Kentucky School for the Blind Family Support Center, Member of Parent Resource Centers of KY January Marked 198th Louis Braille Birthday Reprinted with permission from American Foundation for the Blind Six dots. Six bumps. Six bumps in different patterns, like constellations, spreading out over the page. What are they? Numbers, letters, words. Who made this code? None other than Louis Braille, a French 12–year–old, who was also blind. And his work changed the world of reading and writing, forever. Louis was from a small town called Coupvray, near Paris. He was born on January 4, 1809. Louis became blind by accident, when he was 3 years old. Deep in his dad’s harness workshop, Louis tried to be like his dad, but it went very wrong; he grabbed an awl, a sharp tool for making holes, and the tool slid and hurt his eye. The wound got infected and the infection spread. Soon, Louis was blind in both eyes. All of a sudden, Louis needed a new way to learn. He stayed at his old school for two more years, but he couldn’t learn everything just by listening. Things were looking up when Louis got a scholarship to the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris when he was 10. Even there, most teachers talked at the students. The library had 14 huge books with raised letters that were very hard to read. Louis was impatient. Then in 1821, a former soldier named Charles Barbier visited the school. Barbier shared his invention called “night writing,” a code of 12 raised dots that let soldiers share top secret information on the battlefield without even having to speak. Unfortunately, the code was too hard for the soldiers, but not for 12 year old Louis! Louis trimmed Barbier’s 12 dots into 6, ironed out the system by the time he was 15, then published the first-ever Braille book in 1829. In 1837, he added symbols for math and music. Since the public was skeptical, blind students had to study Braille on their own. Even at the Royal Institution, where Louis taught after he graduated, Braille wasn’t taught until after his death. Braille began to spread worldwide in 1868, when a group of British men, now known as the Royal National Institute for the Blind, took up the cause. Now, practically every country in the world uses Braille. Braille books have double-sided pages, which saves a lot of space. Braille signs help blind people get around in public spaces. Most importantly, blind people can communicate independently, without needing print. Louis proved that if you have the motivation, you can do incredible things. How Important is Braille Literacy? By: Sarah J. Blake , freelance writer who is blind (article first appeared in The Blind Forum, 2005) One hundred years ago, individuals who could not write their names were considered illiterate. This illiteracy, which often resulted from a lack of opportunity, relegated many people to life as second-class citizens and sometimes even non-persons. Literacy was a symbol of intelligence, and intelligence was a symbol of personhood. Literacy involves the ability to acquire information and communicate with others. Literacy involves the ability to gain access to written information. Information which is communicated needs to be stored so that it can be refered to again later. This means that for the blind person, literacy involves all methods of acquiring, storing, and accessing information and all methods of communicating one’s ideas, opinions, and needs. Literacy includes the ability to use Braille, print, and computers as well as the ability to use readers and recorded materials to gain access to and acquire the most knowledge from information. David Doake (1995) defines miseducation as “disempowering them (the students) and denying them the opportunity to direct and control their own learning.” This definition implies that education empowers students to direct and control their own learning, to awaken their intelligence. (Doake, 1995) If this is what education is, then teachers and families must strive for this goal: to empower blind children to direct and control their learning, thus giving them the opportunity to move upward in society as full participants. Many tools exist to enable a blind person to obtain, store, retrieve and communicate information. Not all of these tools enable the blind person to learn how to spell or how printed page appears. These elements of literacy are foundational to the blind person’s ability to communicate well with others, blind or sighted. In fact, they are so vital that their inclusion in a letter written by Helen Keller as a defense for using Braille over New York Point was a convincing factor in the decision of personnel at schools for the blind to begin using American Braille; for texts written in New York Point did not contain capital letters. (Irwin, 1956). Braille literacy has become of great concern to blind adults, parents of blind children and teachers of blind students. Authors state that an increasing number of blind people are growing up illiterate and that Braille is the answer to this problem. Of particular interest are the difficulties faced by students who have low vision and can read printed letters, even if the letters must be very large and reading is very slow. Negative attitudes about Braille often get in the way of the teaching and learning of Braille. INDICATORS OF LITERACY In a speech given on December 8, 1995, Ruby Ryles presented the evidence of her study of the literacy rate of blind people. She cited several things as indicators of literacy. These included time spent reading, number of books read, number of magazines subscribed to, and extent of use of Braille. She stated that people who tired easily because of difficulty in seeing large print enjoyed reading less and read for pleasure less frequently. Their access to and interest in gaining new information was restricted by their inability to read. People who enjoy reading and writing and do it regularly show themselves to be literate as well as motivated. Ms Ryles’ ideas are fully supported by the personal accounts of many adults with low vision who have elected to teach themselves Braille as adults and feel that they were denied an opportunity to become fully literate while they were young. LEVELS OF LITERACY AND ILLITERACY Rex, Koenig, Wormsley, and Baker (1995) discuss five levels of literacy: rudimentary, basic, intermediate, adept, and advanced. In addition, they discuss three developmental levels of literacy. Emergent literacy refers to the development of concepts about print, which usually occurs during the preschool years. Basic literacy refers to literacy experiences which occur during the school years. Functional literacy refers to the literacy experiences involved in daily life, such as filling out a job application, keeping an address book, and labeling items. Functional illiteracy refers to being unable to use reading and writing to meet one’s everyday needs. Marginal illiteracy refers to being unable to use print at all. General literacy refers to the use of literacy to improve the quality of life for oneself and others. (Doake, 1995) A person’s level of literacy has a direct impact on both physical and psychological well-being. It affects his/her ability to care for his/her family by enabling him/her to read directions on a cleaning product, follow a recipe, and even hold down a job. (Ryles, 1996) It affects emotional well-being by enabling independence and confidence. These factors are what make literacy so important for blind and visually impaired students, their families, and their teachers. THE NEED FOR IMPROVED INSTRUCTION Despite the increasing attention being given to Braille literacy in professional literature, the fact that instruction in reading and writing Braille is not always available to students who need it and does not always include instruction in the use of tools which blind adults find necessary is painfully obvious. However, tools exist to address this problem. In 1993, the Texas School for the Blind published a guide to help teachers determine which learning and literacy medium is best for a student with a visual impairment. (Koenig and Holbrook, 1993) Some parents feel that the criteria in this guide is vague and may be misinterpreted by teachers who want to avoid teaching Braille. Even so, the guide represents a strong attempt to address the problem of Braille literacy for students with low vision. The Great Debate Braille or Print for Students with Low Vision By: Sarah J. Blake, freelance writer who is blind (Reprinted with permission) The topic of print vs. Braille evokes strong emotions in blind people, parents of blind children and educators alike. For some people, Braille is a symbol of loss. Reading Braille means they are blind--and being blind means they are dependent and incapable. For other people, Braille symbolizes independence: the ability to gain and organize information without relying on another person’s judgment about what is important or relevant. It means being able to read a book in bed because there is no need to rely on a print magnification device which cannot be taken to bed. Educators sometimes view Braille as something which is difficult to learn and is best avoided. Other educators view it as “the key to literacy.” These clashing opinions create problems for a number of parents who want the highest quality of education for their children and for professionals who are concerned about making the right decisions for their students. Both the American Council for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind have advocated the teaching of Braille to students with low vision on the grounds that reading large print is often slow and difficult and results in lower literacy rates, problems with eye strain, and limited employment options. In many states this advocacy has resulted in the passing of “Braille bills” which mandate that Braille be taught to students who are “functionally blind” by a certified professional. These bills also require that electronic versions of textbooks be made available which can be converted into Braille. Many of the bills also require that teachers of blind and visually impaired students demonstrate competency in Braille. In many ways the Braille bills are a step toward better education for blind children. In other ways, they provide more room for confusion. The term “functionally blind” is, in many people’s opinions, vague. Although guidelines for determining the most appropriate mode of reading and writing have been published, some parents feel that they may be easily misinterpreted by professionals who are uncomfortable with Braille and advocate the use of vision even when this results in physical discomfort or lower academic achievement. Among the factors to be considered when determining the appropriate reading medium are reading speed, reading distance, print size, length of time before the child tires, stability of the eye condition, and academic achievement. Use of assistive devices is not considered. Many students spend inordinate amounts of time using closed-circuit televisions to read, often taking two to three times longer to complete assignments than their peers. These students usually do not enjoy reading and do not engage in it as a leisure activity. Many resist learning Braille as children because of perceived stigma, but often these same people find as adults that Braille opens up a world of information and opportunity they never knew existed. What does the term “appropriate reading medium” truly mean? Judging from the expressions of many visually impaired adults who lament being forced to read print and the resulting headaches, impeded academic achievement, and loss of independence brought about by reliance on extremely large print and/or magnification devices which were not portable, the term means the reading medium which is most efficient in meeting the informational needs of the visually impaired person. Reliance on technology to magnify print to ten times its normal size is not efficient; nor is spending three hours to complete an assignment which takes everyone else on hour. How should the appropriate learning and literacy medium be assessed? The key factors are ease of reading and indicators of literacy. Ruby Ryles noted in her 1995 presentation at the “Getting in Touch with Literacy” conference that indicators of literacy include amount of time spent reading and the amount of leisure reading done by the student. Additional factors to consider are whether extra time is granted for completing assignments or whether assignments are shortened because of slow reading. While there are indeed a number of students for whom large print is practical, there are also many students who should be receiving Braille instruction but are not despite the mandates in the Braille bills. In her address to the 1995 “Getting in Touch with Literacy,” Sally Mangold reminded parents and teachers that people want access to information. It is vital that the most efficient methods be available to students with low vision. Making those methods available often means providing quality instruction in Braille. Braille is only as difficult to learn as it is believed to be. It may not solve all problems of print access, but it provides a method of completely legible writing as well as reading which does not result in eye strain or poor posture. Braille does not require special lighting or additional devices to ensure its readability. Furthermore, it is not a symbol of inferiority but a symbol of literacy and independence. Taking the time to provide quality instruction in Braille will ultimately result in much higher levels of achievement for many students with low vision. Braille Courses Available through Hadley If you are interested in learning to read and write Braille, contact Hadley School for the Blind at 847-446-8111, or apply online at www.hadley.edu. You must be a family member of a blind or visually impaired person or work closely with an individual that has a visual impairment to receive the free online Braille courses. The first course you would take would be Introduction to Braille. This course gives you the tools to communicate in writing with family members who read Braille. Its goal is to enable you to visually read and write grade 1 Braille. The second course offered is contracted Braille. As a parent, your ability to read and emboss contracted Braille will enhance your relationship with your child or family member. The goal of this course is to enable you to visually read and emboss contracted Braille. Prerequisite: Successful completion of “Introduction to Braille” or adequate competency as determined by the Braille diagnostic test. Financial Assistance Available for Technology By: Mitch Dahmke, Family Support Specialist One of the most frequently asked questions that I am asked is, “Are there any sources for financial assistance to purchase assistive technology for my child?” The answer is yes! The first source to consider is your local Lions Club. Lions Clubs are known for working to end preventable blindness. They will finance such things as eye appointments, eyeglasses, computers, and software that enable people to access the world. Most communities in Kentucky have a Lions Club. Check your Chamber of Commerce to locate a Lions Club near you. You may also get Lions Club information online at www.Lionsclubs.org. Next on my list is the Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation (KSBCF). This organization is located at the Kentucky School for the Blind at the corner of Frankfort and Haldeman Avenues. Whether private or public school student, KSBCF’s mission is to enhance the independence and quality of life for individuals with visual impairments by providing leadership, material access to educational, cultural, and employment opportunities. They also loan braillers to be used in the home. For information, contact KSBCF Executive Director Allan Steinberg at 502-897-3990, or online at www.ksbcf.org. The WHAS Crusade for Children is another possibility for assistance, but a representative from your local school, agency, or hospital must apply for funds. For further information, call 502-582-7706 or go online at www.whascrusade.org. HumanWare Partners to Support Braille Literacy Reprinted from February 2007 HumanWare News Release HumanWare, working with leading partners in the assistive technology industry, announced new steps in its support for Braille Literacy campaign. “HumanWare’s Braillenote mPower already incorporates the well – regarded ‘keyboard learn’ Braille learning feature,” said Richard Mander, HumanWare CEO. “Now, we’re working with partners to make Braille learning and on – the – go Braille capability even easier.” HumanWare’s efforts in support of Braille literacy include: * Partnership with Quantum, manufacturers of the Mountbatten Brailler. HumanWare has been awarded the exclusive distributorship in the USA of Quantum Technologies’ range of Braille products, including the Mountbatten Brailler and PIAF. * Free Oxford Concise Dictionary with BrailleNote “transplant” program. Now through June 30, along with the savings from transplanting the Braille cells in a Classic model to a new mPower, HumanWare will include the Oxford Concise Dictionary and Thesaurus with every transplant. * BrailleConnect + Mobile Speak Pocket. HumanWare has released the new BrailleConnect and Brailliant Braille display with Mobile Speak Pocket software (by Code Factory) at competitive prices. * “We’re Listening” program HumanWare will soon begin a research program to gather input from users, funding bodies and experts worldwide for future generations of both Braille-based and speech-based products for the blind. * “Support for Braille Literacy” road show HumanWare USA and partners will be visiting several major US cities to demonstrate Braille solutions and urge increased support for Braille literacy. Details will follow. “We’ve been working hand in hand with educators and others for years to spread the word about Braille literacy,” said Phil Rance, CEO, HumanWare USA. “We look forward to getting the word out even more broadly and hearing your feedback.” HumanWare provides innovative solutions which empower people to fully participate in society. HumanWare’s many innovative products include BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for blind people in education, in business and in their personal lives, and the Victor Reader product line, the world’s leading digital talking book players. Pop-up IEP for Parents and Advocates Reprinted with Permission (This is a collaborative project between the National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities and the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, 2006.) Are you not looking forward to your child’s next IEP meeting? Are you in disagreement with the IEP or school staff over needed services for your child? You may not be alone. Following are some “conversation stoppers” that parents may hear when advocating for their children. Knowing what the “real” issues might be, some respectful but effective responses, and what the laws say about educating children with impairments can assist you in getting your IEP meetings moving again in a more positive direction! “We think the cane could pose a hazard to other students. We’d like your child to leave it at the door or in the locker.” Why is this statement problematic? The proper use of the long, white cane will not cause a hazard but can actually prevent hazardous situations from occurring. The cane identifies a child as having a visual impairment so that others can respond appropriately. Like vision, the cane provides preview of what is out in front and enables the child to detect objects, identify drop offs and other changes in elevation, and walk confidently at a normal speed. Furthermore, the cane helps the child develop spatial concepts and environmental awareness. The child must be taught to take personal responsibility for the cane and use it appropriately for safe and independent travel. Possible Responses for Parents/Advocates 1. “According to Ellie’s formal orientation and mobility evaluation the cane is a necessary tool for her safe and independent travel. In fact, she is building life-long skills that will enable her to negotiate a variety of environments independently.” 2. “Jan needs her cane in the same way that a student in a wheelchair needs wheels or a student with myopia needs eyeglasses. She uses it for safe and independent mobility. Not allowing her to use her cane in the halls and classroom will compromise not only her safety but also her understanding of the environment. In addition, her IEP cannot be considered implemented if she is not allowed to use her cane.” 3. “Jack’s cane is a respectable and necessary tool that enables him to move about safely, independently, and age appropriately. For example, it would be very demeaning and inconvenient if Jack had to wait for someone to ‘take’ him to the bathroom. Jack has been trained in the proper use of his cane and should be expected to use it properly. The O&M Specialist would be glad to discuss any concerns you have.” What do the laws say? IDEA 2004, (Public Law 108-446) Section 601 ©(5) Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by (H) supporting the development and use of technology, including assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, to maximize accessibility for children with disabilities. Section 602 (1)(A) ‘Assistive technology device’ means any item, piece of equipment or product system…that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability… (26) ‘Related services’ means…orientation and mobility services… (33) ‘Supplemental aids and services’ means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate… Here is another “conversation stopper” that I have experienced at one of my sons IEP’s. Had I known the laws and some possible responses, I may have avoided the only disagreement in my sons IEP meeting history. “We don’t feel your child needs Braille.” Why is this statement problematic? Sometimes parents are told that Braille is not appropriate for the child because the child has enough vision to read print, has a cognitive disability, or has yet acquired enough reading readiness skills. But by law, every child who is blind or visually impaired is entitled to learn Braille if Braille is needed at the present time or might be needed in the future. Learning to read in Braille is no more or less difficult to learn than learning to read in print. Learning Braille will be undertaken with the same excitement and interest that children might have for any subject or skill when Braille is presented in a positive light, the teaching methods are engaging and appropriate, instruction is consistent, and children are taught to pair their remaining vision with their sense of touch. Choosing Braille does not mean rejecting the use of print. It is entirely feasible for a child with partial sight to use both media. Braille is a literacy tool, whether it is used exclusively or along with print. Possible Responses for Parent/Advocates 1. We’ve been doing some reading about the impact of early Braille instruction on later literacy and employment rates. It seems that partially sighted children who had intensive, early Braille instruction had significantly higher literacy skills and employment rates as adults. We believe that the advantages of early Braille instruction far outweigh the disadvantages. Besides, we’ve been reading from print/Braille books with our daughter, and she loves the idea of reading with her fingers and looking at the pictures with her eyes.” 2. “We have a brochure from the National Agenda which describes the legal requirements for providing Braille instruction to children with visual impairments. As we understand it, the IEP team must provide Braille instruction unless an evaluation indicates that Braille is not needed now and won’t be needed in the future. Since learning Braille can have such a profound impact on our daughter’s quality of life, let’s make sure we have all the facts before we make the decision.” What the laws says? Federal Regulations: Section 300.105 (a) Assistive technology. (a) Each public agency must ensure that assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or both, as those terms are defined in Sec. 300.5 and 300.6, respectively, are made available to a child with a disability if required as a part of the child’s— (1) Special Education under Sec. 300.36; (2) Related services under Sec. 300.34; or (3) Supplementary aids and services under Sec. 300.38 and 300.114 (a)(2)(ii). Section 300.324 (2)(iii) Development, review, and revision of IEP. (2) Consideration of special factors. The IEP Team must— (iii) In the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP Team determines, after an evaluation of the child’s reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child’s future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child. What is it? ALTERNATIVE FORMAT – Any medium or format for the presentation of instructional materials that is needed by a student with an IEP or Section 504 Plan for a reading accommodation other than standard print, including but not limited to Braille, large print, audio recordings, digital text, and digital talking books. SECTION 504 PLAN – A written statement developed for a student with a disability that includes the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services designed to meet individual educational needs in accordance with federal regulations. FUNCTIONAL BLINDNESS – Generally used to describe persons without usable vision who perform tasks primarily without visual input and whose knowledge of the environment is supplied by other than visual means. In other words, a person may have some level of vision, but use other sensory cues (auditory or tactile) to complete tasks. Mark Your Calendar Events and Resources of Interest to Parents and Families June 17-29: Kentucky School for the Blind Summer Enrichment Program for MS/HS Students For 6-12 students (excluding graduates); for information contact KSB Programs Coordinator Darlene Middleton, 502-897-1583, ext. 243 or darlene.middleton@ksb.kyschools.us June 17-29 and July 8-20: Kentucky School for the Blind Summer Work Program For students ages 16 and older (excluding graduates); for information contact KSB Programs Coordinator Darlene Middleton, 502-897-1583, ext. 243 or darlene.middleton@ksb.kyschools.us July 1-7: Kentucky Lions Blind/Vision Impaired Youth Camp at Camp Crescendo For boys and girls age 8-15 (at the time of camp); for an application and/or information contact: Cecil W. Warner, Director KY Lions Youth Camp 629 Colonial Trace Frankfort, KY 40601-1329 Telephone: 502-223-8514; Email cwarner@mis.net July 8-20: Kentucky School for the Blind Summer Enrichment Program for Elementary Students For K-5 students (must have completed kindergarten); for information contact KSB Programs Coordinator Darlene Middleton, 502-897-1583, ext. 243 or darlene.middleton@ksb.kyschools.us Parent to Parent is a quarterly publication containing information relevant to Kentucky parents and families of children who are blind and visually impaired. Editor: Mitch Dahmke Design and Layout: Paula Penrod Director of Outreach: Cathy Johnson To receive an electronic copy of this newsletter, or to submit an article, e-mail Mitch at mitch.dahmke@ksb.kyschools.us or phone 502-897-1583, ext. 205. Kentucky School for the Blind 1867 Frankfort Avenue Louisville, KY 40206