
                     Future Reflections

                       Vol. 15, No. 2

                        Spring, 1996

                   Barbara Cheadle, Editor



Contents

A Promise of Hope: My First NFB Convention 1

by Susan Walker



Walking Alone and Marching Together: California, Here We Come!

2

Hotel Reservations 6 

Kids Trips 7



1996 NFB Camp 9

by Carla McQuillan



Blindness, The NFB, and Me 10

by Wayne Pearcy, Angela Sasser, and John E. Cheadle



BlindnessWhat it Means in the Mind of a Blind Child 13

by Ramona Walhof



Report on Parent Activities at the 1995 NFB Convention 20

by Barbara Cheadle



The Children of the 1995 Convention 25



Keepin' Up With Cindy 28

by Sue Bennett



Looking Ahead 29

by Lois Luecke



Little Things Mean a Lot: A Skit 31

by Jerry Whittle



OSERS Issues Policy Letter on Educating Blind and Visually

Impaired Students 36



         A PROMISE OF HOPE: MY FIRST NFB CONVENTION

                       by Susan Walker



Editor's note: Reprinted from the December, 1995, Braille

Monitor, the monthy publication of the National Federation of

the Blind. For subscription information write to: Braille

Monitor Subscriptions, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore,

Maryland 21230.



From the [Braille Monitor] Editor: What is the impact of one's

first convention of the National Federation of the Blind? How

can one measure the benefit of meeting thousands of competent

blind people and hundreds of focused, optimistic parents of

blind children? There are no exact answers to these questions.

But the impact of the experience changes lives and sows hope

every July when the National Federation of the Blind gathers

for its annual convention. Here is what one mother reports

about her experience:



     Last July in Chicago I attended my first NFB convention

with my infant daughter Moriah, who is cortically visually

impaired (CVI). Since I had been introduced to the NFB only

weeks before, I really didn't know what to expect. However, I

was primed for the convention by the contagious enthusiasm of

Dawn Neddo, Barbara Cheadle, and Loretta White, all of whom I

had met just days before at the June Lilli Nielsen Conference

in Novi, Michigan.



     Just a couple of months previously, my daughter Moriah

had been diagnosed with CVI, and I was still battling shock

and hopelessness and struggling for answers. Quite frankly I

needed help. How do you teach a blind infant to crawl, walk,

talk, or be potty trained? How will I cope? My husband and I

are both firm believers that attitude affects 90 percent of

what happens in one's life. Therefore, I knew it was crucial

for me to regain a conviction of hope for my daughter's future

and confidence in my ability to raise her.



     When my funding for the NFB convention fell through at

the last moment, I called Dawn Neddo to explain that I

wouldn't be going after all and to thank her for her

encouragement and help. It was then that I learned my first

lesson in parent empowerment from the guru Neddo. The lesson

is entitled "Never Give Up." Our conversation ended with Dawn

saying, "Let me make a few phone calls, and I'll get back with

you." Within minutes the phone rang, and Dawn told me to pack

my bags. A scholarship had been granted to me.



     Saturday, the first morning in Chicago, I was spellbound

as I listened to Marc Maurer and Kenneth Jernigan speak. I

could feel the promise of hope welling up within me as I

listened to numerous parents and blind children give speeches

and perform skits with confidence and ease. I watched in awe

as graceful, confident people wove their way through crowded

lobbies and hallways using their canes effortlessly. (I was

greatly tempted to follow them as I tried to grope my own way

through the wall of people.)



     I had planned on attending only the parents'

pre-convention weekend this year, so I really needed to return

home the following Monday. My heart, however, was yearning

insatiably for more of this thirst-quenching hope I had

received. Deep down I knew that the key to keeping a hopeful

perspective is continuing to meet with other parents of blind

children. In watching others walk the path that now lies

before my family, I see that many of the rough places have

been made smooth by these heroic pioneers. I returned home

with a feeling of peace and the promise of hope.

     Are you considering coming to the 1996 convention of the

National Federation of the Blind? Chances are that it will

change your life for the better. If you can handle an infusion

of optimism, hope, and resolve to change the world, join us

for the single most important gathering of blind people to

occur in 1996. Read the following article for details.



            WALKING ALONE AND MARCHING TOGETHER:

                  CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COME!

      1996 National Federation of the Blind Convention

                      June 29  July 5 

                    Anaheim Hilton Hotel

                     Anaheim, California



     Picture yourself in this scene: You have just arrived at

the Anaheim Hilton Hotel with your family for a much needed

vacation. You called months in advance but it was still tough

getting a room. The reservation clerk mentioned something

about a convention going on this week. You thought she said it

was an organization of blind people, but no, you must have

misunderstood. Why in the world would that many blind people

want to get together for a convention? What would they say?

What would they do? Besides, you can't imagine how they could

get there in the first place. And how would they get around in

the hotel? Surely the hotel couldn't afford to provide guides

for that many blind people! But as you walk into the hotel

lobby your jaw dropsthere are at least fifty blind people

with white canes in the lobby and more are coming in from a

bus outside! 



     You pick your jaw up off the floor, gulp, and head for

the hotel registration line. Just then your small daughter, in

that piercing tone that small children reserve for the express

purpose of asking embarrassing questions in public, calls out,

"What are those white sticks all those people are carrying,

Daddy?" Horrified, you start to hush her when you hear a deep

chuckle behind you. "That's all right", the voice says, "We

don't mind talking about our canes. We're not embarrassed or

ashamed of them, or our blindness. Besides, how can a kid

learn if she doesn't ask questions?" You turn around and watch

as a pleasant looking man in a business suit bends down to

show your daughter his cane. As he talks about how the cane

allows him to go places independently you notice how the blind

people around you are moving about. Some are walking by

themselves, many are laughing and talking in groups, and you

see some families with small children. You notice that many of

those who are guiding or directing others are carrying canes,

too. There is even a little boy with a cane walking around and

exploring the lobby by himself while his parents check in. The

scene isn't what you had imagined at all. These people are

clearly capable of getting about without a lot of fuss or

special help. But you still wondercapable or notwhy all

these blind people want to get together. What will they talk

about? 

     

     Your attention swings back to your daughter's

conversation just in time to hear your daughter ask that very

question. Curious, you listen as the man explains. The

explanation is short. (You wonder if the man has children.

Maybe your daughter will ask.) But your mind is whirling with

new ideas when he finishes. You now know that this is the

National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Convention, and these

people have come here to "change what it means to be blind."

Well, they have already changed some notions in your mind

about blindness! And there was something else he said, too,

that caught your imagination. Something about "Walking Alone

and Marching Together." He said it was the title of a book

about the history of the organized blind movementthe NFB.

It's all about how blind people organized over 50 years ago to

change attitudes, beliefs, and even laws so blind people can

achieve true independence and equal integration into society.

What an ambition! Yet, from the scene in the lobby it looks

like the NFB is well on the way to achieving this goal.



     Thinking of the lobby you decide it's time to stop musing

and get into the registration line before it gets any longer.

As you move into the line you notice a girl about your

daughter's age just ahead of you. She's carrying a cane, too.

You wonder if your daughter will ask the girl about her cane.

But, no, that's already old hat to your daughter. She is more

interested in comparing their respective Barbie dolls. A blind

couple with a baby move into the line behind you. Your wife

turns around and begins to coo over the baby. Soon both

mothers are involved in an animated conversation about

teething, finger foods, and other baby matters. This, you

reflect with an unexpected surge of anticipation, will not be

an ordinary vacation!



     That's the scene at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel on Friday,

June 28, 1996, as you might experience it as an onlooker. Now

imagine the same scene but from the perspective of a

convention participant, not an outsider. Think of the

possibilities for learning, networking, and personal growth! 



     If you are the parent, relative, or teacher of a blind

childor if you are a blind youththe Anaheim Hilton Hotel is

THE place to be between Saturday June 29, 1996, and Friday,

July 5. Some 2,500 blind people and hundreds of parents of

blind children will be converging at this one point in space

and time. They will be there to learn, to share, to network,

to celebrate victories, to applaud progress, but most of all

they will be there to make history. For it is during this week

that dreams will be shared about what weblind people and

parents of the blindwant the future to hold for the blind,

and it is at this convention that plans and strategies will be

laid to make those dreams come true. We invite you to come and

be a part of this tremendous, history-making experience!



     The week of activities will begin on Saturday, June 29

with a day-long seminar for parents and educators of blind

children. The theme for this year's seminar is borrowed from

Dr. Matson's book about the history of the NFBWalking Alone

and Marching Together. The seminar will begin with a general

session in the morning and conclude with concurrent workshops

in the afternoon following lunch. 



     The powerful imagery evoked by this year's theme carries

over into every topic on this year's agenda. For example,

topics on the morning agenda will include: 



* Marching Together: The NFB ConventionWhat's in it for Me?; 

* Walking Alone: How Blind Kids Develop Self-Reliance; 

* Marching Together: A panel of parents of deaf-blind children

and parents of blind multiply handicapped children; and 

* Walking Alone: Resisting the Helping Hand Syndrome. 



     In the afternoon participants may choose from a wide

range of workshop topics. We are especially thrilled and

honored to have Dr. Fred Schroeder, Commissioner of the

Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of

Education, as a guest presenter at our seminar. Dr. Schroeder

will conduct an afternoon workshop on the topic Getting Ready

for the World of WorkBlind Youth in Transition. Dr.

Schroeder, who was appointed to his position as Commissioner

by President Bill Clinton, is a long-time leader in the

organized blind movement. 



     Dr. Schroeder began his career as a cane-travel

(mobility) instructor with the Nebraska Services for the

Visually Impaired in 1978. He later moved to New Mexico where

he became the administrator of the low-incident programs

(services to the blind and to the deaf) in the Albuquerque

schools. It was there that he became known nationwide for his

innovative approach to providing canes and orientation and

mobility instruction to blind and visually impaired children

as soon as they entered the school system at age 5. Now, of

course, it is becoming common practice to provide canes to

children even younger. But in the 1980's this was an unusual

practice. In 1986 Dr. Schroeder was selected to head up the

newly formed New Mexico Commission for the Blind, the agency

responsible for providing rehabilitation services to that

state's blind and visually impaired population. During these

years Dr. Schroeder also served on numerous national and

international boards of organizations for and of the blind,

including the National Federation of the Blind, the Braille

Authority of North America, the International Council on

English Braille, and the National Association of Blind

Educators. 



     In addition to his professional expertise and commitment

to the consumer viewpoint, Dr. Schroeder brings to the topic

of transition a personal perspective. He was once a blind

teen-ager himself. Parents, teachers, school counselors,

rehabilitation transition counselors, and anyone else

interested in the problems and progress of blind youth in

transition will want to make this workshop a priority. 



     The three-hour Beginning Braille For Parents workshop

will once again be conducted by Claudell Stocker, a nationally

known Braille expert. Mrs. Stocker has voluntarily conducted

these workshops for the National Organization of Parents of

Blind Children for several years now. They are extremely

popular. Since there is a limit on the number of persons who

may participate in this workshop we urge readers who want to

attend this workshop to fill out and send in the

pre-registration form on page 8. 



     The Blind Kids, Friendships, and Fitting In workshop is

an outgrowth of last year's workshop about social skills. We

had many requests to repeat and/or expand that workshop this

year. Parents can do many things for their children, but they

cannot force social acceptance or create friends for them.

Children must do this for themselves. However, there are ways

parents can make the pathway to social acceptance and

friendships smoother and  less difficult. And this is

important. One component of the "Marching Together" theme is

learning how to work and play harmoniously with sighted peers

in a broad range of social settings.



     Last year, through the efforts of Sally Ruemmler,

chairperson of the NOPBC's Parents in Partnership for

Deaf-Blind Children committee, we had an explosion of interest

in the workshop "Meeting the Needs of Deaf-Blind Children."

The committee is once again hard at work to make this year's

workshop another outstanding success. The committee is

especially interested in focusing on early childhood needs and

resources.



     The workshops described above are less than half of the

workshop topics offered this year. Other topics for the

afternoon of Saturday, June 29 include Parent Power; Resources

for Blind Multiply Handicapped Children; Self-Reliance and the

White Cane; Self-Reliance and Braille in the Classroom; and

several segments on Tips on Alternative Techniques. 



     Registration for the seminar will begin at 8:00 a.m. and

the session will begin at 9:30 a.m. Fees are $10.00 per family

or $8.00 per person. You may also pre-register for the seminar

using the form on page 10. If you do not pre-register please

plan to arrive early Saturday morning for registration. There

is an additional fee for the Braille Workshop (see the

pre-registration form). The afternoon workshops will conclude

at 5:00 p.m.



     Concurrent with the seminar will be two exciting field

trips for children ages 4 to 18. NFB Camp will also be open on

Saturday to provide child care for babies and children up to

age 12. More details about the trips and the NFB Camp is given

later in this article. 



     Saturday evening the California affiliate of the  NOPBC

is hosting a Family Hospitality from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

in one of the NFB Camp rooms. Our California parent group has

some wonderful plans in store for the evening. For example,

there will be a fabulous door prize (must be present to win)

offered that evening, and other surprises, too. But the

highlight of the night will be a talent show. This is NOT a

contest! The purpose is to have fun, and give the kids a

chance to experience performing in front of a friendly,

receptive audience. Blind children and families of blind

children may enter the talent show. To sign up, or to get more

details contact Donna Sexton, 8689 Galindo Court, Dublin,

California 94568; (510) 833-1863. But don't sign up your

teen-ager, yetwe have special plans for him or her!



     Karen Mayry, president of the NFB of South Dakota and

former high school teacher, is in charge of our

NOPBC-sponsored Convention Orientation Session for Youth. This

year's session will take place concurrently with our Family

Hospitality event on Saturday night, June 29. The session will

be a combination of party activitiesice-breakers, games,

music, and door prizesand practical convention orientation

activities. For example, blind volunteers will take the kids

out to show them the physical layout of the hotel. They will

discuss how the convention is organized, what to expect from

it, what meetings they might want to attend, and how to have

fun at the convention in a safe and appropriate manner. The

session will be a great chance for youth to get to know each

other and to meet some neat blind adults. 



     As exciting and as informative as Saturday is going to

be, it is only the beginning of a week of exceptional

opportunities for parents to learn about blindness. A huge

exhibit hall, a tour of a nearby local educational summer

program for blind children, an IEP Advocacy Workshop, the

Annual Meeting of the National Organization of Parents of

Blind Children, a play performance by blind students, a talent

show, a musical contest, a Sensory Safari exhibit,

miscellaneous technology workshops, and much, much more is on

the docket for the 1996 NFB convention. Here are the various

details and, where appropriate, pre-registration forms so you

can make your plans and reservations for the convention.



                     Hotel Reservations



     As usual, our hotel rates are the envy of all who hear

about them. For the 1996 convention they are: one in a room,

$45; two in a room, $47; three in a room, $54; and four in a

room, $57. In addition to the room rates, there will be a tax.

At the time the arrangements were made with the hotel, that

tax was just under 15 percent. There will be no charge for

children in a room with parents as long as no extra bed is

required. If you want to come a few days early or stay a few

days late, convention rates will apply.



     You may make reservations in one of two ways. You may

write directly to the Anaheim Hilton, 777 Convention Way,

Anaheim, California 92802-3497, Attention: Reservations; or

call (714) 750-4321. DO NOT CALL THE HILTON TOLL-FREE NUMBER

TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION! They make take your call and promise

you a reservation, but the reservation will NOT be valid!

Reservations must be made directly with the Anaheim Hilton in

Anaheim.



             Airports and Ground Transportation



     There are two major airports one can use when flying into

the Anaheim area. They are Los Angeles  International  Airport 

and  John Wayne Orange County Airport. It may be easier to

find a flight into Los Angeles International, but John Wayne

is closer to the Anaheim Hilton. A shuttle is available from

the Los Angeles International Airport to the Anaheim Hilton

for $22.



                Convention Dates and Schedule



     Here is the general outline of convention activities:

* Saturday, June 29seminar/workshop for parents of blind

children, Job Opportunities for the Blind workshop,

miscellaneous workshops, Kids' Trips, Family Hospitality,

Convention Hospitality, Youth Convention Orientation.

* Sunday, June 30convention registration ($10 per person),

exhibit hall open for business, first meeting of the

Resolutions Committee (open to observers), Youth Convention

Orientation and Meeting, miscellaneous committee and division

meetings.

* Monday, July 1exhibit hall open all day, meeting of the

Board of Directors (open to all), tour of a local summer

program for blind kids, Annual Meeting of the National

Organization of Parents of Blind Children, and various

division and committee meetings.

* Tuesday, July 2opening general session, exhibit hall open

before session and at noon, evening gala event, and evening

IEP Advocacy Workshop.

* Wednesday, July 3general morning session, afternoon open

for tours, exhibit hall open before session and all afternoon.



* Thursday, July 4general sessions, exhibit hall open before

session and at noon, banquet, after-banquet party.

* Friday, July 5general sessions, exhibit hall open before

session, adjournment.



                  Miscellaneous Information



     NFB information tables will be set up in the hotel

(usually near the hotel registration area). Details about the

locations of Saturday, June 29 events (such as the parents

seminar, Kids Trips, and NFB Camp) will be available at these

tables.



     The complete NFB convention agenda, in print or Braille,

is available only to those who register for the NFB

convention. Convention registration opens about 10:00 a.m.

(maybe earlier) on Sunday, June 30. The registration fee is

$10 per person. There is no pre-registration for the

convention. Each person must be present to register for him-

or herself. Anyone who fails to register for the convention is

not eligible for the convention hotel room rates. 



     Banquet tickets generally do not exceed $25 and should be

purchased at the time you register. We have a system called

the Banquet Ticket Exchange which gives you the option of

selecting in advance the people with whom you wish to sit at

the banquet. The procedure is explained at registration and

again early in the convention session.



     Hospitality and convention information will be available

at the Presidential Suite and the NFB of California Suite

throughout the convention. The locations and phone numbers of

these suites will be listed in both the pre-convention agenda

(available at the NFB information table) and the convention

agenda.



     The NFB of California is putting together some wonderful

tour packages for convention. Details will be in the Braille

Monitor and at the NFB information table when you arrive. If

you do not get the Monitor and would like some information in

advance, write or call National Organization of Parents of

Blind Children, Convention Information, 1800 Johnson Street,

Baltimore, Maryland 21230; (410) 659-9314.



                         KIDS TRIPS



Editor's Note: For the past three years Carla McQuillan,

President of the NFB of Oregon, the blind mother of two

children, and owner/director of a Montessori preschool, has

organized and directed special field trips for children and

youth during the day-long seminar held for parents. Mrs.

McQuillan brings to this task outstanding administrative

skills, high standards, and an intuitive understanding of

children and their needs. Needless to say, the trips are

always a huge success. Here is what Mrs. McQuillan has to say

about what she has organized for this year: 



     The smell of the ocean and the thrill of the Giggle Wheel

Ride are just around the corner! Wondering what we are talking

about? Well, here at the National Federation of the Blind of

Oregon, we've been working long and hard at getting ready for

the Kid's Trip that takes place during Parent's Seminar on

June 29th during National Convention in Anaheim, California.

After many phone calls and a few last minute schedule changes,

here it is at last, the KIDS TRIP agenda!



                       ADVENTURE CITY



     Ages 4 - 10<R> Cost:  $16 <R>Includes: bus fare, lunch,

and unlimited use of rides and attractions.

     For our trip to Adventure City, a new theme park designed

specifically for young children, the excitement begins on the

city bus that leads straight to the thrills. Our day at

Adventure City will begin with an interactive and educational

puppet show that will be for us alone to enjoy before the park

opens to the general public. During the shows we will learn

about "What you should do if you get lost," "Being kind to

others," and will feature a special visit from Dandy McRandy

the Mystery Caper. Excitement and entertainment await with

roller-coasters and other pulse-quickening rides. If you're

the kind of kid that prefers to keep your feet a little closer

to the ground, there's a petting zoo, shows, and a 20 horse

carousel! There will also be game areas and concession stands

for which you may want to bring some extra spending money.



                   TRAIN TRIP TO THE BEACH



     Ages 10 - 18<R>Cost: $16<R>Includes: train and bus fare

admission to Scripps

     What a day at the beach we have planned for you! All

Aboard! We'll begin the day by traveling Southwest on Amtrak's

San Diego commuter train. We'll experience the thrill of the

railroad as we begin our trek to enjoy the wonder of the

Pacific Coast. Next we'll spend some time letting the warm

sand sift through our toes as we beachcomb, chase the waves,

or build a sandcastle. Then we'll take the city bus to the

internationally known Scripps Institute of Oceanography for a

hands-on guided tour of the aquarium. Please bring money for

lunch and any snacks or souvenirs you wish to buy.



     Sound too good to be true? Well, it isn't if you make

sure your reservations are made by May 15, 1996. Space is

limited so make your reservations as soon as possible! Mail

the following pre-registration form to Kids Convention Trips,

3988 Main Street, Springfield Oregon 97478. For more

information phone (503) 726-6924.



                        1996 NFB CAMP

                  Carla McQuillan, Director



Editor's Note: In addition to coordinating the kids' trips

this year, Carla McQuillan is also director of NFB Camp. This

volunteer task is a major undertaking. It takes a tremendous

amount of time, energy, ingenuity, and commitment to make the

NFB Camp an enjoyable and enriching experience for every

member of the family who attends. This is what Carla McQuillan

has to say about NFB Camp.



     NFB Camp is not an ordinary child care service. Children

who are blind or who have a family member who is blind will

have a special opportunity to interact with each other and

with blind adults. As director it is my task to organize

activities which will maximize the benefits of this

interaction. Some of the activities scheduled for 1996

include: daily art projects planned and conducted by Corinne

Vieville, a member of our California NFB affiliate; nature

walks through the hotel gardens; a variety of performances by

blind musicians, vocalists, and theater artists; and soccer,

basketball, and other recreational games led by blind sports

enthusiasts. These are only a few of the adventures planned

for our NFB Campers!



     The rooms reserved for NFB Camp at the Anaheim Hilton

will enable us to divide the children into groups for

age-appropriate activities and programs. The following

schedule is tentative. For a complete and accurate breakdown

of hours of operation pick up a schedule at the information

desk when you arrive at the hotel. NFB Camp will be open from

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. on Saturday; closed on Sunday; and open

Monday through Friday during general convention activities

with these exceptions: Camp will close immediately after

morning sessions on Wednesday (tour day), and Camp will be

open during the evening during the Parental Concerns Committee

meeting and the annual banquet. Parents are responsible for

arranging child care at all other times during the convention.

However, I will help parents who need sitters and teens

seeking babysitting jobs locate each other. Please contact me

for details.



     Two experienced staff members of my Montessori preschool

are coming to Anaheim to supervise the child care workers and

counselors at NFB Camp. These child care professionals, along

with many other members of the Federation who work in NFB

Camp, will volunteer their time, energy, and talent in an

effort to make our National Convention an enjoyable and

enriching experience for the entire family.



     Parents are asked to make the following donations for NFB

Camp: weekly (including banquet)$60 for the first child and

$30 for each additional child; daily (per child) $15; banquet

(per child) $10. There will be a fine for late pick-ups from

the Camp rooms at closing. Parents who cannot contribute the

suggested amount may make other arrangements with me. Please

contact me at (503) 726-6924 or write to NFB CAMP, NFB of

Oregon, P.O. Box 320, Thurston, Oregon 97482. 



We anticipate a full house this year so advance registration

is advised to ensure that our planning is adequate to meet the

demands. Make checks payable to NFB of Oregon (NFB Camp). Mail

check and the following registration form to: NFB CAMP, NFB of

Oregon, P.O. Box 320, Thurston, Oregon 97482. Again, contact

me at (503) 726-6924 if you need further information or want

to make special arrangements for donations, etc.



                 BLINDNESS, THE NFB, AND ME



Editor's Note: Of all the speakers and panels at the 1995

Parents Seminar, there was probably not one as well received

as this panel. Made up mostly of children and youth, parents

heard first-hand from the kids themselves what they have

learned about blindness from the NFB. Here are the

presentations of three of those youngsters; Wayne Percy, age

8, of Louisiana; Angela Sasser, a blind teen also from

Louisiana; and John E. Cheadle, a sighted sibling from

Maryland (yes, he is related to this editorhe's my son).



                        WAYNE PEARCY



     The great things that can happen when you live with a

blind family in the NFB. 



     I am Wayne Pearcy. My mother is Zena Pearcy.  My dad is

Jeff Pearcy. My parents are blind. They have been members of

the NFB for twenty years. I attended my first convention when

I was five years old. I attended my first state convention

when I was five months old. I learned to use a cane when I was

two years old. I learned to write and read Braille when I was

four. I think that all people should use Braille at an early

age. It's swell to be in the NFB cause there's a lot of blind

people around you. I like going to conventions. I like playing

with blind kids. I like the NFB film about Braille.



     When I go to school, I use Braille in all my classes.

Sometimes, my teachers don't understand that I need to use my

cane. My parents make them understand about my cane.



     Thanks to all of you for listening to my speech.  I hope

you enjoyed it. Good bye.



                        ANGELA SASSER



     Fire is a symbol of eternity; so strong that a single

flame can burn down an entire forest, yet so gentle that it

can warm the hearts of friends and family on a cold winter's

evening.



     It symbolizes hope for those who are looking for light at

the end of their tunnel. Such as for a lost little boy who

sees a flickering candle in a window and knows that he is no

longer alone. Each one of us has a flame in our soul that

burns forever and is never blown out, not even when we die.



     Take Dr. tenBroek for example, the flame that burned so

brightly in his soul is now burning in the souls of us, the

newer generations of blind people. He was the one that struck

the match that lit the candle of Dr. Jernigan and Mr. Maurer,

who passed the candle on to people like Joanne Wilson and

Ramona Walhof, who taught my generation about the ideas and

philosophy behind the National Federation of the Blind.



     When I went blind four year ago, I had a spark that

wanted so badly to become a raging fire of ideas and

ambitions. But I couldn't fan the fire on my own. I needed

encouragement and education, and guess where I found itthe

National Federation of the Blind.



     In a way I was like that lost little boy. I was lost too.

I had no idea how to use alternative techniques to do things.

But the Louisiana Center for the Blind was the candle in the

window for me.  They gave me the hope and encouragement that

I needed to live my life as a normal kid. They taught me

Braille so I can read out loud with the rest of my classmates.

They taught me cane travel skills so I can keep up with my

friends when I'm out and can go on a date without having to

ask the guy to take me to the bathroom.



     Having been taught these little things, I know I can take

on the bigger things in life. Through the past four years I

have not only done the usual growing, but the spark inside has

also grown into a fire that I wish to use to light the candle

of hope for others as past generations of blind people have

done for me. I thank the NFB for making growing up a little

easier.



                      JOHN EARL CHEADLE



     One spring afternoon as I lay relaxing in my room the

phone rang. I picked up the receiver and started talking to

the lady on the other end of the line. The conversation, a

fairly typical exchange relating each of our adventures over

the course of the day, took an unexpected turn when she asked

me to give a speech on the benefits of growing up in the NFB,

and give it at the NFB's National Convention, no less.



     After thinking of a number of answers I could have given

this woman I finally responded, "Sure, Mom. I'd be happy to."



     Sitting down to write this speech, I first felt

absolutely overwhelmed at the enormous nature of the task at

hand. How was I supposed to put into words the positive

effects of eighteen years, my entire lifetime of experience

with the NFB. Then a revelation of divine proportions struck

me. All my life the NFB had provided me with the essential

ingredient necessary to lead a happy and productive life, lots

and lots of good food.



     Now, while it's true that excellent refreshments and

meals are served at NFB picnics, cookouts, chapter meetings,

state conventions, and of course here at the National

Convention, I'm not talking about just that kind of food. I'm

talking about, for instance, brain food.



     Through the NFB I have come in contact with some of the

leading minds in areas as diverse as statistical mathematics

and social justice. I can't count how many times I've quoted

Dr. tenBroek, Dr. Jernigan, or President Maurer to create a

more intellectual term paper or class discussion.



     Barbara Pierce and her thorough knowledge of

post-secondary institutions was invaluable to me as I embarked

upon my college search last year.  I helped read for Scott

LaBarre as he studied for his Legal Bar exam and learned more

than I ever wanted to know about Tort legislation.



     The vast literature of the NFB has helped me complete

more than a few school projects, and the people of this

organization have been to me teachers and mentors as excellent

as those in any school.



     And so I am exceedingly thankful for the brain food of

the NFB.



     Additionally, the NFB has raised me on a healthy diet of

justice ever since I was born.  As an infant, I was protesting

unfair treatment of the blind. I'm sure my parents will be

happy to show you pictures of my days picketing in a stroller.



     For most people my age, justice is simply another

assignment in a philosophy or literature class.  Probably

given to them about the time they are sleeping off last

night's party. But for me, it is alive!  My parents work for

it day in and day out. My sister and my brother and I have to

educate our peers at every turn that the blind deserve to be

treated justly because they are normal people and therefore

should be given all the normal human rights to which everyone

in this nation is entitled.



     I've watched and on occasion helped the NFB correct

injustices of every sort: small injustices and large ones;

those that are swiftly defeated and those that require years

of fighting before they are  finally trampled into dust; those

injustices derived from ignorance and those that are brutally

intentional. The NFB has given me energy, philosophy, and

strategy to fight injustice.



     And so I count justice food as one of the best benefits

of growing up in the NFB. 



     Finally, I could not talk about the benefits of being an

NFB kid without mentioning my brother Charles, who's blind.

Known to many of you as Chaz. Please allow me a moment to brag

on my brother. 



     He is enrolled in the high school from which I graduated

a month ago, earning A's and B's in college level courses

offered there. He's active in his Boy Scout troop and is

working on his Eagle project. He plays guitar, harmonica, and

a little piano.



     He was recently appointed to the Governor's Committee on

Service for the State of Maryland and has put in countless

hours of volunteer work at the National Center for the Blind

in Baltimore. 



     Chaz has given me quite a bit of first-hand experience

with a blind person although I rarely think of him that way

anymore. He's my brother. He helps me out when I need it; he

makes me laugh, even when I don't feel like laughing. And he

finishes off the food on my plate when I am too stuffed to

move. 



     The NFB has given me one of the best foods of all.

Brotherhood.



     However these foods in and of themselves, are not the

most wonderful gifts I have received. The food of the National

Federation of the Blind has provided me with a second family.

In most cultures and religions food holds the status of

importance beyond the alleviation of physical hunger. It

represents community; community with nature or God or other

people. This is the greatest benefit of growing up in the

NFBbeing an integral part of a community to which I give some

of my energy but from which I derive a power so much greater

than my own that who I am is no longer defined solely by my

personal achievements but increasingly by the achievements of

the community in which I function. The great benefits of

growing up in the NFB have included such rich varieties and

enormous volumes of food that it is with a proud and thankful

heart that I say...I am fed up to here with the NFB!



    BLINDNESSWHAT IT MEANS IN THE MIND OF A BLIND CHILD

                      by Ramona Walhof



Editor's Note: The following article is an edited and expanded

version of a speech given at the Parents Seminar at the 1995

NFB convention.



     Perhaps you have heard the story about Johnny, who came

running in from play to ask, "Mommy, Mommy, where did I come

from?" Mommy thought four years old was a little young to be

asking about the birds and the bees, but she supposed she was

up to it. She explained about growing for nine months in the

uterus inside her tummy and then being born. Johnny was

impatient to go back outside, but on the way he called over

his shoulder, "I came from a uterus, but Michael came from

California."



     We cannot read our children's minds. If we could, there

would be many surprises. This is true of blindness, just as it

is regarding other things. But there are some general things

we do know.



     A child who is born blind does not know what it is like

to see. Until he or she is old enough to begin to understand

how other people do things, blindness seems normal. Therefore,

a small child will not feel bad about blindness until someone

teaches him or her (directly or indirectly) to feel bad. 



     When my sighted children were little, they treated me in

some ways that were different. If they showed me something,

they put my hand on it. I did not teach them to do this; it

was obvious. They knew what worked, but that didn't mean they

understood blindnessthey didn't, not at that age, anyway. A

blind child is the same. They learn what works, and they do

it. But that doesn't mean they understand what blindness is

and isn't.



     Blindness is something we explain little by little as a

child progresses toward school. Because nobody knows when a

blind child really understands what blindness is, it should be

discussed in a positive manner. Anything associated with

blindness should also be approached positively. Learning to

use a white cane or being able to read Braille can be an

opportunity and a privilege, not a last resort. Braille is a

special way to read with your fingers. These positive

approaches convey the attitude, "It's okay to be blind."



     We must not lament the fact that a child cannot see. It

isn't helpful to make comments such as: "I wish you could see

the birds out the window," Or "I wish you could see the

pictures in this book." But we can say, "Do you hear the birds

singing? They sound nice. They have pretty colored feathers

which look nice, too." or "This is a funny picture. It shows

an elephant in a dress! Isn't that silly? Do you remember the

elephant you rode on at the zoo? Can you imagine it in a

dress!" 



     In other words we must share what we see with a blind

child as a pleasant and normal part of communicating, not as

a constant sad reminder of something a child is lacking. It is

impossible to guard blind children from all excessive

admiring, crying, and gushing about blindness, but parents can

begin by setting an example. This means getting your own grief

and frustration about blindness out of your system as early as

possible. You have a good peer support group right here to

help you through that.



     I recommend you don't spend a lot of time talking about

how much your child can see. Neighbors, other family members,

friends, and even strangers will want to do that. They are

curious and being friendly when they say to your child: How

much can you see? Can you count my fingers? Can you see that

color? Can you see across the street? Sometimes the child

tries to cooperate, and sometimes he doesn't. Either way too

much talk about what he can see will be boring and confusing

to him. Why does it matter so much? Is the amount a child can

see really the most interesting and important part of him? Of

course the doctor must do eye tests, and as a parent you want

to have some idea of what your child can use vision to do, but

this is enough.



     Blind people can tell you about the different reactions

they had as children to all this discussion about seeing. I

learned to lie about it. I tried to make people happy so they

would leave me alone and I could go on to other things.

Pretending sometimes got me special privileges and prestige at

the school for the blind; and I knew I made my family members

happy if I said I could see things. Nobody meant to teach me

to lie, but they did.



     And what about using the word, "blind?" Does it make you

uncomfortable? It might be hard for you, but it could be a

relief for your child to be able to name the difference he

senses, but no one will talk about. I can remember feeling

that something was wrong with me before anyone used the word

blind. When I was in kindergarten in public school, the

teacher guided my hand to teach me to print. I couldn't see

the large letters she put on the paper. I learned to print,

but the whole thing was embarrassing and confusing to me. Some

explanation about what was happening might have been helpful,

although I know that the adults involved were as unsure about

what to do as I was.



     An even bigger concern for me in kindergarten, though,

was the bathroom. From the kindergarten room you had to go

across a big hallway, down a flight of stairs, around a few

corners, and there was the bathroom right next to the door

that led to the playground. My class always went to the

bathroom just before recess, and I found it very hard to wait.

It was all right to go earlier, and I know that other children

did, but I was sure I could not see well enough to find my

way. I did not dare admit this to anyone. One day when the

teacher asked me why my dress was wet, I told her I didn't

know. I did not associate this problem with blindness, but I

now do. I am not aware that the teacher or my mother ever

figured it out. 



     Your child needs reassurance that blindness is okay even

before he or she really understands what blindness is. This is

true because of what others say about it, and because a blind

youngster may have fears (as I did) that are associated with

their lack of vision. 

     

     If you have created an atmosphere where it's okay to talk

about blindness, your child will have the language, and the

"permission" he needs to express some of the things he or she

is thinking or experiencing about it.



     When a blind child is little he or she may not have much

interest in what you see. You may drive along the road and

describe beautiful scenery, and your child may totally ignore

you. Because children express no interest, that doesn't mean

you should quit talking about what you see. But do it in small

doses. You know that you get information from all directions

through your eyes, both close up and far away. Your child

doesn't know what you see. Gradually, he or she will learnif

you keep talking. It is important that a blind child learn how

to interact with people who are getting information visually.

In one sense your child may borrow your eyes to read a story,

learn about colors, identify a noise, and so forth.



     Sight is convenient and blind people rely on sighted

people for certain things. This is not bad, but good and

proper. Blind children need to learn how eyesight works and

how to interact with sighted people. It's a part of learning

about blindness. But, too much reliance upon someone else's

sight deprives the child of skill and confidence. Thus, a

blind child must learn how to balance trusting their blind

techniques and understanding the uses of vision. It is part of

growing up for a blind child. It is not a disaster if we don't

understand it all immediately.



     Several parents have mentioned to me lately that their

blind children seem to have trouble understanding humor. I

would not hesitate to describe some humor to your children,

but I wouldn't worry if they miss some jokes. It's good to

describe some cartoons so that your child comes to understand

that humor is often based on weird impressions shown in

pictures. My mother used to read the comic papers to me, and

I am sure this was helpful, but I was often slow to understand

jokes.



     Blind children must learn to get information from sighted

people for many different purposes. This is part of a

life-long process.



     We keep learning about eyesight, just as we keep learning

about many things. When I was 40 or so I was driving down the

street with my two sighted teen-agers, and I wanted to get

some information about street signs. I said, "I want you to

read to me every sign you see." That was a mistake.



     They thought this was a wonderful opportunity. They

couldn't talk fast enough to read all the signs out loud. They

were deliberately taking advantage of the situation to read

things they knew I didn't want to know (not an unusual

attitude for a teen-ager), but I learned something new from

this experience. I knew that in a business district there are

signs on practically every building, but I really had no

concept of how many signs you could read while driving down

one street. I tell you this just to show how a blind person

continues to learn about seeing. The process needs to start

young. Your awareness of this process will help you help your

child build a better grasp of how vision is used.



     When my son was three years old he taught me something I

found instructive. He was a sighted child. I already knew how

blind children learn about color for I was a blind child and

grew up with other blind children. We learned by listening to

what people said about color. As we grew older, we learned to

do things with color based on what others were doing and

saying. What I didn't know is that this is the very same way

sighted children learn about color, too. My son had a pair of

comfortable, striped, knit pants, and he had a nice

comfortable T-shirt that was absolutely the wrong color to

wear with those pants! In typical three-year-old style, he

wanted to wear them together. He liked them, so they must look

good together. I had to teach him that other people said they

didn't look good together. We had similar experiences when

matching other things he liked, too. 



     This is the same lesson you teach a blind child. A

sighted child sees the colors and a blind child doesn't. But

both must learn what the culture agrees is okay in using

colors. Think about it.



     You have heard statistics about how much learning is

visual. These are often used to indicate that blind children

don't learn as much or as fast as other children. This is not

necessarily so, unless we don't use the alternative techniques

that are available to the blind.



     If a blind infant drops a set of keys on the floor, and

you lean down to pick them up, that can be a fun game. If you

lower the baby down and put his or her hand on the keys, it

might be even more fun. If you encourage the little one to

move his hand back and forth on the floor to find the keys,

that's another kind of game, and that's learning. As the baby

becomes a toddler, a little talk about where things go when

they get thrown and dropped increases learning gradually.

Sometimes the child will cooperate and enjoy the games, and

sometimes not. But you keep playing them and making them more

challenging and complex as he learns.



     My friend, Ali was three years old when she first came to

my house. She is blind and has mild cerebral palsy, so is slow

to walk. However, she covers a lot of ground in her crawling.

Within minutes after arriving at my house Ali was sitting in

front of the refrigerator in the middle of a crowd of people

in the kitchen and was in danger of being stepped on. Her

father rescued her and explained that Ali often heads for the

fridge in new houses. She must find that big metal box with a

motor humming and air blowing out very interesting. 



     Later I learned from Ali's mother that she also likes to

get things out of the fridge (if she can reach them) when the

door is open. I have no idea when Ali made the connection

between the fan in the fridge and the food, but I know she

did, and that's learning. It may not be exactly the same

pattern that another child would follow, but that doesn't

matter. Ali learned about the fridge, and that's what is

important.



     We reduce blindness to the level of a nuisance by using

our own imaginations to figure out what techniques are best

suited to specific experiences. Just because you never saw

someone who is blind doing a thing doesn't mean it can't be

done.



     It can be helpful, as you raise a blind child, to observe

how sighted children learn. Here is an example.



     When I was visiting my daughter's Sunday school class of

three-year-olds, one little boy, Thomas, arrived early. My

daughter gave him colors to keep him busy until she and the

other children were ready for class. After coloring for a

while, Thomas reached for the scotch tape which was nearby. It

was clear to me that he did not know how to get the end loose

from the dispenser, so I showed him how to do it.



     If Thomas had been blind, he might not have noticed the

tape an arm's reach awayI would have had to tell him it was

there, or prompt him to explore until he found it. Also, I

would have used different techniques to show him what to do

with it. But using tape should be as normal and typical for

the blind three-year-old as it is for the sighted

three-year-old. If we watch a sighted child doing something

like this, it prods us to offer the same opportunity to our

blind child. It is a simple matter to say, "Oh, look at this.

What do you suppose we can do with it? Here, let me show you."

So what if the child makes a big mess with the tape? That's

the way kids learn.



     Paying attention to children in general can help us be on

our toes in offering new learning experiences to blind

children. It is really just as simple as thatnot anything to

worry about, just a guide which can be useful.



     Like other children, blind children need to learn about

appropriate and inappropriate behavior. This gets a little

complicated sometimes because blind children should do some

things differently. For example, it is okay for a blind baby

to feel your face, and they often do. But this becomes

socially unacceptable at a very young age. Before school age

a blind child needs to learn that it is not a good idea to put

their hands all over other people. It is better for a young

boy to be slapped and learn a lesson about getting along with

his peers than be branded "to be avoided" by his classmates.

Unfortunately, most young girls would not slap the "blind

boy." This means parents have an extra responsibility in

teaching social skills to their blind youngsters. They need

information even when they don't ask for it and don't take it.

We must keep reminding them when we see inappropriate

behavior.



     When my children were small, I grew very tired of having

to fuss at them for doing the same thing over and over. I

tried to be creative in finding ways not to nag. This spring

my youngest graduated from college, a real milestone for both

of us. He is selling books this summer as he has done

throughout college. He said to me "Don't let me stay with the

company beyond the summer." Amazed, I asked what he wanted me

to do about it if he did. "Nag me" he answered. I told him I

didn't like to nag, and I thought he didn't like it either.

What do you suppose he said? "Sometimes it works." Well, I

found that most interesting and pass it on for what it is

worth.



     Many blind children feel no need to hold their heads

erect. Not only does this look funny, it also causes

underdevelopment of the muscles in the neck and back. Constant

reminders and creative motivators must be tried. There is no

simple solution, but it's worth working on. When they get to

be 16 or 20 they will be very glad if they've developed the

practice of holding their heads up and looking at other

people.



     One evening I was talking with a blind eight-year-old who

was jumping up and down and flopping his body around. Thinking

I could subtly change this behavior, I suggested we sit down.

We did and continued our conversation, and he continued to

jump around. By and by I mentioned that most eight-year-olds

don't jump around all the time. "Oh," he said, "I do that all

the time." 



     "Yes," I said, "that's why I brought it up. It makes you

look funny."



     I still did not get much response, but repetition of the

same message in different ways will get through. Sometimes we

just have to figure out how to make the message matter, and

there may be some value in using a blend of shock techniques

and repetition. It reminds me of a story I once heard about an

old man named Pat. The priest wanted Pat to support the

building of a new church, but Pat was resisting. Pat said, "I

give my dime every Sunday, and that's all you're going to get

out of me." Just then a big piece of plaster fell and hit Pat

on the head. This changed his mind. After Pat offered a large

sum, Father said, "Pat, let us pray." They knelt in front of

the altar, and Father prayed, "Heavenly Father, hit him

again." I cannot provide a big piece of plaster when you need

it, but there are times when you can be too gentle. No

technique is right for every situation, and frequently a

change of emphasis from day-to-day is desirable.



     Today most blind children have far less contact with one

another than when most of us were young and went to schools

for the blind or resource classrooms. Being one blind person

among hundreds of sighted children in public schools and in

the neighborhood can be lonely. There is a void in learning

about blindness. In fact children learn, to their detriment,

to take advantage of other people's attitudes about blindness.

Public attitudes about blindness may be the most difficult

part of raising a blind child, both for you and your child.

Some of you may know better examples than I do, but let me

share just one.



     Nine-year-old Melissa lived in a house about 200 yards

from the road where the school bus picked her up. There was a

dry creek bed with a bridge across it between her door and

where she caught the school bus. Melissa was still learning

when to use her cane and when not to. She resisted taking it

when she should. Her mother explained to her what could happen

if she didn't use her cane, but Melissa continued to resist

taking it when she should. Sure enough, one morning Melissa

went racing out the door to catch the buswithout her caneand

fell in the creek bed. Melissa was not seriously hurt, but the

neighbors were angry. They felt mom should not let Melissa out

of her sight. They didn't think Melissa could be safe even

with the cane. Even though mom had the right attitude, it was

difficult to stand her ground when all the neighbors were mad

at her. I reassured mom that she was right on target. 

Sometimes it is hard not to fall into traps formed by public

attitudes. 



     Without realizing what they are doing, blind children

often learn to depend on sighted people more than they need to

or should. Elementary school is not too soon for a blind child

to begin traveling independently, keeping track of print

papers, looking for things that are lost or dropped, keeping

track of clothes that match, etc. As a child matures, he or

she needs to develop more self-reliance in all these areas.



     This spring Kathryn was a model in a fashion show. She

had less time than I wished to practice her route across the

stage, down the steps, around a couple of corners, and down

the aisle through the audience. Still she did just fine and

looked good. As she came down the steps someone could not

resist the need to tell her where she should go. A lipreader

at a nearby table reports that Kathryn said in a whisper

without looking around, "I can do it myself." Kathryn handled

the situation, but it must have been demoralizing and

embarrassing. 



     Still, how many times in a day or a week do children like

Kathryn have to face somebody who does not really believe in

them? What does it do to their confidence? Their self-esteem?

We cannot quickly change these attitudes but what we have to

offer is valuable. We can reassure blind children that

somebody does understand. We can offer the opportunity to talk

about blindness and to learn the skills that help to reduce it

to the level of a nuisance. We can share with these children

the successes, frustrations, grief, and excitement of growing

up as a blind person. Blindness is a characteristic these

children do not share with most of their peers. To talk about

it when they can is important, and we must find a way to give

them this opportunity.



     A child needs to be encouraged to understand how he or

she is affected by blindness. I have been asked many questions

by blind youngsters which demonstrate they want to talk about

it. They ask me: When should I use my cane, and when should I

walk with someone else? How do I decide when I really need

Braille? If a lot of other people seem to know what is going

on and I don't, what can I do about it? In a group I don't

always like to ask for help or information, but if I am quiet,

often I get left out or forgotten, and I don't like that

either. I know I can be noticed by calling attention to

blindness, but sometimes that isn't much fun. What will my

life be like when I grow up? All the adults I know can see.

How will I learn to put make-up on? What will happen if I

don't drive a car?



     Whether you hear these questions in so many words or not,

you need to realize that blind children are thinking about

these things. Both you and your children need to talk about

matters like these and work out answers. One of the resources

available to you through the National Federation of the Blind

(NFB) comes in the form of people who have answers to these

questions.



     The other day I visited a one-week camp for blind

children who attend public school in Idaho. I was introduced

to a group of about ten teen-agers. Most had returned to the

camp for at least the second year. After telling them who I

was, I asked why they liked the camp and came back. No

answers. I told them I thought I knew. It gives them an

opportunity to share experiences with others who are blind.

Immediately, the room was abuzz with chatter and questions.



     My few minutes grew into a whole class period. These

youngsters wanted to talk about jobs; careers;

discriminationwhat it is and what to do about it; attitudes

of parents, teachers, and peers about blindness; and all the

topics we have touched on this morning. At that camp there

were counselors who would discuss blindness in the evenings,

but they were not themselves blind. It seems to make a

difference. I don't have all the answers to their questions,

but that did not seem to matter. They were eager to share with

me and to have my thoughts to ponder.



     The NFB Training Centers in Louisiana, Colorado, and

Minnesota sponsor summer programs for blind children. Their

staff membersmost of whom are blind like mewill tell you the

same thing. Children are eager to learn about blindness from

those they know have had real experiences. They are glad for

the opportunity to experiment with the skills and attitudes

about blindness that they are learning.



     Kathryn is ten years old, and I have known her for five

or six years. When I see her, Kathryn always wants to take

hold of my cane. At first she wanted to talk about it and

compare its size to her own. Now she just wants to grasp it

for a moment and go on with whatever she is doing and saying.

I think this is her way of saying, "I'm glad you and I have

canes in common."



     The National Federation of the Blind provides the rhythm

and the melody for us all to march forward together to change

public attitudes about blindness. We have a young, energetic

leader who depends on all of us to make the music and move

ahead. Our children are learning to play the instruments that

broadcast our message to the world.



     One or a few persons cannot make the band move forward or

sound good. The fullness of sound and the impressiveness of

configurations on the field come from planning and rehearsals.

Each individual must play a part and coordinate with the

others. Because of our togetherness, we are all more

successful than any could be alone.



     We meet at this convention to renew our spirits and

improve our skills and our understanding. As adults, both

blind and sighted, we need what we came here to partake of.

And we bring our children, for they need it, too. They need

what they will find this week, and they depend on us

throughout the year to improve their skills and grow in their

understanding.



     When our children become the section leaders, one day our

band will be welcomed by society as a leading part of the

parade, not merely with sympathy because the blind are doing

better than expected, but with honor because the high quality

of our performance can no longer be denied.



     This is what we hope and plan for our children, and this

is what they dream. We must do what we can to facilitate their

dreams. We are, and we will continue to do so. This is our

goal today for ourselves, and this is our pledge to the next

generation!

   REPORT ON PARENT ACTIVITIES AT THE 1995 NFB CONVENTION

                     by Barbara Cheadle



     Although there is only one blind member in our family of

fiveCharles, our seventeen-year-old sonthe National

Federation of the Blind became, early on, a family affair. We

quickly discovered that each of us was welcome, and each of us

had a contribution to make. All three of our children have

sold NFB candy, attended monthly Federation chapter meetings,

held a picket sign, and cheered the presidential report at NFB

National Conventions. They've had lots of company in these

endeavors, too. Hundreds of sighted children of blind members,

blind kids, and sighted siblings participate in Federation

functions with their families. 



     The theme of the 1995 Parents Seminar, "The Benefits of

Growing Up in the National Federation of the Blind," focused

on this unique characteristic of the NFB. Blind adults,

sighted parents, blind kids, sighted kids of blind parents,

and sighted siblings came together during the morning session

to talk about the significant impact the National Federation

of the Blind has had in their lives. 



     The seminar got off to an inspirational start with

remarks by NFB President Marc Maurer and President Emeritus,

Dr. Kenneth Jernigan. They challenged parents to stay for the

entire convention. They described how the actions taken at

this year's convention, and the years that follow, will

determine much of what their children's future opportunities

will be. Therefore, they explained, it behooves parents to

become active in the NFB so they, too, can help shape the

future for the next generation.



     Ramona Walhof led the formal agenda with a presentation

called, "BlindnessWhat it Means in the Mind of a Blind Child"

(see page 13 in this issue). In her speech, Mrs. Walhof

examined the natural process by which a blind child comes to

understand blindness and, ultimately, how they learn to feel

about themselves as blind people. 



     Next were two panels, "But I'm not Blind...What can the

NFB Mean to Me?" and "Blindness, the NFB, and Me." On the

first panel Charles Brown, President of the NFB of Virginia,

described the value of the NFB in his life as a partially

sighted individual. Joanne Wilson, Director of the Louisiana

Center for the Blind and the blind mother of five sighted

children gave a lively account of the many values and skills

her sighted children learned through their intimate

association with the NFB.



     The final panel of the day featured children and youth

and was (as might be expected) enthusiastically received by

the audience. Wayne Pearcy, an eight-year-old blind boy, gave

a delightful speech. Angela Sasser, a blind teen from

Louisiana, and Maria Wurtzel, the sighted daughter of blind

Federationists Fred and Mary Wurtzel, expressed themselves

with clarity and sincerity. The last youth on the panel, John

Earl Cheadle, sighted sibling to blind Federationist Charles

(Chaz), "spiced" his presentation with humor and a "wry"

twist. Bill Cucco, the only adult on the panel, held his own

with the youth as he described the role the NFB has played in

life as the sighted father of a blind daughter. 



     The last item on the general session agenda was a skit

performed by blind students and staff members of the Louisiana

Center for the Blind. Written by Braille instructor Jerry

Whittle, "Little Things Mean a Lot" (see page 31) gave parents

a lot of not-so-little things to think about concerning the

ways they might be stifling their children's needs for

blindness skills and independence.



     During the lunch break parents had the option of buying

a box lunch and attending a Toy Workshop moderated by Margie

Watson, president of the Wisconsin Parents of Blind Children,

and presented by Kathy Austin, a Discovery Toy dealer from

Virginia. Both women are parents of blind daughters and are

active in the National Organization of Parents of Blind

Children. 



     Following lunch parents were presented with a choice of

twelve different concurrent workshops. The three-hour

"Beginning Braille for Parents" workshop was, as usual,

conducted by Claudell Stocker, Braille expert and former

director of the Braille Unit of the Library for the Blind and

Physically Handicapped. There was also a "Questions and

Concerns About Braille" session moderated by NOPBC First Vice

President and 1992 winner of the Outstanding Educator of Blind

Children award, Ruby Ryles. Dr. Hilda Caton, the 1995 winner

of the award, was also on hand to answer questions about her

"Patterns" reading series. 



     Blind Federationists Barbara Pierce and Gary Wunder

handled the sensitive topic of "Social Skills, Personal Care,

and Independence of Blind Youth" to a standing-room-only

crowd. Loretta White, parent leader from Maryland and chairman

of the NOPBC Committee on Blind Multiply Handicapped Children,

also spoke to a record number of parents about techniques and

resources for parents of blind multiply handicapped children.

Two sessions of "Parent Power" was so well received that the

workshop will undoubtedly be repeated in 1996. These sessions

were conducted by parent leaders Carol Castellano, New Jersey;

Barbara Freeman, Washington; Keri Stockton, West Virginia;

Kathy Arthurs, Ohio; Dawn Neddo, Michigan; and Joe Larson,

Nebraska. 



     Three different sessions were held on different aspects

of cane travel and mobility for blind kids. Joe Cutter, a

pediatric mobility specialist from New Jersey, and Doug Boone,

an independent mobility consultant from Nebraska, gave

generously of their time not only during these workshops

(which they conducted) but throughout the convention in

private appointments with parents. One of the most exciting

events of the afternoon was the session for parents of

deaf-blind children. Moderated by Sally Ruemmler, chairman of

the NOPBC committee Parents in Partnership for Deaf-Blind

Children, the workshop featured presentations by Sandra

Andrews, a deaf-blind services consultant in Kansas; and Dr.

Douglas Geenens, an adult and child psychiatrist with

experience in the identification and assessment of psychiatric

needs of individuals with dual sensory loss. 



     Throughout the afternoon parents also had the option of

dropping into the "Show Time" room to view videos on a variety

of blindness topics. Especially popular was the new NFB video

about Braille literacy, "That the Blind May Read." 



     Blind teens had an opportunity to get together Saturday

afternoon for a Convention Orientation session. Adult blind

members of the NFB took the youth out in small groups to

explore the hotel. The experience also gave the kids a chance

to get to know each other and to meet blind adults.



     While moms, dads, and older brothers and sisters were

busy with these activities, youngsters from age 5 to 12 were

having a great time on a field trip to a nearby kids amusement

park. Carla McQuillan, who owns and operates a Montessori

preschool in Oregon, organized dozens of other blind

volunteers to chaperone some eighty children on this trip.



     After a long day, parents and children were ready to

relax and socialize that evening at the informal Family

Hospitality night sponsored by the NOPBC. Children gathered

around the piano, played games, and looked at books while

parents chatted, compared notes, and exchanged ideas along

with addresses and phone numbers. One exciting high point of

the evening was a drawing for a $50 bill. 



     The next large gathering for parents was at the Annual

Meeting of the National Organization of Parents of Blind

Children on Monday afternoon, July 3, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

As usual, the agenda was packed with a combination of

business, reports, presentations, panels, and election of

officers. Dr. Hilda Caton, the 1995 recipient of the

Outstanding Educator of Blind Children Award, described the

background and development of the Patterns reading series,

which she edited some years ago. Other speakers included Laura

Felty and Dr. Christopher Craig. Laura  was the top

Print-to-Braille winner in the first annual National Braille

Readers are Leaders contest about twelve years ago. She is now

a certified teacher of blind children. Laura gave a compelling

talk about how important and beneficial Braille has been in

her life. Following this theme, Dr. Craig talked about the

survey he conducted on the emerging literacy of blind

children. Interspersed between speakers were drawings for new

and used toys donated by members. This was so popular that a

committee was formed to solicit toys and other items for next

year.



     The last item on the agenda was a panel of parent leaders

who talked about the challenges of organizing local parent

support groups. Joe Larson, Nebraska; Pat Jones, Tennessee;

Margie Watson, Wisconsin; Lisa Mattioli, Pennsylvania; and

Michael Wolk, also of Pennsylvania described different

experiences and problems. All, however, persevered and

succeeded in creating a stable organization where parents can

work together to better the lives for blind children in their

communities. 



     A report from the nominating committee followed by

elections concluded the meeting. NOPBC officers and board

members for 1995-1996 are: Barbara Cheadle, President; Ruby

Ryles, First Vice President; Carol Castellano, Second Vice

President; Marty Greiser, Secretary; Julie Hunter, Treasurer;

Michael Wolk, Board; Joe Larson, Board; Pat Jones, Board; and

Kathy Arthurs, Board. 



     On Wednesday evening NOPBC conducted an Individualized

Education Program (IEP) workshop. Led by Ruby Ryles and

Barbara Cheadle, the program explored the nuts and bolts of

how the IEP works, what blind kids should have on their IEPs,

and strategies for increasing the chances of getting a good

IEP. One segment of the workshop specifically addressed the

role of the parents' advocate in the IEP meeting. Following

the pattern set at the workshops earlier in the week, the room

was packed with enthusiastic parents and NFB members eager to

learn.



     The convention general sessions, which began Wednesday

morning and concluded on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. (3-1/2

daysThursday afternoon was left open for tours), was packed

with speakers and topics of the utmost interest to parents.

Parents who stayed for the entire convention had the

opportunity to hear nationally known professionals from the

National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion,

Dr. Alan Gartner and Dorothy Kerzner Lipsky speak on

"Inclusion for all: Building on the Tools of Blindness." They

also got to be part of an important dialogue with

representatives from the publishing firms and associations

regarding "Braille Literacy, Braille Texts, and Braille

Bills." Dr. Sally Mangold, well-known for the materials she

developed for use in teaching children fast, efficient Braille

reading, was also on the convention agenda to talk about "The

Importance of Braille Literacy in the Education of Blind

Children."

 

     Learning continued after sessions and meetings as parents

gathered together in rooms, restaurants, and even in the halls

or outside the elevator. Professionals such as Joe Cutter,

Doris Willoughby, and Ruby Ryles volunteered their time and

made appointments with parents and their children to give of

their knowledge. 



     The 1995 NFB convention will be remembered for many

reasons. Not the least of them will be the burgeoning group of

enthusiastic parents and children who came to soak up

knowledge about blindness from thousands of blind people who

are committed to the positive philosophy and message of the

National Federation of the Blind.



            THE CHILDREN OF THE 1995 CONVENTION 



Editor's Note: The paragraphs below are reprinted from the

much longer "1995 Convention Roundup" article by Barbara

Pierce which appeared in the December 1995 issue of the

Braille Monitor. The photographs on the following pages depict

children and parents engaged in the broad spectrum of

convention activities.



     Those who attended the 1995 convention of the National

Federation of the Blind are still talking about the

unforgettable experiences we shared during the first week of

July. The Chicago Hilton and Towers provided an almost perfect

setting for a National Federation of the Blind convention:

friendly and competent staff, an elegant but uncomplicated

facility, and a stimulating host city in the nation's

heartland. As each convention closes and fades into memory,

one is left with a few indelible memories that forever after

spring to mind each time that convention is rememberedthe

skirling of bag pipes on the convention floor, half a hundred

blind children and their families taking their rightful place

in the Federation clan, the hotel's television channel

broadcasting Federation programming all day every day, and a

deaf-blind two-year-old showing off for his parents and other

adults by running in circles and signing "funny!" These are a

few of the pictures that will always color my own memories of

the 1995 convention of the National Federation of the Blind.



     In many ways this was the convention of the children.

Ninety of them registered during the week at NFB Camp, the day

camp for kids conducted by Mary Willows and her crew of child

care workersmost of them volunteers. A number of other

youngsters remained with their parents or other care givers

during convention activities. But wherever the children were,

learning was taking place. A deaf-blind teen who had always

been told that bouncing on beds was "against the rules" was

taught the joyful art by an adult who recognized the

importance of such harmless pleasures. Sighted children begged

for and sometimes got (for the week at least) their own canes

so they could be like everybody else. Parents saw blind adults

and even other blind children engaging in independent activity

that they had only dreamed of for their own youngsters. And

throughout the week blind adults talked with parents, played

and worked with their blind children, and redoubled their

determination to change what it will mean to be blind for this

generation of children.



                    KEEPIN' UP WITH CINDY

                       by Sue Bennett



Editor's note: It started with a phone call. Somehow Sue

Bennett got the name and number of a local member of the NFB,

who in turn gave her my name and the number of the national

office of the NFB. That was over three years ago. Sue's

daughter, Cindy (yes, she's blind), was no more than two at

the time. Sue was anxious to learn all she could about

blindness, blindness skills, and services that would (or

should) be available to her daughter. Within a year, Sue (with

the help of her NFB state affiliateAlabama) attended a

national NFB seminar in Washington, D.C. 



     Her excitement and enthusiasm for all that she was

learning from the NFB about blindness encouraged her to keep

her expectations high for her daughter. It also prompted her

to join her local affiliate of the NFB. In the short time that

she was a member she spearheaded a local effort to raise funds

and set up a "Cane Bank" from which parents could get free

long white canes for their blind children. But no sooner than

she had this up and running, Sue and her family moved out of

state to North Carolina.



     Busy as she has been in adjusting to a new home in a new

state, Sue was so excited about Cindy's achievement of a very

important milestone that she sent me the following letter and

article, "Keepin' Up with Cindy." 



     At the end of the letter you will notice that Sue says

there are no NFB members in her area. That's not quite

accurate, Suethere's you and your family! Considering Sue's

energy and the commitment the NFB of North Carolina has to

blind children and their parents, I wouldn't be surprised at

all if in a year or two I get an article from Wayne Shevlin,

President of the NFB of North Carolina, entitled "Keepin' Up

With Sue."



January 31, 1996

Dear Barbara,



     It has been a while since I talked to you. We moved from

Alabama last June. I am glad for the move now, although I was

not so happy a year ago. The biggest reason is the great

program here. Mrs. Shorkey has been teaching the blind for 15

years, and her experience and excitement is just what Cindy

needed.



     As much as I loved [our local] Montessori Preschool,

there was not a strong effort to begin Braille instruction.

Funds were also limited. The resources here in Buncombe County

are tremendous. They have the ability to produce Braille at

the T.C. Roberson High School. I'm volunteering in this area.

I am finding out that there is always the need for someone to

Braille books, tests, etc.



     There is another group, Blue Ridge Braillers, who are

senior citizens who learned Braille and they volunteer

hundreds of hours a year to produce Braille. I do have a goal

of becoming a certified transcriber, even if it takes me two

years (I just started the Library of Congress course).



     I am in the early stages of beginning a "Braille Club"

with the five Braille readers (ages 6-16) in this area. It

will be informal. We plan to meet weekly at the library during

the summer to discuss the books they are reading. It will give

the younger ones a chance to see the older ones reading

Braille. Cindy was so excited when she met the 9th grader (and

fascinated by her Braille n' Speak). She has also met a 6th

grader. I want to keep the momentum going because it is quite

a lot of work to keep at grade level. I'll send a report later

on the Braille Club with more details.



     All in all, I wrote the enclosed article to encourage

other parents. I can't tell you how much the parents magazine

[Future Reflections] means to me.



Sincerely,

Sue Bennett



P.S. I have not found any NFB members here yet.



                    KEEPIN' UP WITH CINDY



     It has been five years since we were told that our

daughter was blind. I was determined to learn Braille. I

couldn't imagine being asked, "What is this word?" and having

to say to my child, "I don't know." So I ordered the course

Just Enough to Know Better and plunged in. I hung up the

alphabet card over my kitchen sink. I finished the first

lesson. Only a short time later I felt discouraged. It seemed

like I couldn't remember anything. At the ripe old age of 33,

I thought my memory was shot. Cindy was two years old then,

and there seemed to be so many other things about her

development which occupied my time. Learning Braille seemed

impossible. I was so frantic!



     Fortunately, I expressed my frustrations to her preschool

teacher, Jayne McDaniel, at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and

Blind. She wisely told me, "You have some time now, just wait

and see how much you'll learn along with Cindy." This is

exactly what has happened since September of '95.

     

     Cindy began kindergarten at Estes Elementary in Buncombe

County School District, Asheville, North Carolina. Under the

fantastic instruction of the Braille teacher, Mrs. Carolyn

Shorkey, we have both been extremely busy! They are using

Patterns curriculum and modifying it somewhat to fit into the

whole language approach. I can tell you that we work hard

together. Cindy began reading words by the second month of

kindergarten. I wish you could have seen the huge smiles on

both our faces this January after spending 45 minutes reading

Green Eggs and Ham. What fun!



     One night I was sitting next to Cindy on the sofa, and I

thought of practicing the Braille alphabet on her leg using my

fingertips. Letter by letter I gently pressed the Braille

shape onto her leg. Cindy loves this game. It was especially

exciting for me, that night, because I realized that I knew

them all by heart! All this time I had kept the "cheat sheet"

close at hand for reference, but now I didn't need it anymore.

At least, not for letters and numbers. (Will I ever learn all

those contractions and rules?) Later I practiced over and over

on the Perkins Brailler, so proud that my memory was still in

good working order!



     Cindy has been very bold about telling me what I don't

know. Recently, she corrected me that an f was from. I thanked

her, of course. In early October she stated in an exaggerated

tone to Mrs. Shorkey, "My mother doesn't even know Braille!"

She doesn't say that anymore. She assures me, "I'll keep

teaching you some more, Mom." And she has been pleasantly

surprised to find out that I know a little more Braille than

she does at this point and can actually teach her a thing or

two! She's bound to catch up, however, and zoom ahead. I'll be

right on her heels!



                        LOOKING AHEAD

                       by Lois Luecke



                         1ST READER



Editor's Note: The Times Record News is publishing a story

each day written especially for younger readers.



     Caleb Elliott is blind. That means he cannot see. But

Caleb is a busy boy. He enjoys gymnastics and playing T-ball.

He also loves music. He plays the piano and the guitar. Being

blind has not kept Caleb from having fun and learning



Editor's Note: The story above and the following article are

reprinted from the Times Record News, January 20, 1995, of

Wichita Falls, Texas.



     I'm not sure what the author of the article wished to

convey by the title "Looking Ahead" but, in respect to

blindness, that's what Dale and Ann Elliott did. They took a

"look ahead" into the potential future for Caleb by getting to

know blind adults through the NFB. They discovered that if

Caleb was to grow up to be a confident, competent adult, he

had to have a solid foundation in blindness skills. They also

learned how important it was to hold high expectations for

Caleb in all areas of lifeacademic, social, family,

recreational, and community. 



     So, what impact has their foresight had on Caleb so far?

The following news story tells much,  but Ann Elliott (who

sent me the clipping along with some photographs) had more to

add.



"Caleb," she wrote, "is quite busy. In addition to gymnastics

and T-ball he rides a bicycle, roller skates, swims, and loves

bowling. I do not have any good pictures of all this because

Dale and I are usually running along behind (ha!). Caleb is a

good cane traveler, but he could do better. He is the only

blind student in his school and the kids all love doing

sighted guide. He is a very good Braille reader, and also the

best speller in the class. He is always called on to help the

other students (he loves that)."



     That's what mom had to add to the following article:



     Six-year-old Caleb Elliott was eager to show what he had

learned in gymnastics at the Family YMCA. With seeming ease

and a bit of coaching by teacher Claire Bishop, he went

through his routine, doing cartwheels and forward rolls,

working the rings and parallel bars and jumping on the

trampoline. What's unusual about Caleb's performance is that

the boy is blind.



     Ann Elliott, Caleb's mother, said she had checked into

several other places to try to start him in gymnastics and no

one would take him. The YMCA just signed him up and didn't

even question his blindness.



     "It has been just wonderful. He has benefited so much,"

she said. "We put him in the gymnastics program more than a

year ago for the physical activity, and he loves it."



     "But then Caleb", she said, "is pretty enthusiastic about

anything he gets into, whether it's gymnastics, playing

T-ball, playing the piano, or the guitar."



     "When he was playing T-ball, he could hardly wait for

practice. He will play T-ball, another `Y' program, this year,

too," his mother said. With a runner who ran all the bases

with him, he played all of last year with the Cunningham Blue

Jays.



     Now a kindergarten student at Ben Milam Elementary

School, Caleb won awards in piano in recent Wichita Falls

Independent School District cultural arts competition.

Submitting tapes of his original compositions, he placed first

in the primary division and won overall honors in the school

in the music category. He has taken piano lessons for the last

five or six months, his mother said, and has had almost a year

of instruction on the guitar.



     Young Caleb has been blind since birth. Ann and her

husband Dale Elliott adopted him when he was one day old. They

didn't know that Caleb was blind until he was about five

months old. Physicians found a fatty build-up and a "pseudo

cherry spot" on his retina. "No name was given to his

condition at that time and no one knows why," Mrs. Elliott

said. The youngster does have light perception and that helps

him with balance and mobility.



     Caleb's mother and father are older parents in their 40s.

They have become active in the National Federation of the

Blind and are involved with the Parents of Blind Children

Support Group. They have studied Braille and have encouraged

Caleb to learn Braille since he was about three years old. At

Ben Milam, where he is in a full-day developmental

kindergarten, he is learning how to read and write in Braille.



              LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT: A Skit

                      by Jerry Whittle



Editor's Note: The following skit was performed by students

and staff members of the Louisiana Center for the Blind at the

1995 parents seminar in Chicago. These amateur blind actors

have been enlightening (through the guise of entertainment)

audiences at NFB conventions for a number of years. They

frequently perform original plays written by Jerry Whittle,

Braille teacher at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. An

outstanding teacher, Jerry is also an excellent role model for

his students. He did not let blindness prevent him from

pursuing his love of acting and directing in theater (he has

performed in numerous community play productions). Because of

Jerry, play productions at the Louisiana Center for the Blind

have become an integral part of its unique training program;

a program which promotes a positive attitude about blindness

as aggressively as it teaches Braille and other blindness

skills.



                  LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT



Cast of Characters

Narrator

Lori Benfield

Norma Benfield, mother of Lori

Rodney Benfield, father of Lori

Dr. Spooner, evaluator

Jessica Franklin, sighted friend of Lori

Geneva, Braille instructor



     Narrator: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome

to our showLittle Things Mean A Lot. We are indeed privileged

to have with us the BenfieldsLori (who is visually impaired),

Mrs. Benfield, and Mr. Benfield. Today we will have the

opportunity to view their struggles to cope with visual

impairment up close and personal. Our cameras have been

following Lori and her family around for several days, and we

believe that you will enjoy their story. It is the stuff that

the American dream is made of. So sit back, get some microwave

popcorn, a soda pop, and enjoy the next episode of Little

Things Mean A Lot.



     Norma: Oh, Lori, I don't think you should wear that

outfit to school. The colors just aren't right for you. They

make you look so pale and sickly.



     Lori: You bought them for me, Mother. I thought they

would look nice.



     Norma: Take them off and try this navy skirt and blouse.

We want you to look your best. You must form the habit of

looking your best, so when you become a professional

businesswoman, your clothes will be appropriate.



     Lori: Yes, ma'am. I sure would like to go shopping some

time all by myself and select my own wardrobe.



     Norma: Nonsense, Lori, how can you pick colors; and

besides, you wouldn't want to trust your appearance to some

tasteless store clerk. They will have you looking like

yesterday's lunch.



     Lori: Other kids my age pick their own clothes.



     Norma: Have you ever noticed how some of them look? Holes

in their pants. Flip-flops. Disgusting. Like something the

cats dragged in. What's gotten into you lately? You always

have worn the clothes I picked for you.



     Lori: I guess so.



     Norma: Now come over here and eat your breakfast. Here,

let me pour you that cup of coffee. Just sit down there. Here

is your knife and fork. I went ahead and cut up your sausage.

No sense in making a mess. A good businesswoman should not be

a messy eater.



     Lori: You know, Mother, I don't think I have ever seen a

sausage before it was cut into pieces.



     Norma: It is usually round.



     Lori: I know. I know.



     Norma: The cream pitcher is just past your coffee cup.

Don't knock over the cup. Here, let me pour it for you.



     Lori: Honestly, Mother.



     Norma: You only have ten minutes before your father takes

you to school.



     Lori: That's another thing. I don't see why I can't ride

the school bus like everyone else.



     Norma: Have you taken leave of your senses? I won't have

you riding that bus with all of those nasty-mouthed heathens.

Besides, your father enjoys taking you to school. You have

time to visit.



     Lori: The other children tease me. They say I am a

weirdo. I hardly know any of them.



     Norma: Count it all a blessing. Children are so cruel,

and I won't have them teasing you about your eye condition.

Now here is your toast. I buttered it for you and put some

honey on it. Don't get it all over your blouse, for goodness

sake. A professional businesswoman should not form the habit

of dripping food all over her. Let me put this napkin around

your neck. There, sweetie, that should make it better. Now eat

up. Dad will be here before you know it.



     Narrator: Wasn't it just a delight to observe the

interaction between Lori and her mother? Just wait till you

see the next scene.



     Lori: Jessica, I am sure glad that you asked me to go

with you to the school dance. Maybe I can meet some boys there

and learn to dance.



     Jessica: Lori, I remember hearing you say that you would

love to dance sometime. We can walk down to the school gym and

maybe go out afterward for an ice cream.



     Lori: That would be great. I feel so cooped up here in

this house. Don't tell anyone, but I feel absolutely smothered

by my family.



(Enter Mr. and Mrs. Benfield)



     Norma: Lori, who is your little friend? How do you do, I

am Lori's mother, and this is her father.



     Rodney: Hello.

     Jessica: Hello.



     Lori: Mother and Dad, this is Jessica. She and I were

planning to go to school for a dance and then go for ice cream

afterward.



     Norma: Oh, really. Lori, have you completed your lessons

for tomorrow? A good businesswoman always puts business before

pleasure.



     Lori: I finished my homework at school during study hall.

What kind of a dance is this?



     Jessica: It is sponsored by our high school spirit

committee. It is a way for all of us to get to know one

another better.



     Norma: Yes, I bet that is so. Do you turn the lights down

low?



     Jessica: Yes, we do for the dance.



     Norma: Then, Lori, I don't think you should go. You know

how difficult it is for you to find your way around in the

dark. Suppose you fall down and hurt yourself?



     Lori: Please, Mother, don't embarrass me in front of my

new friend. The dance is on the gym floor. It is level,

completely level.



     Rodney: I don't see why Lori couldn't go to the dance,

Norma.



     Norma: Because boys will be there. Nasty minded little

hooligans who would like nothing better than to have a little

visually challenged girl there in the dark to prey upon like

a bunch of vultures. Putting their hands all over her. I won't

stand for it. She should not be subjected to such hideous

behavior.



     Jessica: Well, I guess I better be going. I'm sorry,

Lori; I didn't mean to upset the family structure by

suggesting a dance.



     Lori: Just a minute, Jessica. Mother, I really want to go

to this dance. I feel so isolated from my friends, so

different. Do you realize that I have never danced with a boy

before? I don't like being an odd duck. Just because my eyes

don't work properly doesn't mean that my feet can't move.



     Norma: You know yourself that you have balance problems.

All visually impaired children do. I read that in a magazine.



     Rodney: Lori, don't argue with your mother. Maybe you had

better stay home.



     Lori: I suppose you will teach me to dance, Mother? 



     Norma: Certainly. Your father and I do a mean fox trot

and samba. I could show you a few steps and perhaps someday

when you are working or married, you can put them to good use.



     Jessica: Well, I must go. Good luck to you, Lori. I'll

see you tomorrow in study hall.



     Lori: Bye, Jessica. I think I will go to my room.



     Norma: Be careful on the staircase, Dear. Use the rail.



     Narrator: Is this drama, or what? Family crises and

resolution. What a family! That Mrs. Benfield is surely a

champion for the optically precludeda truly caring and

compassionate woman. Let's go up close and personal once

again. This time, Lori and her parents are talking with Dr.

Spooner at Lori's annual IEP evaluation meeting. IEP means

Individual Education Plan. Lori's future is on the line.



     Dr.Spooner: Mr. and Mrs Benfield, for the past five years

the evaluators have concluded that Lori should be taught

Braille. They base their conclusions on the fact that Lori has

a degenerative eye disease with a prognosis of steady

deterioration. Secondly, Lori must hold print material

extremely close to her face. And finally, Lori can only read

with optimum lighting conditions and then only for a short

duration of time. It seems clear to us that Lori needs and

would benefit greatly from Braille. 



     Norma: I will not accept your conclusions. Lori may have

a so-called degenerative eye disease, but no one knows for

certain that Lori will lose more sight. She can function just

fine with print.



     Rodney: Norma, maybe we should listen to Dr. Spooner this

time. Lori cannot read print as well this year as she did even

a year ago. 



     Norma: Nonsense. Lori's eyesight is fine. She can use a

magnifier and her CCTV.



     Lori: Mother, it hurts my eyes. I get headaches.

Remember?



     Norma: I have been reading extensively on this matter.

Dr. Spooner, you are not the only expert on this subject. I

found an article by a renowned educator in the field of visual

impairment,  and she stated that a child with visual

impairment like Lori should work on visual efficiency. It is

damaging to a person's psyche to have to use Braille instead

of print. Lori could try some eye exercises and work on moving

her eyes faster. This authority stated that if a child can

read print at ten words a minute or more, she should not have

to learn Braille.



     Dr. Spooner: Mrs. B. is an advocate for visual

efficiencythat is true; but, each IEP must be determined on

the personal need of the client. Lori definitely could benefit

from Braille instruction.



     Rodney: We should sign the IEP, Norma.



     Lori: Please sign it, Mother.



     Norma: Not in a heartbeat. I will never stand for Lori to

be condemned to Braille. Lori, you can still see. You are not

blind. According to Mrs. B., Braille is complex and slow and

extremely cumbersome. I get the feeling from her that Braille

is almost obsolete and only for the totally blind, not someone

like my daughter who can still see.



     Dr. Spooner: I wish that you would reconsider. Lori may

lose all of her functional vision in the near future.



     Norma: I am betting that will never happen to my

daughter.



     Dr. Spooner: Then our hands are tied. Good day to all of

you.



     Norma: Come on, Sweetie, let's go and make an appointment

with a good low vision clinic. Here, take my elbow. Watch out

for the coffee table.



     Lori: I am fine, Mother. You are embarrassing me again.



     Norma: Nonsense. I am only trying to help you. Someday

when I am gone, you will realize how much I have fought for

your rights to have dignity. What do you say we go and get

some ice cream at Baskin-Robbins?



     Lori: I would rather have Braille. 



     Norma: Now that's enough of that foolish talk. The low

vision clinic will probably have a new magnifier that will

work miracles. Here is the door. Stay behind me. We are

outside now.



     Narrator: Isn't that a touching spectacle. One mother's

battle to save her daughter from the throes of an obsolete

system. We have just one more intimate glimpse into the lives

of the Benfield family. Lori has courageously entered into

competition with her classmates, and she is working on a

project for school honors.



     Norma: It is so nice to meet you, Geneva. My name is

Norma Benfield, and this is my visually challenged daughter

Lori. Lori wants to do a presentation on Braille for her

school's competition.



     Geneva: It's very nice to meet you, Lori. I have some

materials you could use. Here is a slate and stylus that blind

persons use to write Braille. I also have a Twin Vision(tm)

Braille book you could use.



     Norma: Isn't that just amazing how they can write print

and Braille in one book like that. Lori, come and see this.

Give me your hand. This is what blind children are suppose to

read. Isn't that just amazing.



     Geneva: It's not amazing at all. Braille is not that

difficult to learn. Lori, have you never had Braille

instruction before? 



     Norma: Certainly not. Lori does fine with her CCTV.



     Geneva: Lori, would you like to learn Braille?



     Norma: Lori does not need Braille. She wants to go to

college at Fairmont University next year and major in

marketing. She wants to manage her own business some day, and

we are working hard to obtain her a scholarship. If we could

win the school competition this year, Lori would have an

excellent chance to win a scholarship to Fairmont. I felt like

Lori should use Braille as her topic since she has a little

vision loss herself.



     Geneva: I have some alphabet cards with the letters of

the alphabet in both print and Braille. Lori, do you need any

other materials?



     Norma: We would like a photograph of you reading Braille,

wouldn't we, Dear?



     Lori: Whatever you say, Mother. We want to do well on our

project. We are going to win the competition. 



     Norma: Now, Lori, you stand here, behind Geneva while I

take your picture. Be looking down at the Braille book while

Geneva reads.



     Geneva: Can you even see the Braille book, Lori?



     Norma: Of course she can see the book. Now, smile, Lori.

Say cheese. There, I have it. Now we need just one more

photograph. Would you be willing to write Braille with your

little stenciller?

     Geneva: It is called a slate and stylus.



     Norma: Whatever. Lori, you come and sit beside Geneva.

Take that frown off your face. You look like a rat has just

stolen your lunch. There, we have two nice pictures of Geneva.

That should do the trick. Thanks so much for allowing us to

interrupt your busy schedule.



     Geneva: No problem at all. Lori, if you ever want to

learn Braille, come and talk with me about it.



     Lori: I want to learn... 



     Norma: We need to be going. Here, Dear, let me carry the

materials. You might drop them. Grab a wing.



     Geneva: Lori needs to be using a white cane instead of

relying on you so much.



     Norma: I can take care of her. She doesn't need a cane.



     Geneva: Good bye, Lori. Give me a call some time. I want

to tell you about an organization I belong to called the

National Federation of the Blind.



     Lori: Okay, I will call you tomorrow. 



     Norma: Lori, you don't have time to join any organization

like that. You will need to devote all your time to becoming

the world's greatest independent businesswoman.



     Narrator: Lori will surely be a successful businesswoman

as her mother has determined. I hope this program has been a

lesson for all visually challenged persons and their family

members. Behind every successful optically precluded child is

a determined family. Lori's future is virtually sealed. Thank

you for watching another episode of Little Things Mean A Lot.



           OSERS ISSUES POLICY LETTER ON EDUCATING

            BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS





Editor's Note: Parents who have been around the block a time

or two in trying to get services (such as Braille) for a blind

child know first-hand the frustration of figuring out how the

provisions and regulations of the special education law

(IDEAthe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) apply

to blind kids. Part of the problem, no doubt, is that once the

law defines "blind" and "visually impaired," there is no

further reference to the distinctive needs of these students.

This lack of specificity has often been used to distort the

intent of the law. For example, one parent was told that her

child couldn't get Braille because it would violate the "least

restrictive" provisions of the law. The child could stay in

the regular classroom (least restrictive setting) and learn

print, but would have to be pulled out (restrictive setting)

for Braille instruction. Based on this twisted reasoning, the

school denied the child Braille instruction. Finallyas of

November 3, 1995parents, teachers, and other school officials

have a tool to help them apply the provisions of IDEA to the

specific educational needs of visually impaired students. This

tool is in the form of a policy letter issued by the Office of

Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS). Policy

letters are issued occasionally by OSERS as a means of

clarifying a section of special education law. (Readers may

remember that several policy letters were summarized in an

article about assistive technology in the Fall 1995 issue of

Future Reflections.)



     This policy letter is reprinted below in full because it

has the potential, if aggressively used, to be of sound help

in the development of appropriate Individualized Education

Programs (IEPs) for blind and visually impaired students.

Additional copies of this issue are available free of charge,

or readers may make photocopies of the letter from the

magazine as they wish. The more widely the letter is

distributed and read, the more useful it can be.



     Please note, however, that useful as this policy letter

may be, it does not have the same force as law. There

continues to be an urgent need for strong Braille literacy

provisions to be added to IDEA. The National Federation of the

Blind, in cooperation with other agencies and organizations

serving the blind, remains committed to this goal. With the

reauthorization of IDEA due for consideration this Spring,

this is the time to make such an amendment a reality. Contact

the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, 1800

Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230; (410) 659-9314 for

information on how you can help this effort.



     Here is the policy letter from OSERS:



United States Department of Education

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

600 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202



     Our mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote

educational excellence throughout the Nation



November 3, 1995



Contact Person Name: Rhonda Weiss

Telephone: (202) 205-9053

OSEP 96-4



To: Chief State School Officers

From: Judith E. Heumann, Assistant Secretary 

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Thomas Hehir, Director Office of Special Education Programs

Subject: Policy Guidance on Educating Blind and Visually

Impaired Students



                        Introduction



     One of our highest priorities at the Office of Special

Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is improving

services for students with low incidence disabilities,

particularly those with sensory deficits. On October 30, 1992,

the Department published a Notice of Policy Guidance on Deaf

Students Education Services1 (Notice) to provide additional

guidance to educators on the free appropriate public education

(FAPE) requirements of Part B of the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (Part B) and Section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Acts of 19732 as they relate to students who are

deaf. In OSEP Memorandum 94-15, dated February 4, 1994, we

clarified that the policy guidance in this Notice is equally

applicable to all students with disabilities.



     Nevertheless, it has come to our attention that services

for some blind and visually impaired students are not

appropriately addressing their unique educational and learning

needs, particularly their needs for instruction in literacy,

self-help skills, and orientation and mobility. We at OSERS

are strongly committed to ensuring that our educational system

takes the steps that are necessary to enable students who are

blind or visually impaired to become productive and

contributing citizens. Therefore, OSERS has determined that

there is a need for additional guidance on the FAPE

requirements of Part B as they relate to blind and visually

impaired students. This guidance will provide some background

information on blind and visually impaired students and

discussion of their unique needs, and will identify the steps

that educators can take in meeting their responsibilities

under Part B to blind and visually impaired students.



     We hope that the attached guidance is helpful to you and

educators in your state as you implement educational programs

for blind and visually impaired students. If there are any

questions, or if further information is needed, please contact

the contact person listed above or Dr. JoLeta Rey- nolds in

the Office of Special Education Programs at (202) 205-5507.



                         Attachment



CC: State Directors of Special Education

RSA Regional Commissioners 

Regional Resource Centers 

Federal Resource Center 

Special Interest Groups 

Parent Training Centers 

Independent Living Centers 

Protection and Advocacy Agencies



                         Background



     The population of students who receive services under

Part B because of blindness or visual impairment is extremely

diverse. These students display both a wide range of vision

difficulties and adaptations to vision loss. The diversity

that characterizes the student population is true of the

population of blind and visually impaired persons in general.

So far as degree of vision loss is concerned, the student

population includes persons who are totally blind or persons

with minimal light perception, as well as persons with high

levels of functional vision, though less than the norm. For

some students, visual impairment is their only disability;

while others have one or more additional disabilities that

will affect, to varying degrees, their learning and growth. 



     Identifying other characteristics of this diverse

population is far more complex. This is because adaptations to

vision loss vary greatly and are shaped by individual

differences in areas such as intellectual abilities and family

supports. Degree of vision loss, therefore, does not give a

full understanding of how that loss affects learning. Students

with similar degrees of vision loss may function very

differently. A significant visual deficit can pose formidable

obstacles for some students and far less formidable obstacles

for others. However, regardless of the degree of the student's

vision loss or the student's ability to adapt to that loss,

there is general agreement that blind and visually impaired

students must acquire the skills necessary to function in

settings in which the majority of people have vision

sufficient to enable them to read and write regular print as

well as to move about in their environment with ease.



     To state the obvious, children begin at a very young age

to imitate the actions of others, particularly by imitating

what they see others doing. Typically, learning is based on

this principle. The challenge for educators of blind and

visually impaired students in schools is how to teach their

students to learn skills that sighted students typically

acquire through vision, including how to read, write, compose,

and obtain access to information contained in printed

materials. We recognize that blind and visually impaired

students have used a variety of methods to learn to read and

write. For example, for reading purposes, some students use

Braille exclusively; others use large print or regular print

with or without low vision aids. Still others use a

combination of methods, including Braille, large print, and

low vision aids while others have sufficient functional vision

to use regular print, although with considerable difficulty.

In order to receive an appropriate education under Part B,

unless a student who is blind or visually impaired has other

disabilities that would inhibit his or her ability to learn to

read, we believe that instruction in reading must be provided

for blind and visually impaired students in the medium that is

appropriate for their individual abilities and needs to enable

them to learn to read effectively.



     One of the most serious concerns voiced by parents of

blind children and their advocates, and by adults who are

blind or visually impaired as well, is that the number of

students receiving instruction in Braille has decreased

significantly over the past several decades. As a result,

these individuals believe that Braille instruction is not

being provided to some students for whom it may be

appropriate. Braille has been a very effective reading and

writing medium for many blind and visually impaired persons.

In fact, data from a recent study demonstrate that blind and

visually impaired adults who know Braille are more likely to

be employed than those who do not, suggesting a strong

correlation between knowledge of Braille and a person's

ability to obtain future employment. The American Foundation

for the Blind's Careers and Technology Information Bank, which

lists 1,000 different jobs held by blind and visually impaired

people, indicates that 85 percent of those who use Braille as

their primary method of reading are employed.3 Undoubtedly,

there are numerous other benefits that individuals for whom

Braille instruction is appropriate would derive from knowledge

of Braille, particularly a heightened sense of self-esteem and

self-worth that a student gains from the ability to read

effectively.



     Another significant concern voiced by parents of blind

and visually impaired students and their advocates, as well as

by many blind and visually impaired adults, is that these

students are not receiving adequate instruction in orientation

and mobility to address their individual needs. In some

instances, it has been reported that these students do not

even receive adequate evaluations of their needs for such

instruction. The intent of Part B cannot be achieved fully if

a blind or visually impaired student who needs instruction in

orientation and mobility does not receive that instruction

before completing his or her education.



   I. Application of the Free Appropriate Public Education

Requirements of Part B to Blind and Visually Impaired Students



     Under Part B, each State and its public agencies must

ensure that all children with specified disabilities have

available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE),

and that the rights and protections of Part B are afforded to

those students and their parents. FAPE includes, among other

elements, special education and related services that are

provided at no cost to parents under public supervision and

direction, that meet State education standards and Part B

requirements, that include preschool, elementary, or secondary

school education in the State involved, and that are provided

in conformity with an individualized education program (IEP).4



     Before a student with a disability can receive special

education and related services, a full and individual

evaluation of the student's educational needs must be

conducted in accordance with the requirements of 34 CFR

300.532.5 Section 300.532 requires, among other factors, that

the child be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team or group of

persons, including at least one teacher or other specialist

with knowledge in the area of suspected disability.6 Thus, for

blind or visually impaired students, an individual with

knowledge of blindness and visual impairment would be an

essential participant on this multidisciplinary team.



     An assessment that meets the requirements of Part B must

assess the child in all areas related to the suspected

disability, including, if appropriate, "health, vision,

hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence,

academic performance, communicative status, and motor

abilities."7 Assessments for blind and visually impaired

students must evaluate the student in the areas listed above,

as determined appropriate by the multidisciplinary team.



     For example, an assessment of academic performance would

include an assessment of the student's ability to master the

skills necessary for literacy, including reading, reading

comprehension, composition, and computing. If appropriate, an

assessment of vision would include the nature and extent of

the student's visual impairment and its effect on the

student's ability to learn to read, write, and the

instructional method or methods that would be appropriate to

enable the student to learn the above skills. For the teaching

of reading and composition, these methods could include

Braille, large print or regular print with or without low

vision optical devices, or a combination of Braille and print.

A range of devices that utilize computer-generated speech

could be helpful tools in the instruction of children who are

blind or visually impaired. Because of the importance for some

blind and visually impaired students of mastering the skills

necessary to acquire information, additional assessments may

be necessary to determine whether the student should receive

specific instruction in listening skills. Possible assessments

that could be considered for this purpose could include

assessments of hearing, general intelligence, or communicative

status. The student's need for instruction in orientation and

mobility and the appropriate method or methods for acquiring

this skill could also be assessed. As with other educational

decisions, the results of the student's assessments must be

considered as the student's IEP8 is developed, and the

participants on the student's IEP team determine the specially

designed instruction and related services to be provided to

the student.



     Under Part B, the public agency responsible for the

student's education must initiate and conduct meetings to

develop or review each student's IEP periodically, and if

appropriate, revise its provisions. A meeting must be held for

this purpose at least once a year.9 Required participants at

all IEP meetings include the child's teacher; an agency

representative, who is qualified to provide or supervise the

provision of special education; the parents, subject to

certain limited exceptions; the child, if determined

appropriate; and other individuals at the parent's or agency's

discretion. If the IEP meeting occurs in connection with the

child's initial placement in special education, the school

district must ensure the participation of evaluation

personnel, unless the child's teacher or public agency

representative or some other person at the meeting is

knowledgeable about the evaluation procedures used with the

child and the results of those procedures.10



     Each student's IEP must contain, among other components,

a statement of annual goals including short-term objectives,

the specific special education and related services to be

provided to the student and the extent that the student will

be able to participate in regular educational programs, and a

statement of needed transition services under certain

circumstances.11 To ensure that blind and visually impaired

students receive adequate instruction in the skills necessary

to become literate, IEP teams must ensure that the

instructional time that is allocated is appropriate for the

required instruction or service.12 For a student to become

literate in Braille, systematic and regular instruction from

knowledgeable and trained personnel is essential. Likewise,

for students with low vision, instruction in the utilization

of remaining vision and in the effective use of low vision

aids requires regular and intensive intervention from

appropriately trained personnel.



     In all instances, IEP teams must consider how to address

the needs of blind and visually impaired students for the

skills necessary to achieve literacy. For students who are

blind or for students with a minimal amount of residual

vision, it is probable that Braille will be the primary

instructional method for teaching the student to learn to

read. Therefore, for blind students and for students with a

minimal amount of residual vision, Braille should be

considered as the primary reading method, unless the student

has a disability in addition to blindness that would make it

difficult for the student to use his or her hands or would

otherwise adversely affect the student's ability to learn to

read. In developing IEPs for other students with low vision,

IEP teams should not assume that instruction in Braille would

not be appropriate merely because the student has some useful

vision. While IEP teams are not required to consider the need

for Braille instruction for every student with a visual

impairment who is eligible for services under Part B, IEP

teams may not fail to consider Braille instruction for

students for whom it may be appropriate. This consideration

must occur despite factors such as shortages or unavailability

of trained personnel to provide Braille instruction, the

ability of audiotapes and computers to provide blind and

visually impaired persons with ready access to printed

textbooks and materials, or the amount of time needed to

provide a student with sufficient and regular instruction to

attain proficiency in Braille.



     IEP teams also must select the method or methods for

teaching blind and visually impaired students how to write and

compose. Students whose appropriate reading medium is Braille

may benefit from using Braille for these purposes.

Alternatively, in addition to Braille, they may benefit from

using a personal computer with speech output for composition.

Therefore, IEP teams must make individual determinations about

the needs of blind and visually impaired students for

instruction in writing and composition, and must include

effective methods for teaching writing and composition in the

IEPs of those students for whom instruction in this area is

determined to be appropriate.



     In addition to mastering the skills taught to all

students, blind and visually impaired students must receive

instruction in the skills necessary to acquire information,

particularly because Braille or large print documents

frequently cannot be made accessible to them in a timely

manner. The skills that could be taught to accomplish this

include recordings that utilize compressed speech, personal

computers with speech output, and optical scanners with speech

output. As determined appropriate, use of these devices and

methods would be considered on an individual basis. In

appropriate situations, one or more of these devices could be

used to supplement Braille instruction for students for whom

Braille is the primary reading medium, or to supplement print

or large print for students using print as their primary

reading medium. In rare instances, methods for acquiring

information could be used in place of Braille or print for

students who, by reason of other disabilities, cannot be

taught to read.



     To ensure that IEPs for blind and visually impaired

students address their specific needs effectively, the

following unique needs should be considered as IEPs for these

students are developed:



* Skills necessary to attain literacy in reading and writing,

including appropriate instructional methods; 



* Skills for acquiring information, including appropriate use

of technological devices and services; 



* Orientation and Mobility Instruction; 



* Social Interaction Skills; 



* Transition Services Needs; 



* Recreation; and 



* Career Education.



     This list is not intended to be exhaustive. Participants

on IEP teams could determine that it would be appropriate to

consider an individual student's need for other skills, in

addition to the skills listed above. Therefore, in making

decisions about the educational programs for blind and

visually impaired students, IEP teams must consider the full

range of skills necessary to enable these students to learn

effectively.



II. Least Restrictive Environment and Placement Requirements



     Part B requires States to have procedures for assuring

that, to the maximum extent appropriate, students with

disabilities are educated with students who are not disabled,

and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal

of students with disabilities from the regular educational

environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the

disability is such that education in regular classes with the

use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved

satisfactorily.13 This requirement is known as the least

restrictive environment (LRE) requirement.



     Recognizing that the regular classroom may not be the LRE

placement for every disabled student, the Part B regulations

require public agencies to make available a continuum of

alternative placements, or a range of placement options, to

meet the needs of students with disabilities for special

education and related services. The options on this continuum,

which include regular classes, special classes, separate

schools, and instruction in hospitals and institutions, must

be made available to the extent necessary to implement the IEP

of each disabled student.14



     Part B requires that each child's placement must be based

on his or her IEP.15 Thus, it is the special education and

related services set out in each student's IEP that constitute

the basis for the placement decision. That is why placement

determinations cannot be made before a student's IEP is

developed. Rather, it is the special education and related

services set out in the student's IEP that must constitute the

basis for the placement decision. After the IEP of a blind or

visually impaired student is developed, the placement

determination must be made consistent with the special

education and related services reflected in the student's IEP.

In addition, the potential harmful effect of the placement on

the visually impaired student or the quality of services he or

she needs must be considered in determining the LRE.16 The

overriding rule in placement is that each student's placement

must be determined on an individual basis.17 As in other

situations, placements of blind and visually impaired students

may not be based solely on factors such as category or

disability, severity of disability, configuration of delivery

system, availability of educational or related services,

availability of space, or administrative convenience.



     In addition to the Part B requirements applicable to

placement in the LRE, Part B requires that each student's

placement decision be made by a "group of persons, including

persons knowledgeable about the child, the meaning of

evaluation data, and placement options."18 While Part B does

not explicitly require the participation of the child's parent

on this placement team, many states include parents in the

group of persons that makes placement decisions. It also is

important to emphasize that parents of blind and visually

impaired students, through their participation on the

student's IEP team, can play a critical role in ensuring that

the student's unique needs are appropriately addressed. Public

agencies and parent information centers should take steps to

ensure that parents are fully informed about the instructional

media that are available to address the unique needs arising

from the student's visual impairment.



     In implementing Part B's LRE requirements, in some

instances, placement decisions are inappropriately made before

IEPs that address a child's unique needs are developed.

Determinations of appropriate special education and related

services for blind and visually impaired students must be made

through the IEP process, and must examine the development of

skills necessary to address the effects of blindness or low

vision on the student's ability to learn and to access the

curriculum. Since Part B requires that each child's placement

be based on his or her IEP, making placement decisions before

a student's IEP is developed is a practice that violates Part

B and could result in the denial of FAPE in the LRE.



     Still in other instances, some students have been

inappropriately placed in the regular classroom although it

has been determined that their IEPs cannot be appropriately

implemented in the regular classroom even with the necessary

supplementary aids and supports. In these situations, the

nature of the student's disability and individual needs could

make it appropriate for the student to be placed in a setting

outside of the regular educational environment in order to

ensure that the student's IEP is satisfactorily implemented.

By contrast, there are other instances where some blind and

visually impaired students have been inappropriately placed in

settings other than the regular educational environment, even

though their IEPs could have been implemented satisfactorily

in the regular classroom with the provision of supplementary

aids and services. As is true for all educational decisions

under Part B, the above concerns about the misapplication of

the LRE requirements underscore the importance of making

individual placement determinations based on each student's

unique abilities and needs.



     In making placement determinations, it is essential that

placement teams consider the full range of placement options

for blind and visually impaired students. The following are

some examples of placement options that could be considered:



* placement in a regular classroom with needed support

services provided in that classroom by an itinerant teacher or

by a special teacher assigned to that school; 



* placement in the regular classroom with services outside the

classroom by an itinerant teacher or by a special teacher

assigned to that school; 



* placement in a self-contained classroom in a regular school;



* placement in a special school with residential option.



                 III. Procedural Safeguards



     Part B also requires that public agencies afford parents

a range of procedural safeguards. These include giving parents

written notice a reasonable time before a public agency

proposes to initiate, or change, the identification,

evaluation, educational placement of the child, or the

provision of a free appropriate public education to the child.

This notice to parents must include a description of the

action proposed, or refused, by the agency; an explanation of

why the agency proposes, or refuses, to take the action; and

a description of any options the agency considered and the

reasons why those options were rejected.19 The requirement to

provide a description of any option considered includes a

description of the types of placements that were actually

considered, e.g., regular class placement with needed support

services, regular classroom with pull-out services; and the

reasons why these placement options were rejected. Providing

this kind of information to parents will enable them to play

a more knowledgeable and informed role in the education of

their children. Part B affords parents and public educational

agencies the right to initiate an impartial due process

hearing on any matter regarding the identification,

evaluation, or educational placement of the child, or the

provision of a free appropriate public education to the

child.20



     Disagreements between parents and public agencies over

issues such as the extent that Braille instruction should be

included in a student's IEP and the educational setting in

which the child's IEP should be implemented are examples of

some of the matters that can be the subject of a Part B due

process hearing. Since many State procedures call for

mediation before resorting to formal due process procedures,

issues that can be the subject of a Part B due process hearing

also can be addressed through mediation if the State has such

a process, or through other alternative dispute resolution

mechanisms. We strongly encourage alternative dispute

resolution without a need to resort to due process and

informing parents about such procedures. Public agencies also

need to inform parents of blind and visually impaired students

of their right to initiate a Part B due process hearing when

agreement cannot be reached on important educational

decisions.



1See 57 Fed. Reg. 49274 (Oct. 30, 1992)



2 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)

prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by

recipients of Federal financial assistance. The Department's

regulations implementing Section 504, at 34 CFR Part 104,

require recipients that operate public elementary and

secondary education programs to provide appropriate

educational services to disabled students. See 34 CFR

104.33104.36. Section 504 is enforced by the Department's

Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The Americans With Disabilities

Act of 1990 (ADA), Title II, prohibits discrimination on the

basis of disability by State and local governments, whether or

not they receive Federal funds; OCR enforces Title II of the

ADA as it relates to public elementary and secondary

educational institutions and public libraries, and interprets

the requirements of Title II of the ADA as consistent with

those of Section 504. OCR officials have reviewed this

guidance and find it to be consistent with recipients'

obligations to provide FAPE to blind and visually impaired

students under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA.



3Study of Issues and Strategies Toward Improving Employment of

Blind and Visually Impaired Persons in Illinois, American

Foundation for the Blind, (March 1991).



<T>420 U. S. C. 1412 (2) ; 34 CFR 300. 121; 20 U.S.C. 1401

(a) (18) and 34 CFR 300.8. 



534 CFR 300.531.



6See 34 CFR 300.532(e)



7See 34 CFR 300.532(f).



<T>8The IEP is the written document that contains the statement

for a disabled student of the program of specialized

instruction and related services to be provided to a student.

34 CFR 300.340300.350.



920 U.S.C. 1414(a)(5) and 34 CFR 300.343(d).



1034 CFR 300.344.



1134 CFR 300.346.



12Appendix C to 34 CFR Part 300 (question 51).



1320 U.S.C. 1412(5)(B); 34 CFR 300.550(b).



14See 34 CFR 300.551 and 300.552(b).



15See 34 CFR 300. 552 (a) (2). That regulation requires that

each child's placement  is determined at least annually, is

based on his or her IEP, and is in the school or facility as

close as possible to the child' s home. 34 CFR 300.552 (a)

(1) - (3).  Further, unless a disabled student's IEP requires

another arrangement, the student must be educated in the

school or facility that he or she would attend if not

disabled. 34 CFR 300.552(c).



1634 CFR 300.552(d).



1734 CFR 300.552 and Note 1.



1834 CFR 300.533 (a) (3) .



19See 34 CFR 300.5O4(a) and 300.505(a)(2)-(4).



20See 20 U.S.C. 1415;(b)(1)(E) and 34 CFR 300.506(a).

