Category: Let's talk
Hey folks.
I have taken on a position that requires me to understand how blind students in the K-12 system get their education, so I am curious to hear from you.
Where you always minstreamed.
Who took care of your assistive technology needs?
Who provided services such as teaching you braille/Nemeth code or other education related skills?
Who got your text books and fixed your hand outs?
Was it the regular school or did they get someone from a school for the blind to help out, or did you work with the special education teacher (for all disabilities) within your school?
How involved were your class teachers in providing for your special needs (accessible hand outs, test accomodations etc)?
If you have stories or comments or any nuggest of information I would very much appreciate it.
Please include the state you got your education in.
Cheers
-B
Mine would not be current as I graduated high school 21 years ago but if it'll help say so. Sounds like things are quite different for the younger people now.
"Where you always minstreamed."
Yes. I did start out in a Pre-K class with other VI students but from Kindergarten and on, I was in the same classes as non-disabled students. The only exception after Pre-K might be that I also attented summer classes both locally and at the School for the Blind with other blind/VI students, but the majority of my overall schooling (the school-year part) was mainstream.
"Who took care of your assistive technology needs? Who provided services such as teaching you braille/Nemeth code or other education related skills? Who got your text books and fixed your hand outs? Was it the regular school or did they get someone from a school for the blind to help out, or did you work with the special education teacher (for all disabilities) within your school?"
We have Itinerant VI teachers that work for the school district and I had the same one from 2nd thru 8th grade that taught me Braille. She also introduced me to and lent me a notetaker to use in school, would get my work transcribed into Braille, would take care of getting my audio and Braille books and any technology/equipment I'd need to read and write in school/for homework, and (when I didn't have access to a notetaker/computer and/or printer) would transcribe my Braille work by hand into print. I had 2 others during high school that did the same thing. I also had where some of these teachers (usually not my main VI one) would sit with me during certain classes that I guess I was having trouble in; not too sure at the time why they were there. The exception to that part though was that during 4th and 5th Grade, there was a teacher from the Resource Room at school to be with me during some of those classes. Some of the classes (like PE), the teachers with me would help me to participate in what everyone else was doing or we'd find other exercise activities to do if for some reason I couldn't, but really not sure why I'd have someone for the non-physical classes. I guess it was to help in anything I wasn't understanding and to make sure I'd keep up with everyone else, I don't know. (I'm not sure who was my VI teacher before 2nd Grade by the way.) Also, the VI teachers I had would take me out of classes to work with me on things like Braille, assistive technology, the computer, and occasionally (but not often) daily living skills like cooking. My VI teachers would usually work with me at least once or twice a week.
"How involved were your class teachers in providing for your special needs (accessible hand outs, test accomodations etc)?"
Overall, most were good about getting my handouts to the VI teacher on time to Braille. If they didn't have the work on time for me, they'd either have me do some other work (usually something I hadn't finished/turned in yet), or if I was caught up, I just didn't have anything to do for that class. Most of the teachers were also willing to help me participate in class activities whether or not I had a teacher assistant in that class. I can only remember one of my algebra classes in high school where I neither had my books on time, nor did the teacher figure out how to help me learn the material, but I was moved to another teacher's class the following grading period and that teacher would even have me go to his class after school so he could individually explain the work to me.
For the PE classes where I didn't have a teacher working with me, I had another student with me. I only had one teacher who rarely had me doing anything, so I'd usually end up just going to sleep during his class.
For tests, depending on the type of test, I could either do it in class with everyone else if the teacher was reading the questions out loud anyway, or if it was a written one, I would do it privately and outside of class with my VI teacher or a Resource Room teacher. school/gradewide ones like what used to be TAAS for me (but I think is now called TAKS), I'd do with the VI teacher in a separate room and would have all day or several days to finish each section; they were in Braille most of the time.
I think and hope I've answered all your questions and if you have any more, I wouldn't mind that either. *smile* I went to school in San Antonio TX.
I forgot to add, I graduated in 2001. And also, for some daily living-related skills, (besides any mobility-related ones of course) my O&M teacher also worked with me on some of that, things like dining etiquette,, figuring out the tip when out to eat, and that's actually the only ones I remember. I think the majority of my daily living stuff I'd say I learned and practiced most from TSB and later the Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center. And the equipment I got for using at home came from the Commission for the Blind (which is now the Division for Blind Services.)
I graduated in 1992 so I'm not sure how helpful this will be since things have changed so much. For what it's worth, I was a very high partial all through school so I didn't require a lot of handling. I'm in Oklahoma.
When I was about to enter kindergarten, we moved into a different school district specifically because they didn't have a special ed program. My parents wanted me to mainstream and the district we moved out of automatically put all VI students into special ed. Shortly after I was enrolled in the new school district, a special ed program magically appeared out of nowhere and the school tried to put me in it. My parents stuck to their guns and wouldn't cave. The principal got so mad at my Dad, he refused to attend my IEP meetings and left anything having to do with me to the Vice-Principal for the entire 7 years that I attended that school. My Dad's argument was that I should be given a chance to mainstream. If I couldn't handle it, they could always move me later. The Principal seemed to find this strategy ridiculous and was convinced that I would fail. For the record, I didn't fail. I mainstreamed all the way and graduated near the top of my class. I ran into that principal about 7 or 8 years ago. He recognised me and came to talk to me. I took great pleasure in telling him that I was an attorney. The hsocked expression on his face was priceless. I'm so glad my vision held out long enough for me to see that...
Anyway, to get to the point... I mainstreamed all the way. I used regular textbooks. As I got older and the reading load increased, I started getting some of my books on cassette, mainly history and literature since that's where the bulk of the reading came in. I used large print sheet music in Orchestra and took all my standardized tests in large print. I did the bulk of my classwork and testing in regular print. I was allowed extra time but rarely used it. I had an itinerant TVI who I rarely saw. She'd come around once a semester or so, but basically, she only became involved when problems arose. My teachers enlarged stuff when I needed it. The only one who ever resented it or gave me a hard time was my high school orchestra director. He was a total bastard. My Mom ordered my books on cassette until my junior or senior year when she decided I was old enough to take care of it myself. The large print standardized tests came from the testing company. I'm not exactly sure who made those arrangements. I think it was the TVI. Those were the only tests I took separate from my class. Any equipment I needed came from our state rehab agency and was done through my rehab counselor. I also received mobility instruction from rehab. I never learned Braille because I could read print. No one had the farsight to realise that the odds for me to end up totally blind were very high so it might be a useful thing to learn. I had to learn Braille as an adult after I became total. I wish I had learned it when I was in school but whatever. I can't totally blame the school on that. I spent my first 30 years trying to pass myself off as sighted and refused to acknowlege myself as blind so I probably would've had a fit if someone had suggested I learn Braille anyway.
So there you go. Hope that helps.
I was always mainstreamed and I was given an ade. I also recievedd braille instruction from an education counsler who came in to some of my classes. At first I was tossed from school to school because the teachers didn't know how to deal with a blind kid so I was run through the system. They tried to put me in special ed until they realized I was capable of beeing in regular classes.
Were you always mainstreamed.
Nope, I started to be mainstreamed after the second time around in fourth grade, yes, I repeated a grade.
Who took care of your assistive technology needs?
It was mainly the vision teacher who did that who ordered the equipment and stuff. my dad always had to fight for it however.
Who provided services such as teaching you braille/Nemeth code or other education related skills?
mostly the vision teacher did that.
Who got your text books and fixed your hand outs?
for
two different things here placed together, for the former the vision teacher got the braille office the list who ordered the books and for the latter, the vision teacher gave the handouts to the braille office who proceeded to braille them.
Was it the regular school or did they get someone from a school for the blind to help out, or did you work with the special education teacher (for all disabilities) within your school?
no, the braille office and the vision teacher was at the public schools or it was someone who went around the district I had that in high school and I had a specific vision teacher.
How involved were your class teachers in providing for your special needs (accessible hand outs, test accomodations etc)?
not very involved at all, mostly on the side lines making the accomodations happen such as extra time for homework and test, giving the work to the vision teacher a bit in advanced, and so forth. At the end of my education my last four years when I was in high school I started using a usb and had the teacher place assignments on there or there files at least.
and I am afraid I won't be sharing any stories here. I have way to many stories to share. If I start, I will never stop talking and never shut up, I have so many stories. but all you need to know is the short of the long is that public education was quite awful. me and my dad had to fight for most everything. they wouldn't give a lot of things to me. It was a long process and they weren't always nice at all. It was a very long journey but I made it through, and is so glad to be out of the public school system.
The education system is indeed a shame.