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Dave MontrealCan - Good evening Mare welcome to the meeting
~Mare2~ - Dave, hi! I've never had a severely sight impaired student in all these years. What percentage of students are impaired, do you think?
Dave MontrealCan - Mare it always seems to vary depending on the school district and whether or not there is also legislation in place in the respective area where the school is located to ensure that sight impaired children are able to attend the regular school system some countries and even some states and provinces here in north america are not always ahead on these rpactices unfortunately
~Mare2~ - Dave, PA has a special school where some of our students go, I know....
~Mare2~ - Dave, you are convinced that regular classrooms are the place for sight impaired students to be?
Dave MontrealCan - Mare some children if they are multi handicapped are actually better off in special schools it depends on the severity of the handicap but for someone who is sight impaired only it is actually possible to mainstream them successfully in the regular classroom with the technologies and adaptive equipment we have today
~Mare2~ - hmmmmmm, Dave, maybe Ive gotten the school for the deaf in mind and not for sight impaired....
Number404 - Dave, there is a little boy at our synagogue who is blind. He is in our regular Hebrew school (religious school). The seminary has given materials for him to use.
bette/tx - dave i saw a Braille card at Hallmark yesterday
Dave MontrealCan - Mare I believe that it is the best for the sight impaired chils ro be mainstreamed from a very early age my reason is that if they are not mainstreamed early or never mainstreamed they tend to be "sheltered" from the rest of the world and when it comes time to try to get gainfully employed or to face the "real world" they are not prepared
~Mare2~ - Dave, did you attend regular public school all the way through?
~Mare2~ - You amazed me, Dave, with your courage when travelling!!!
bette/tx - dave do you read Braille?
Dave MontrealCan - Mare yes I attended from K right through University with adaptive assistance and did get through
bette/tx - dave what type of adaptive assistance?
Number404 - I used to be a reader for students who needed someone to read books or record books.
Dave MontrealCan - Bette I never learned braille as I read large print and use special reading glasses to read the computer screen I did go to college yes majored in English and minored in sociology
bette/tx - number you read Braille?
Number404 - bette, no, I would read books that were not available in Braille.
bette/tx - dave i have a friend who was attacked in college and suffered brain damage..she finished school but is legally blind..she can read large type and also got a talking computer..she has a masters in math ...got maried and now has 3 grown children
~Mare2~ - Dave, was it Canada that provided for your assistance? Or your family? or????
Number404 - I have a card somewhere with the braille alphabet and some short forms on it, but I do not read it.
Dave MontrealCan - Bette I had what was knownb as an itinerant teacher from the Montreal Association for the Blind who came to my school several times a year she would make a list of the texts and materials ahead of time and bring in large print texts for me and also tapes of talking books if the books i was reading were lengthy I used adaptive aids as well in the classroom
Number404 - The Ohio State University had a club of volunteer readers when I was there.
Dave MontrealCan - Mare the Provincial government of Quebec under the universal medicare program provides adaptive equipment for all sight impaired people meaning adaptive reading glasses and aids free of charge under medicare each province here in Canada provides some assistance
bette/tx - dave what if you are not on medicare?
Jill - Hi. I am a parent of a 15 yo. girl, legally blind.
payne1 - dave, are you a teacher of sight impaired students?
Jill - We are a homeschooling family.
Number404 - bette, Canada's healthcare and medicare is more universal than ours.
bette/tx - hello jill nice to meet you..dave is wealth of know...
payne1 - do you think homeschooling your daughter is hurting her socially?
Dave MontrealCan - Bette medicare is universal in this country everyone gets it regardless of income
Jill - I met him in a similar chat last sping.
Number404 - Hi, jill. I used to be a reader for students who needed a reader. (It was a volunteer position)
Jill - No. Socially, I think she is doing better.
~Mare2~ - Jill, I have met Dave. He is so courageous! He even plays miniature golf and travels alone to other countries. He is proof of what he says!
bette/tx - that is good Jill..what state are you in?
Dave MontrealCan - payne1 I am a consultant I give workshops and sensitization training to elementary teachers about mainstreaming and integrating sight impaired children into the regular classroom
Number404 - Jill, Dave was at our gathering in PA last summer.
Jill - We seem to be able to meet her daily educational needs at home, but I worry about mobility.
payne1 - How long has your daughter been home schooled?
Jill - I am in Puerto Rico.
payne1 - I am an intervention education major
teach/3/ca - Hi Dave! I'm taking an online class about mainstreaming and thought I 'd drop by
Dave MontrealCan - I may take a little while to answer everyone as I have to read the questions if I miss a question I apologize
bette/tx - payne special ed??
Jill - We began homeschooling 3 years ago, when we moved here.
payne1 - yes, bette
Dave MontrealCan - Hello teach3 welcome do you teach regular elementary school?
Jill - Is my color acceptable?
bette/tx - jill sure wew can share...
Dave MontrealCan - Jill yes good evening and congrats on home schooling your daughter
teach/3/ca - Yes, I teach third grade Gifted cluster. We do have a boy in first grade at my school who is blind.
Jill - Thanks Dave.
Dave MontrealCan - Teach3 I am pleased that you are taking a course online here on mainstreaming
Number404 - Dave, what kind of support should a teacher be prepared to provide for visually impaired students in a classroom?
payne1 - teach3, How did that teacher prepare their students for the arrival of a blind student?
teach/3/ca - I'm definitely learning a lot. I've been a GATE teacher for 3 years and haven't had anyone who was mainstreamed. Except for the boy in first grade we don't have any low incident disablities. I admit I get nervous thinking about what I'd have to do
teach/3/ca - Dave, he has an aide who brailles his reading work (very time consuming) I'm not too sure about other things. the little boy is amazing and does mostly what other kids do...sometimes more! He was born sighted but developed a brain tumor at about 3yrs. old. They had to cut his optic nerve to remove the tumor
Dave MontrealCan - 404, teachers should take into consideration the severity of the impairment and for things such as taking notes off the blackboard if the student has to struggle to read the board a good alternative would be for the teacher to give the student the original copy of the notes after they have finished using it themselves also seating arrangements may have to differ depending on glare in the classroom or if the sun is shining.
Jill - Services are limitted here. do you have any tips for mobility training?
teach/3/ca - Are there special textbooks written in larger print?
Dave MontrealCan - Jill has she had any mobility training at all yet?
Jill - two years, during elementary years. She is 15, now.
Dave MontrealCan - Teach3 yes there are texts available from the American Council of the Blind you may call them toll free 1 800 424 8666
Dave MontrealCan - Teach3 also there is the Recording for the Blind Library in New York City as well
Dave MontrealCan - Jill does she take the bus by herself yet or go across town alone/
Number404 - Teach3 and everyone. When I was in Kentucky, I went on a tour here. It is another good resource: http://www.aph.org/hist.htm
Jill - No. She does not go anywhere without me.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill i think maybe you should try to help her slowly learn the different bus routes as you go with her show her where key landmarks are and encourage her to eventually start travelling slowly
Number404 - The link I posted has braille and large type books. There is info on their site.
Jill - I sometimes send her back an aisle in the grocery store to retreive "forgotten" items, but that is about all.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill by landmarks I mean point out different buildings to her and show her where they are located have her use these buildings as landmarks to substitute street sighns which she finds hard to read
Jill - Public bus routes are a little far from me. There are "publicos" but they are not reliable.
Jill - I am also concerned, because we are in Puerto Rico and she does not speak Spanish.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill for example with me when I am going to the Montreal Association for the Blind there is a restaurant named Mr. Hot Dog right across the street the building is all white and I know the shape and desighn of it so when the bus stops there I know that is where I get off ans walk across the street
Dave MontrealCan - Jill just curious are you with the Us military there at the moment?
Jill - No, my husband does construction work. Interestingly, he is building a subway, at the moment.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill there is another good point the subway system here in Montreal each subway station is painted a different colour I have memorized the different stations by their colours and desighns that is how I know where I am
Jill - Perhaps I can begin introducing her to the concept of recognizing where she is when we are out, according to landmarks. I used to do this quite a bit, but has become difficult after a couple of moves.
Jill - The subway in Boston is like that. It was wonderful!
Number404 - Jill, that sounds like a good idea. I have good sight, but I use landmarks too.
Jill - I keep trying, but we have moved since arriving in PR. Things are still not standing out to me, yet.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill a note of interest I have a contract to give a workshop to Boston Elementary teachers in January I will be going to Boston for the first time
Jill - It is wonderful-fun, exciting, lots of activity, and history. I hope you have a great time. I would love to go back!
Dave MontrealCan - Jill have you ever taght in a clasroom/
Jill - I did some substituting when the elementary school was desparate enough to call. I have no formal training.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill what state did you sub in?
Jill - I was not fully comfortable, but they really seemed to be in a bind. It was in Maryland.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill what grades?
Dave MontrealCan - Jill I believe this is helping you now to teach your daughter at home
Jill - I worked in my children's classrooms, mainly when they did inservices, etc. I basically just had to supervise what had already been assigned. I only subsitituted for a full day on two occassions.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill another problem that many sight impaired people face is lack of social contact sometimes and this is sad it is important to have many friends and keep active and get out in the community
Jill - My daughter seems to gravitate to young children and adults. She has very few connections with her peers, but I beleive it is due to other disabilities.
Dave MontrealCan - I want to say that teachers net has been just so wonderful it has always allowed me to have contact with teachers worldwide and everyone is so supportive
Jill - I read often, post rarely. I try to avoid crashing the party as a parent.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill I find most of my friends are teachers and even locally here most have been very inclusive and supportive
Number404 - jill, if you homeschool, I think you would be welcome here at tnet. You ARE teaching.
Jill - Teachers can make wonderful friends. Some of my best supporters for teaching my children have been teachers.
Number404 - Jill, when I taught, it was in industry for work and swimming at the Y for fun. I am now retired. I do not have an education degree, but I am a teacher at heart.
Jill - It is a professional board. I appreciate that. I do post on a rare occasion, but see a difference in what I do. I am not responsible for society's children. It is difficult to understand wht a trained full-time teacher faces every day.
Jill - That is a wonderful perspective. Teaching really is more of a gift, a passion, than an occupation.
Number404 - Jill, I do not post on the chatboard much either, but I hang out in the chatrooms a lot.
Dave MontrealCan - Jill I do understand it as I supplemental taught for 1 year and I understand what teachers go through it is important to support teachers and encourage them
Number404 - Jill, I did optical coatings, and when I was asked to work with a co-op student once, my boss liked what I did, so he made that a regular part of my job.
Dave MontrealCan - DLP have you ever taught a sight impaired student/
D.L.P. - No... not yet
D.L.P. - I imagine someday I might
D.L.P. - One of my friends in school was sight impaired
Dave MontrealCan - DLP it will be rewarding for you when you do I am sure many teachers have really found it a positive challenge
Dave MontrealCan - It is 3 minutes to 10 so are there any last minute questions here DLP stick around please for a few
D.L.P. - my rewards have been the "challenging kids" so far...
Number404 - DLP, I was a challenging kid.
Dave MontrealCan - At this time I would like to thank teachers net for allowing me to present tonight it is always a pleasure Thank you all for attending tonight.
D.L.P. - Really
Jill - I think the best part of any job in teaching. My children especially enjoy teaching me.
Jill - Thank you, Dave.
Number404 - Dave, thank you for being here and talking to us tonight.
D.L.P. - thanks Dave
Dave MontrealCan - Jill it is a pleasure
Jill - Thanks for all of the help and the warm welcome. Good night.
