Dual Media Learners: Instructional Strategies and Assessment

1. Dual Media Learners:Instructional Strategies and Assessment Anne Spitz, M.Ed. Teacher of the Visually Impaired nathespitz@aol.com Perkins Webinar 2014

2. Times have changed…

4. Federal Register/IDEA “The IEP team must—* * * (iii) in the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP team determines, after an evaluation of the child’s reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child’s future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child …” Educating Blind and Visually Impaired Students; Policy Guidance; Federal Register; Vol. 65, No. 111; Thursday, June 8, 2000 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2000-06-08/pdf/00-14485.pdf

5. Functional Vision Assessment • Determine current level of visual functioning in school, home and community • Conducted upon initial eligibility, after a change in visual functioning, or at least every 3 years • Essential to understanding how child utilizes vision in school environment • Can vary significantly from a clinical assessment

6. Learning Media Assessment • General and Ophthalmological Information • Functional Vision Assessment • Background Information • Use of Sensory Channels • Reading and Writing Assessment • Literacy Tools • Summary • Recommendations • Recommended yearly or after change in vision

7. Characteristics of Dual Media Learners • Degenerative eye conditions • Field restrictions • Demonstrate ability to tactually discriminate shapes • Reading rate and fluency are below peers

8. Challenges of Dual Media • Service delivery • Coordination of literacy instruction • Integration of braille and print in classroom • Materials • Sometimes getting the Team on board

9. … but it is so worth it! • More literacy tools for student • Empowers student to determine when to use which medium • Facilitates maximum learning for student • Increases availability of materials and technology

11. TIME • Time: How much service time should I provide? How do I find time to teach braille?  How do I integrate braille into the curriculum? • Instruction: What approach(es) can I use to teach braille? (commercial & teacher-designed). How do I balance fluency with learning the code? (Which is more important, fluent reading or knowing the entire code?) • Motivation: How can I motivate my student to learn braille? • Expectations: What are the goals of braille instruction? How will braille benefit my student in school? After high school graduation?

12. TIME Time • Can you teach braille once a week? • Consistency in number of weekly sessions and duration of sessions • Role of paraprofessional • Vary intensity over several months • Before or after school • Summer services (ESY)- small peer group?

14. Emi • Albinism ; 20/300; Stable • LMA (LP-P; B-S) • 3rd grade

15. TIME Instruction • Build in success • Over-instruct skills • Braille notetakers • Document progress • Balance fluency with learning the code • Use materials of interest to the student • Book excerpts, songs, poems, student’s own writing • High interest, low level books

16. Braille-Specific Commercial Programs / Approaches • FUNdamentals (TSBVI) • I-M-ABLE (Wormsley) (Individualized Meaning-centered Approach to Braille Literacy Education) • Mangold Basic Braille Program: Tactile Perception and Braille Letter Recognition(Exceptional Teaching)

17. Braille FUNdamentals?

18. Facilitating Independence with Duxbury • Ingenious! • Duxbury has incorporated a feature allowing translation using Cluster levels • Allows children to use textbooks, or recreational reading encountering only familiar contractions • Utilize with Webbraille (NLS), Bookshare, ReadingA-Z

19. Older Versions of Duxbury (before 11.1) • Select Document • Select Translation Tables • Select Contractions • Select "TSBVI Cluster 24" • Newer Version of Duxbury • Select Document • Select Learning Tables • Select TSBVI • Select TSBVI Cluster

21. BrailleNote • Auditory feedback • Reinforcement of braille writing • Ease of editing • Builds fluency • Encourages peer and • teacher interactions Possible Lessons Writing commands Basic editing Basic reading commands Cursor navigation Basic spellchecker features

22. Activities • Braille student’s own writing and have him/her read it back. • Question / answer writing • Utilize materials with print and braille

23. Word Study Ideas

24. Word Wall Book Trick words Classmates Dolch words Braille/lp

25. Wilson Trick Words Ring

26. Then add a little braille…

28. What if a child looks at the braille? Snack Tray

29. Assessment Timeline

30. How do I manage all of this? • Assessment Binder • Leveled Reading and Running Records • Sight Words • Braille Contractions • Writing Samples • Reference Materials • Task Sheets • Audio or video recordings (2-3 times a year)

31. Dolch List Record readingand writing progress through the year.

32. Beck (grade 4) • Optic Glioma; field loss; 20/400; unstable • LMA (B-P; P-S)

33. End of First Grade:Large Print DRA (14)

34. End of First Grade: Braille DRA (16)

35. Fall of Fourth GradeBraille Dibels

36. TIME Motivation • Goal setting • Teacher, student, family • Have the student document progress • Reward progress • Facilitate braille reading mentor • Find real-life uses for braille whenever possible • Participate in Braille Challenge • Involve sighted peers (braillebug.org)

37. Keep track of the number of worksheets • Chart the contractions • Rewards • Braille Scavenger Hunt • Trip to the restaurant • Trip to the grocery store

38. Working with Families • Observations • Home Visits • Articles • Mission Possible

39. Integrating Print and Braille: A Recipe for Literacy (NFB)

40. Moving beyond resistance • Developing trust • Sharing resources • Demonstrating value • Meeting the student and family where they are • Negotiating compromise

41. TIME Expectations • Integrate braille in meaningful and purposeful ways • Bring it into the general education curriculum • Vocabulary, homework agenda, schedule, notes, teacher feedback • Consider short term and long term expectations • Utilize technology

42. What does a child’s workspace look like? Organization facilitates independence.

43. A workspace for an older child

44. CCTV • Workspace • Training • Setup • VGA Connectivity • BrailleNote • Computer Writing Conference

46. Our role as teacher of the visually impaired is to teach our students the skills needed to become as successful and independent as possible. To that end, braille is a tool that often best serves dual media learners not in the immediate, but in the long term journey of academics and life.