Unit 2 Low Vision and Blindness

1. Unit 2Low Vision and Blindness “… one thing for sure: I don’t think I am disabled … I don’t have time to have a disability because … I’m having too much fun doing what I’m doing. And I haven’t got time in my life to think/feel disability, to think blind.” Michael Naranjo – a blind artist Prepared by: CiciliaEviGradDiplSc, M.Psi

2. Classification • On the basis of severity or the amount of functional use of their sight • Low Vision • Blind • Age of onset • Congenitally – at birth or during infancy • Adventitiously – after the age of 2 • Legally Blind

3. Severity/Functional Use • Low vision  vision is still useful for learning or the execution of a task (incld reading), but interfere their daily activities • Blindness  not having a functional use of sight, person uses touch and hearing to learn  only receives shadows or some movement

4. Age of Onset • Congenitally – at birth or during infancy • Adventitiously – after the age of 2 • People who lose their sight after age 2  remember what some objects look like  they later it occurred, the more they remember • Visual memory  influence development of concept and many important aspects of learning

5. Legally Blind • A category used to qualify for federal and state benefits  eligible to receive special tax benefits and materials

6. Students with Low Vision • Typically access the general education system with peers without disability • Reading Standard Print • Size 12-point font  normal textbooks • With much slower rate and need more time to finish reading assignments • Hold the book closer to their eyes  adjusting to different type and print style • Able to move independently in their environment • Read, write, watch TV, can’t read newspaper

7. Students with Low Vision (2) • Reading Enlarged Print • Technology helps  copiers, scanners, printers • Bookshare.org  e-version of texts • Need help to adjust • Teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs)  can help! • Not suitable for individuals with good central vision but limited visual field  audio book, personal readers, computer-generated print-to-voice systems

9. Students Who Are Blind • Reading Braille  tactile system for reading and writing  a coded system of dots embossed on paper, so they can feel the text • Declining  reasons p. 378 • Orientation and Mobility • Orientation  mental map, use mental landmark • Mobility  ability to travel safely, with aid • Orientation and Mobility (O&M) instructors

10. Students Who Are Blind (2) • Using long cane  tap the floor and know when a hallway ends, stairs begin and end, doors are reached • Laser Cane • Guide dogs  small numbers • Do sports and recreation programs • Social skills • Need direct/explicit instruction  start with fam • Peers can help  prompt and provide feedback

13. Cause and Prevention • Complication on premature births, heredity, accidents, household injuries, sports • On children : myopia (nearsightedness), strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia(lazy eyes)  glasses, surgery, eye exercise, laser treatment, corneal implants • Being preventive  putting sharp objects, make sure the toys are safe, get help soon (p. 383)

14. Technology: Overcome the Barriers • Visual input device • CCTV  enlarged and viewed on a TV monitor • Copiers, scanners, printers

15. Technology (2) • Audio input device • Talking ATMs, books • Audiodescriptions  oral narrations of visual information on screens or stage

16. Technology (3) • Tactile input device • Braille PDA, refreshable braille display

17. Assessment • Early Identification • To reduce its impact and prevent the problems from worsening • Prereferral vision screening  Snellen Chart  10-20 feet away (3-6 m) • Signs of vision problems (p. 387 – table 11.5)

18. Assessment (2) • Identification : Visual Assessments • Opthalmologist medical doctor who specializes in eye disorder  conduct physical examination, prescribed correct lenses and medicine, drugs and perform surgery • Optometrist  professional who measures vision, prescribe corrective lenses and make functional reccomendations • Optician  fills the prescriptions

19. Evaluation • Testing accomodation: • During weekly quizzes, annual tests • Personal readers • Extra time  not to be compared with their peers without visual impairments

20. Early Intervention • Play  different pattern and 2 years behind their sighted peers • Solitary play, not playing spontaneously, with adults, not taking conversational turns, seeking concrete and familiar items • Classroom management  include their peers  p. 389 • Independence  using kiddy cane  home-based instruction with parent involvement

21. Teaching Students with Vision Loss • Literacy  in general education system • With aids, modified instructional method, borrowed some methods from LD • Exposed to literacy-rich school environment • Instructional Accommodations • The use of language  it, his, there • Extended time • Expanded core curriculum  adding orientation and mobility, braille reading, independent living skills and the use of assistive tech (p. 394)

22. Transition • Usually for those who don’t possess literacy skills necessary to be successful in community or on the job • Postsecondary options  p. 395 • Transition to work  p. 396

23. Collaboration • With TVIs and O&M Instructors (p. 398) • A team of professionals • General education teachers • TVIs and O&M instructors • A Vision specialist • Psychologist?? • With families and communities