Educational Needs List

Basic Learning Tools for Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Today’s adaptive technology offers blind students the opportunity to “level the playing field” with their sighted peers. We have success stories! We know it can be achieved! However, what is typical of these accomplished students is that their parents frequently spend an enormous amount of time and effort on advocating, fundraising and obtaining donations from outside their school systems to ensure their children have what they need. Most often, schools are unable to purchase the requisite equipment because of the prohibitive costs. Unfortunately then many visually impaired children do not have the means, or access to this adaptive technology. Their education is significantly compromised. The success, emotional health and independence we see in employed blind adults demonstrate that a proactive plan will far out-weigh the costs of reacting too late.

The following are but two of the basic learning tools our children require:

1. Franklin Language Master — An electronic dictionary costing $700.00. This compares to a $5.00 dictionary for a sighted peer. Currently Alberta Learning often has waiting a lists. Would this be an acceptable standard for sighted students?

2. Braille Notetaker — Such as a “PAC Mate”. It is the equivalent of a paper and pen. It costs $3200 to 7800. We all know how little a pen and paper costs and how readily we can access these tools. Think of how frustrated you might have been had you been told to take notes at these proceedings but not been able to access a pen and paper, and had no alternate recording device. there is often a waiting list.

Educational Needs List

Program Assessment, Planning and Teaching by Qualified Teachers

Our children are entitled to assessment, program planning and delivery of instruction by qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI’s) Qualified teachers should possess a Master’s degree in Special Education for Visual Impairments. The specialized instruction that blind or visually impaired students receive from teachers of the visually impaired include the following.

1. Visual Efficiency Skills - to allow for low vision children to maximize the vision they have

2. Braille Literacy

3. Social Skills

4. Daily Living Skills

5. Recreation Skills

6. Career Planning

7. Adaptive Technology

8. Orientation and Mobility Instruction

Addressing the needs of Alberta’s children who are blind or visually impaired

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