Pop-Up IEP

1. "It is not reasonable to expect the classroom teacher to describe everything to your child. She has 30 other students."

Proactive Solutions for Parents

Meet with your child’s teachers as early in the year as possible.
Make sure your child’s teacher and teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired (TVI) have connected and are communicating with each other.
Ask the TVI to set up an in-service for the teachers and school staff to demonstrate appropriate adaptations and answer any questions.
Parents, in conjunction with a TVI, can demonstrate how to describe the visual information without disrupting the flow of the lesson. Modeling adaptations for teachers can illustrate that the level of effort to include students who are blind or visually impaired is not as great as teachers might have thought.
Have your child’s previous teachers or related service providers who were effective talk to your child’s new teachers about their experiences.
It is important for the teacher, the TVI, and you to work as a team. Parents and TVIs can answer questions and offer support. Provide newteachers with a reasonable amount of literature and/or resources about including students who are visually impaired or blind in their classroom. As parents, you can provide information that is unique to your child. Be clear, concise and specific about how you would like teachers to accommodate your child.
Teach your child to be a confident and respectful self advocate in asking for descriptions of visual lessons by approaching the teacher or raising their hand (like anyone else) when something is not understood.
Arrange to visit the classroom for a morning or a day to observe how things are going and offer helpful suggestions (make sure your child is comfortable with this as well). If you have suggestions, set up a meeting with the TVI and the teacher. Always start constructive criticism or feedback by offering positive comments, praise and/or encouragement for any effort that is shown.
If you disagree with the IEP, make sure to include a written statement noting your objections. Unless indicated otherwise, signing the IEP indicates attendance, but not necessarily agreement.

Collabortive effort between the
National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities
and the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children