Pop-Up IEP

2. "We were excited to discover how well your child can see!"

Proactive Solutions for Parents

Work with your child’s teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired (TVI) to educate the school staff about the efficiency and effectiveness of non-visual techniques. Provide examples of how persons who are blind or have partial vision use such techniques effectively.
Educate school staff about the multifaceted dynamics of low vision. Provide examples of when your child saw things inaccurately due to partial vision which may have resulted in a safety hazard or developing an incomplete concept. Personal examples enhance staff’s ability to understand and realize why what you are telling them is important!
Arrange for the staff to meet at least one person with low vision who successfully uses both visual and non-visual techniques to maintain gainful employment and live and travel independently.
Help your child become comfortable with non-visual techniques by giving him/her lots of practice with them at home. Do not place a higher value on techniques that use vision. Instead, place the value on effectiveness, efficiency, safety, and independence.
Teach your child to speak up when he cannot see something, does not understand something that is being presented visually, or is visually fatigued.
If a technique doesn’t work well for your child, help the child find another way. Encourage your child to discover what works by offering the various tools or methods with a positive attitude and lots of chances for practice.
Educate your child and teachers to recognize common signs of vision fatigue and to know what to do if they occur. Signs of visual fatigue include headaches, neck or shoulder strain, general tiredness, blurry or reduced functional vision, nausea, or rubbing eyes frequently. Possible alternatives include switching to a non-visual technique, such as braille or auditory reading, alternating between near and distance viewing tasks, adjusting lighting, using optical aids, or briefly resting the eyes.
Ask the TVI to conduct a functional vision evaluation to help determine under what conditions and with what aids it would make sense for your child to use residual vision. The TVI can also conduct an assessment to determine the student’s primary and secondary learning media.
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