BLINDNESS/ LOW VISIONJennifer Martin

DEFINITIONS

Definition of legally blind: A person legally blind has a vision of 20/200 this

means that a legally blind person can see 20 feet when a typical person can see 200 feet away. It can not be corrected even with correction eyeglasses.

 Definition of Low Vision: A term use by educators that refers to people that

can not read print without some kind of magnifying help. These people can only read large print with help.

Low vision individuals have a vision of 20/70 and 20/200 in the better eye with correction.

CAUSES

Cataracts A clouding of the eye’s lens that can cause

vision problems

Diabetes related eye disease Diabetes is the leading causes of blindness.

Patients with diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy, this one being the most common eye disorders.

 

CAUSES-CONT’D

Glaucoma Glaucoma will damage the eye optic nerve

and lead to vision loss, even blindness

Macular Degeneration The most common cause of blindness among

people over 60 years old. It affects the central vision field

Retinitis Pigmentosa Is a progressive loss of the visual field, night

blindness and damage of the retina

FACTS- LEGALLY BLIND Only a small percentage of blind individuals legally

blind have entirely no vision Central acuity is 20/200 Even with corrective lenses they can not see Vision problems affect one in 20 preschool age

about 5 million children In the United States blindness follows only cancer

and AIDS as the biggest health fear by the public Blind people that cannot read Braille are considered

illiterate as sighted people who cannot read or write print

Blind people do not have an extra sense Every 7 minutes a person in United States loses

their sight

FACTS- LOW VISION

Difficulty recognizing a familiar face Difficulty reading, print appears broken or

distorted Difficulty seeing objects and potential

obstacles such as steps, curbs, walls and furniture

Using corrective lenses can help them to see Experts agreed that individuals with low

vision should learn Braille because eventually they will become legally blind

Any loss of sight less than total blindness is referred to as visual impairment

SOME HISTORY…

1784: First school for the blind was opened in France.

1809: Louis Braille was born in France. 1829: First school for the blind opened in

America, the New England Asylum for the Blind. Today is called the Perkins School for the Blind.

1858: Louisville, Kentucky, the American Printing House for the Blind was established.

1871: The American Association of Instructors of the Blind was created. This was the first organization of blindness professionals working in residential schools.

MORE HISTORY… 1905: AAWB was

established. The American Association of Workers for the Blind. Professionals administering and working in management of the sheltered shops

The AAIB and the AAWB joined together in 1984

  They became The

Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired

MORE HISTORY…

1918: Braille was accepted as the national standard for tangible reading for the blind.

1926: The American Foundation for the Blind was created.

MORE HISTORY…

1931: The Pratt-Smoot Act was passed by Congress. Federal program to provide books for the blind. It created the Division for the Blind of the Library of Congress. Now is called the National Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

1940: The National Federation of the Blind was established.

1973: Congress passed the Act of 1973. Civil rights for the blind

MORE HISTORY…

1975: Congress passed the first law where all public schools have to accept handicapped students in the least restricted environment. Now, is called The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA

1990: The American with Disabilities Act passed.

1997: Teachers, parents and special education officials order an assessment called the Individualized Education Plan or IEP. Braille was included in the IEP only if all parties involved agreed.

MORE HISTORY…

2004: Still some students were denied Braille instruction. The American Printing House for the Blind was created. They’re in charge of making electronic books for students. Schools can request copies as needed.

2006: A commemorative coin recognizing Louis Braille’s 200 birthday was passed by Congress.

TEACHING STUDENTS WITH LOW VISION

According to the American Optometric Association, as much as 80% of a child learning in the first twelve years of school is visual.

Children with poor vision will experience learning difficulties at school, and teachers can maximize efforts in inclusive settings with low vision strategies and tools.

Low vision will cause young students to avoid work that they find difficult, such as reading, writing, and identifying letters.

It is important for a teacher to know which condition the student has so that the correct strategies can be used to help him in the classroom.

TEACHING TIPS FOR STUDENTS WITH LOW VISION

Teachers may be able to provide the following items in the classroom to students with low vision:

  Dark lead pencils Magnifying glasses Boldly lined paper Reading lamp Large- print books Screen reader/enlarger software for computers Talking dictionaries Overhead projectors

If a student is using glasses to help with vision it may be beneficial to have an extra pair to be kept in the classroom in case the primary pair is forgotten or lost.

 

MORE TIPS FOR STUDENTS WITH LOW VISION

Students with sensitivity to light should be allowed to wear a cap and should be seated away from bright windows.

When light reflects off shiny desktops, a small tablecloth can be used to cover the surface.

Use a blackboard instead of a shiny whiteboard during lessons,

If a child needs more light a table lamp should be provided for close work. 

Handouts should be prepared with large, simple font on white paper for maximum contrast.

Some classroom presentations can be done with three-dimensional objects instead of pictures/drawings.

TEACHING STUDENTS WHO ARE LEGALLY BLIND

Speak to the class upon entering and leaving the room or site.

Call the students by name if you want his/her attention.

Use descriptive words such as straight, forward, left, in relation to the student's body orientation. Be specific in directions and avoid "over there", "here", "this".

Give verbal notice of room changes, special meetings, or assignments.

Be ready to provide reading lists, the course syllabus and assignments in advance. This will allow the student time to have the materials translated into Braille.

MORE TIPS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE LEGALLY BLIND

The student may need information about the physical layout of the classroom. This is especially important if there are any changes from one class period to the next. Also consider any obstacles that might be a problem.

Let the student have hands-on experiences whenever possible. Don't force the student to touch new things if they are unsure about them.

If a class is moved or cancelled, remember to make sure that the message is delivered effectively to the student.

It is OK to use the words “look” and “see”.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE LEGALLY BLIND

Long Canes – a cane used as a mobility aid, not for support or balance as with a shorter cane.

Guide dogs – provides similar use of that as the long cane. Helps avoid hazards such as stairways, streets, and walls. Guide dogs require extensive training and because of their size can really only be used by adults strong enough to handle them.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE LEGALLY BLIND

Tactile Maps – they are embossed maps that represent a certain environment. It can help people that are blind get familiar with their environment before entering it are traveling in that environment.

Screen reader - software program that verbalizes everything on the screen including menus, text, and punctuation using a speech synthesizer. 

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE LEGALLY BLIND

Portable notetaker – small portable machines with a Braille or keyboard that lets the user enter information. The information can be saved onto a file and that file may be sent to a printer or Braille embosser, or transferred to a computer. 

Refreshable Braille display – provides information that is on a computer screen via a refreshable Braille display where pins lift in and out of the Braille cells to construct new words and phrases. After reading a phrase, the user can refresh to get the next line displayed on the screen.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE LEGALLY BLIND

BrailleNote GPS – Converts GPS signals into Braille. Helps the visually impaired get around and plan routes.

Braille translation software - translate text and formatting into braille text.   

Braille embosser - a Braille printer that embosses text from a computer to Braille. 

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE LEGALLY BLIND

Scanners - a device that converts the text and images on a sheet of paper onto a computer screen.

Talking Watches – pressing a button on a watch will, by use of speech synthesizer, tell the user what time it is.

Newsline – a free service to those that are visually impaired that allows one to access many national newspapers by touch-tone phone.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THOSE WITH LOW VISION

Screen magnification or screen readers - software that focuses on a single portion of the screen and enlarges it to fill the screen. 

Closed-Circuit Television - enlarges a printed page through the use of a special television camera with a zoom lens and displays the image on a screen. 

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THOSE WITH LOW VISION

Adaptive keyboard - offer a variety of ways to input information by use of a keyboard. Layouts, size, and complexity of the keyboard can be altered.

Barcode scanners – Can scan items with barcodes and can, through using a speech synthesizer, tell the person what the item is and how much it is.

Sunglasses – filter sunlight allowing a person with low vision to see more clearly.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY VIDEOS

Assistive Technology Video Soldier & Cell phone

ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND (NFB)

This is a website used to connect people who are blind around the world and help inform people who are interested. This website is one of the largest websites for connecting and networking people who are blind and offer such services as blogs, forums, and a calendar of events that are held around the nation. The website is www.nfb.org.

ORGANIZATIONS: TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BLIND STUDENTS

(TABS)

This organization is a branch of the NFB that is dedicated to the further education of students in Texas that are blind.

Located in Austin, Texas at 62121 North IH-35, 78752.

Phone #: 512 323 5466. TABS helps kids learn how to

be successful by giving seminars and hosting weekend retreats.

Also they’re very active legislatively to ensure that the students have everything they need to succeed.

ORGANIZATIONS:DALLAS LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND The Dallas Lighthouse for

the Blind mission statement: they provide training, employment, and rehabilitative services that encourage opportunities for personal responsibility, economic independence, and social development for North Texans who are blind or visually impaired (dallaslighthouse.org).

Location: 4245 Office Parkway Dallas, Texas 75204

Phone #: 214 821 2375.

ORGANIZATIONS: CAMP CAN-DO

This is a day camp located at Camp Carter YMCA in Fort Worth. This is a camp devoted to young kids with visual impairments. All activities focus on using all of the kids senses and include such events as hiking, canoeing, archery, rifle range, Braille trail, swimming, horseback riding, crafts, and music. The phone number for information is 817 738 9241.

INTERESTING FACTS

Twenty one percent of people age 65 and over have a form of vision impairment

In the United States there are 15 million blind and visually impaired individuals

Preschool children ages 3-5, 1 in 20 have vision problems

INTERESTING FACTS

Only 2% of legally blind people use a guide dog

Only 35% uses a white cane

Only 12% of 55,000 legally blind children can read Braille

In the 1960’s 50% of blind children could read Braille

INTERESTING FACTS

There are 57, 983 children who are legally blind registered in school.

74% of working age blind individuals are unemployed

44% of working age blind individuals that are unemployed are Braille literate

$4 billion is the estimated annual costs of blindness to the federal government

$916,000 is the cost of a lifetime of support and unpaid taxes for one blind person.

RESOURCES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6UCgrXLf0Y http://www.tsbvi.edu/technology/principles.htm www.nfb.org/nfb/Products_and_Technology.asp?SnID=6057

70955 www.maxiaids.com www.Dallaslighthouse.org www.nfb-texas.org/tabs.html www.Campcarter.org www.enablemart.com/Catalog/Vision?leadsource=137&gcli

d=CMbjp7TFvJkCFRUhnAodE3Mx6A

http://blind-students.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching_students_with_low_vision

http://sds.okstate.edu/content/view/62/123/ www.afb.org/images/JVIBv3n3-delegates.jpg educ.queensu.ca/.../may2004/images/braille04.png http://www.vycvikvodicichpsu.cz/img/foto/nasi-pejsci-

foto02.jpg