REPORT TO THE NATION: The National Agenda for the Education of Children and Youths with Visual Impai

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REPORT TO THE NATIONThe National Agenda for the
Education of Children and Youths with Visual
Impairments, Including Those with Multiple
Disabilities

• Anne L. Corn, Ed.D.
• Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph.D.

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THE REPORT TO THE NATION PROVIDES

• NATIONAL BASELINE DATA ON EACH GOAL
• A REPORT OF STATE-LEVEL ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE
  GOALS
• A VEHICLE FOR COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE STATUS OF
  THE FIELD
• RESOURCE INFORMATION FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN
  BECOMING INVOLVED IN THE NATIONAL AGENDA EFFORTS

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THE REPORT TO THE NATION WAS DEVELOPED

• BY AND FOR PARENTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND CONSUMERS
• AS PART OF THE PROCESS FOR ACHIEVING THE GOALS
• AS A VEHICLE FOR CHANGE

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THE REPORT TO THE NATION CAN BE USED TO

• INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PROVISION OF
  EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
• EMPHASIZE THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND
  YOUTH WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, INCLUDING THOSE
  WITH MULTIPLE DISABILITIES
• COMMUNICATE WITH EDUCATORS, LEGISLATORS,
  ADMINISTRATORS, AND OTHERS WHO CAN IMPACT
  SERVICES
• HIGHLIGHT THE STARTING POINTS FOR EFFORTS TO
  ACHIEVE THE GOALS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL
• PROVIDE COMPARISON DATA FOR LOCAL AND STATE
  EDUCATION SERVICES

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GOAL 1 REFERRAL

• PARENT SURVEY 27 States/240 Families
• FINDINGS
• 71 referred by 6 months of age
• 85 referred by 12 months of age
• 52 enrolled in EC by 6 months of age
• 77 enrolled in EC by 12 months of age
• 94 enrolled in EC by 3 years of age
• RECOMMENDATIONS
• MORE AND BETTER INFORMATION TO ALL MEDICAL
  PERSONNEL WHO REFER

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GOAL 2 PARENT RIGHTS

• NATIONAL SURVEY--Degree to which parents felt
  knowledgeable with their childs education
• 101 FAMILIES from 18 STATES
• FINDINGS--Felt knowledgeable about their
  childs - 48 ed. needs 58 legal
  rights 69abilities
• 59 available programs/services 50 future
  potential
• RECOMMENDATIONS Professionals MUST provide
  more information to parents, improve
  communication, develop procedures to create
  parent-professional relationships

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GOAL 3 PERSONNEL PREPARATION

• NATIONAL SURVEY- NUMBERS OF PROFESSIONALS BEING
  TRAINED NEEDED BY 2000/ Findings disseminated
• MODEL OF EXCELLENCE DEVELOPED PRESENTED TO
  OSERS/POLICY FORUM
• PROJECT FUNDED TO STUDY POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
• NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH EFFORTS UNDERWAY

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GOAL 3 PERSONNEL PREPARATION 2

• APPLICATION OF NATIONAL STANDARDS ENCOURAGED
• ENCOURAGE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING AMONG SPECIAL
  ED. AND PERSONNEL PREP FOR ACCURATE COUNTS OF
  CHILDREN SERVED
• ESTABLISH SYSTEMS OF CAREER LEADERSHIP e.g..,
  MENTORS, MASTER TEACHERS, TEACHERS AS
  RESEARCHERS, ETC.

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GOAL 4 CASELOAD SIZE

• NATIONAL SURVEY FINDINGS
• SIGNIFICANT VARIABILITY
• 47 STATES RESPONDED
• 72 REG. STANDARDS/ POLICY FOR SPECIAL ED
• 57 REG. STANDARDS / POLICY FOR VI
• RECOMMENDATION
• THERE IS SIMPLY NOT ONE BEST MANNER TO DETERMINE
  CASELOADS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BLIND/VI

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GOAL 5 FULL ARRAY OF PLACEMENT OPTIONS

• NATIONAL SURVEY 1525 MAILED TO PARENTS-- 359
  COMPLETED RETURNED, 24.3
• FINDINGS 72.6 in PUBLIC SCHOOLS 6.7
  SEPARATE DAY SCHOOLS 19.3RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENTS
  
• 70 ONLY INFORMED ABOUT THE PLACEMENT THE
  DISTRICT IS RECOMMENDING 15 ONLY INFORMED OF
  TWO OPTIONS
• RECOMMENDATION
• PARENTS NEED TO BE BETTER INFORMED ABOUT HOW
  THEIR CHILDS EDUCATION WOULD BE AFFECTED IN EACH
  PLACEMENT OPTION

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GOAL 6 ASSESSMENT

• NATIONAL SURVEYS
• Parent Professional
• Information on all standardized, formal, informal
  assessments used
• THREE THEMES EMERGED
• What is assessed
• What instruments are used
• What type of assessment training is needed

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GOAL 6 ASSESSMENT2

• RECOMMENDATIONS
• DEVELOP ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES AND INSTRUMENTS
• EVALUATE INSTRUMENTS BEING USED
• DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR ADAPTING INSTRUMENTS AND
  INTERPRETING RESULTS
• DEVELOP/PUBLICIZE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR
  PROFESSIONALS WHO ADMINISTER INTERPRET
  ASSESSMENT RESULTS

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GOAL 7 ACCESS TO MATERIALS

• NATIONAL SURVEY
• 150 SENT, 30 RESPONDED (27 STATES)
• 81 TO 100 OF THE STUDENTS NEED SPECIAL
  MATERIALS
• NOT RECEIVING MATERIALS AT SAME TIME
• FINDINGS
• 3.5 MILLION SPENT ANNUALLY
• TIME SPAN BETWEEN ORDERS AND DELIVERY 4 TO 7
  WEEKS

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GOAL 7 ACCESS TO MATERIALS 2

• RECOMMENDATIONS
• ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR STAFFING MATERIALS
  PRODUCTION CENTERS
• CREATE UNIFORM ACCESS STANDARDS FOR TEXT IN
  ALTERNATIVE FORMATS
• OFFER ACCOMMODATION FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN
  THE CLASSROOM
• ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR STANDARDIZATION OF
  GRAPHICS
• ENCOURAGE VENDORS TO DEVELOP FULL-PAGE TACTILE
  GRAPHICS

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GOAL 8 CORE CURRICULUM

• CORE CURRICULUM (CC) DEVELOPED
• REVIEWED BY MEMBERS OF NA WORKING GROUPS
• DISSEMINATED IN REview and NA Packets, WWW
• CC ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY PREPARED
  DISSEMINATED BY TSBVI
• CC Adopted 1996 AER RESOLUTION
• SURVEY100 TEACHERS/10 STATES CC
• FINDING CHILDREN ARE NOT RECEIVING CC

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GOAL 8 CORE CURRICULUM2

• RECOMMENDATIONS
• Complete and disseminate annotated bibliographies
  on all areas of the CC
• Adoption of CC by SEAs
• Personnel preparation programs assure future
  teachers are prepared to teach CC
• Assess implementation of CC