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REPORT TO THE NATION:
The 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

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

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

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

GOAL 2 PARENT RIGHTS

NATIONAL SURVEY--Degree to which parents felt knowledgeable with their child's education

101 FAMILIES from 18 STATES

FINDINGS

Felt knowledgeable about their child's: 

• 48% ed. needs 
• 58% legal rights 
• 69% abilities
• 59% available programs/services 
• 50% future potential

RECOMMENDATIONS: 

• Professionals MUST provide: more information to parents, improve communication, & develop procedures to create parent-professional relationships

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
• 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.

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

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; 
• 19.3%RESIDENTIAL 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 CHILD'S EDUCATION WOULD BE AFFECTED IN EACH PLACEMENT OPTION

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

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

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:

1. $3.5 MILLION SPENT ANNUALLY
2. TIME SPAN BETWEEN ORDERS AND DELIVERY 4 TO 7 WEEKS

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

GOAL 8 CORE CURRICULUM

CORE CURRICULUM (CC) DEVELOPED

• REVIEWED BY MEMBERS OF NA WORKING GROUPS
• DISSEMINATED IN RE:view and NA Packets, WWW
• CC ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY PREPARED & DISSEMINATED BY TSBVI
• CC Adopted 1996 AER RESOLUTION

SURVEY:

• 100 TEACHERS/10 STATES CC

FINDING: 

• CHILDREN ARE NOT RECEIVING "CC"

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

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Last Revision: June 29, 2006