TX SenseAbilities Spring – Summer 2014 Issue
Featured Article
Circus of Life
Parents and their children with visual impairments learned new strategies to develop independent living skills, recreation and leisure skills and career awareness at a conference sponsored by the Division of Blind Services. Families received support and information about raising a child with a visual impairment.
Download Article (PDF)Family Wisdom
Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills Delivers Results
A young student with a visual impairment emails her teachers to let them know how she can access materials.
Download Article (PDF)United Swimmer Fights through Blindness: Gallegos Tries to Set Example in Pool
A student with a visual impairment finds a sport that he enjoys and competes in area swim competitions.
Download Article (PDF)A Parent Talks About “Learning Portability” For a Child Who Missed School Due to Illness
A parent shares her experience using Bookshare’s online library through support by the Accessible Books for Texas program for her daughter who is blind and has chronic healthcare needs. Learning to use accessible education materials makes it possible for her daughter to keep up with her school work and make academic progress.
Download Article (PDF)Programming
What Should I Charge for Contractual Services?
Professionals such as Teachers and Orientation and Mobility Specialists may work part time for a school district on a contractual basis. The author discusses current pay rates and practices primarily in Texas.
Download Article (PDF)TSBVI Literacy Medium Decision-Making Guidelines
A committee of professionals from several departments of TSBVI collaborated to develop this set of guidelines for determining the appropriate literacy media for students with visual impairment.
Download Article (PDF)Geocaching with Students with Visual Impairment
The game of geocaching is discussed, with special adaptations for children and youth with visual impairment.
Download Article (PDF)Special Students Special Moments
The student in this article has multiple disabilities. He was born with Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheel chair. He is visually impaired with limited communication skills.
Download Article (PDF)Uniting the Village: The On-Going Evolution of the West Texas Cluster
This article describes the unique collaboration between a number of the education service centers (ESCs) and the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services - Division of Blind Services (DARS-DBS) in providing training activities for parents and students with visual impairments in the Panhandle and West Texas regions of the state. It is a revision of an article on the West Texas Cluster written in 2005.
News & Views
New Developments with Promise to Improve the Educational Lives of Students with Visual Impairments
In this article Superintendent Daugherty shares information on recently passed and new legislation that will impact the education of students with visual impairments.
DBS Transition Services: Successfully Serving Younger Consumers
In this article Assistant Commissioner Madrigal looks back on the past 10 years of changes in the Transition Program.
Download Article (PDF)Sports Extravaganza
This article shares information about Sports Extravaganza, a two day event which encourages physical activities for students who are blind and visually impaired.
Download Article (PDF)Math Melodies
Math Melodies is an app developed in Europe, especially for children with visual impairment or blindness. It is accessible with Voice Over or a refreshable braille display. It also has colorful pictures and animation.
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