Investigating Low Vision

This week's posting relates to the topic of low vision. Although visual impairments or blindness are considered to be low incidence disabilities within individuals between the ages of birth to 22, it is increasing in prevalence with our adult population, especially among senior citizens and those who have health conditions such as diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is increasing due to our unhealthy diets and lack of exercise. The emergence of the "fast food" generation has definitely contributed greatly to the problem. One visual disorder that is linked to diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. A progressive degenerative eye disorder that is one of the leading causes of blindness. Due to low vision, many people find themselves dependent upon others in order to complete the tasks of daily life. The loss of vision leads to a loss of independence. Many devices are available that can be used to enhance vision. Some popular devices include electronic magnifiers, hand-held magnifiers, and computerized software that will scan books. Two products that are useful for addressing the inability to read are described below. Other products can be easily reviewed through the Closing the GAP website.

PRIMER:
The PRIMER is an entry-level electronic magnifier that works with any television set to provide magnification beyond that possible with hand held optical magnifiers, up to 15 times, using a 20-inch television set. The PRIMER provides clear black and white images of printed materials of any kind, including newspapers, telephone books, food cans and packages of all types, and photographs. The PRIMER also can display images in both enhanced black on white, and enhanced white on black to further improve readability.(Closing the GAP,April/May,2002)

Magni-CAM:
Magni-Cam is a light-weight, hand held electronic magnifier which connects in minutes to any television set to provide enhanced reading ability for those with low vision. Introduced in 1990 by Innoventions, Magni-Cam is a proven reading aid for those with Macular Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Diabetic Retinopathy, and other low vision conditions helped by electronic magnification.(Closing the GAP, February/March, 2000)

Weekly discussion

Closing the Gap is phenominal. It was difficult to select a topic to research but I chose assessment since it is one of my areas of interest. The article that I chose to review reflected on the success of the Breakthrough to Literacy program by Wright Group/McGraw-Hill. The Derry School District in Pennsylvania, one of many school disticts within 40 states, discussed how the research-based program decreased their at-risk and deficient literacy scores, as measured by the DIBELS, approximately 75%. What an amazing achievement and testimony for the computer-based program.

Many states have mandated the use of the DIBELS early literacy assessment with children from kindergarten through second grade, however there are many teachers who are not familiar with the DIBELS assessment or the Get It! Got It! Go! assessment that has been developed for preschool aged children. Both of these assessments provide individualized assessment of literacy skills, including phonemic awareness which is the essential ingredient for reading. I incorporate both of these assessments in the assessment course that I teach. The assessments can be accessed through the following websites (http://dibels.uoregon.edu and http://www.getgotgo.net/ ) and are available free of charge.

The Breakthrough to Literacy program is a computer-based program that individualizes instruction for every child. According to information found on the www.WrightGroup_com.htm website it supports recommendations of the National Reading Panel Report and No Child Left Behind legislation.

Time to go! I hope that you will check out the websites that I have included.

January 18, 2008

Blogging is a new experience for me but I am excited about using this new tool. My
hope is that I can use this technology with preservice and inservice teachers with whom I work. I can see how it could be useful as a reflective journal to capture insights from experience.

It is often hard to balance the demands of professional life which include teaching, research, writing, and presentations with everyday demands of personal life. I have spent years in the field of early childhood special education in various positions (administrator, state consultant, home visitor, itinerant teacher, and teacher) to name a few, and have remained "alive" through the contact that I have had with children and families. My passion for making the lives of children with disabilities and families better --provides the fuel that keeps this vehicle running.

Interaction with families who have young children with disabilities is close to my heart. Many families do not have the adequate resources or support services necessary to care for themselves and their child. It is alarming to know that many of our families who live in extreme poverty also have children who have disabilities. Early Intervention plays a vital role in the overall success of families and their children, however children are not always linked to these services.

Research that I have conducted in inclusive preschool environments also provides me with the incentive to work with teachers who are entering the profession (preservice) and those who are in classrooms (inservice) where inclusion poses a challenge to them on a daily basis. Most of the challenges result from the lack of knowledge or skills to implement appropriate intervention. A big part of that is, of course, assistive technology.

Anyway, this is what I live and breathe. I also have a husband, a cat (Twinkle), and a familiy of 4 daughters and 4 step children. All of them are extremely valuable to me as an individual. In addition, I am working on a text that will blend strategies from special education into early childhood education.