A great parent resource is the new parent handbook entitled A Parent’s Guide to Special Education for Children with Visual Impairments (Susan LaVenture, editor, AFB press). This book is a guide to help parents understand and gain important information about learning and development for a child who is blind or visually impaired. It is written by parents and professionals and is extremely helpful.

The book provides family support and guidance:

Chapter 1, “Special Education Services: What Parents Need to Know” discusses the effects of having a visual impairment, important educational principles, special education laws, strategies for coping, and networking with other families.

Chapter 2, “Start at the Beginning: The Importance of Early Intervention” explains the importance of encouraging child development and providing support at an early time (birth to three years) in a child’s life, starting in the home. Highlights are information about the law that provides programs and services and the family’s role in obtaining them.

Chapter 3, “Assessment: Identifying Your Child’s Needs” discusses the need for appropriate evaluations and assessments to determine what the most appropriate support, educational programs and specialized services should be.

Chapter 4, “The Individualized Education Program” explains the process that determines your child’s specific educational needs and how an individual plan is developed.

Chapter 5, “Related Services: Addressing Additional Needs” describes a variety of supportive and therapeutic services necessary to supplement the educational program for each child.  These are addressed on the IEP as direct or indirect service minutes by special teachers or therapists.

Chapter 6, “Accommodations and Modifications: Gaining Access to the Curriculum” discusses how a child who is blind or visually impaired can access the curriculum in an alternative manner through assistive technology, classroom arrangements, specialized testing and instruction.

Chapter 7, “From Regular Classroom to Specialized Program: Exploring the Options for Your Child” discusses program options in the “least restrictive environment” which is typically the regular classroom in the local public school. However, many parents realize that the least restrict environment may not be the “most appropriate educational setting” at any one given time in a child’s school year. Choices, from the regular classroom, the self-contained classroom in a public school, the self-contained therapeutic day school, hospital school, residential school or dual enrollment are explored to help parents understand “the continuum of placements”.

Chapter 8, “Additional Disabilities: Special Considerations for Classroom and Community"