Anne Spitz, M.Ed.
Teacher of the Visually Impaired
nathespitz@aol.com
Perkins Webinar 2014
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Times have changed…
Previously… either
print or braille.
Now… some learners
benefit from both
print and braille
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Functional
Vision
Assessment
Learning
Media
Assessment
Determination
of Learning
Media
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Federal Register/IDEA
“The IEP team must—* * * (iii) in the case of a child who is
blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille
and the use of Braille unless the IEP team determines, after
an evaluation of the child’s reading and writing skills, needs,
and appropriate reading and writing media (including an
evaluation of the child’s future needs for instruction in
Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the
use of Braille is not appropriate for the child …”
Educating Blind and Visually Impaired Students; Policy Guidance;
Federal Register; Vol. 65, No. 111; Thursday, June 8, 2000
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2000-06-08/pdf/00-14485.pdf
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Functional Vision Assessment
 Determine current level of visual functioning in
school, home and community
 Conducted upon initial eligibility, after a change in
visual functioning, or at least every 3 years
 Essential to understanding how child utilizes vision in
school environment
 Can vary significantly from a clinical assessment
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Learning Media Assessment
 General and Ophthalmological Information
 Functional Vision Assessment
 Background Information
 Use of Sensory Channels
 Reading and Writing Assessment
 Literacy Tools
 Summary
 Recommendations
 Recommended yearly or after change in vision
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Characteristics of Dual Media Learners
 Degenerative eye conditions
 Field restrictions
 Demonstrate ability to tactually discriminate
shapes
 Reading rate and fluency are below peers
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Challenges of Dual Media
 Service delivery
 Coordination of literacy instruction
 Integration of braille and print in classroom
 Materials
 Sometimes getting the Team on board
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… but it is so worth it!
 More literacy tools for student
 Empowers student to determine when to use which
medium
 Facilitates maximum learning for student
 Increases availability of materials and technology
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Time
Expectations
TIME
Instruction
Motivation
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 Time: How much service time should I provide? How do I find
time to teach braille? How do I integrate braille into the
curriculum?
 Instruction: What approach(es) can I use to teach braille?
(commercial & teacher-designed). How do I balance fluency
with learning the code? (Which is more important, fluent
reading or knowing the entire code?)
 Motivation: How can I motivate my student to learn braille?
 Expectations: What are the goals of braille instruction? How
will braille benefit my student in school? After high school
graduation?
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TIME
Time
 Can you teach braille once a week?
 Consistency in number of weekly sessions and




duration of sessions
Role of paraprofessional
Vary intensity over several months
Before or after school
Summer services (ESY)- small peer group?
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Assessment
Emi
• Albinism ; 20/300;
Stable
• LMA (LP-P; B-S)
• 3rd grade
Instruction
Planning
Format DIBELS
Date
Rate
Large Print (18 point) with addt’l
magnification
Braille Grade 2 (Cluster 38)
1/2010
4/2010
1/2010
4/2010
61 wpm
112 wpm
38 wpm
62 wpm
Target for
6/2010
DIBELS
110-130 wpm
60-80 wpm
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TIME
Instruction
 Build in success
 Over-instruct skills
 Braille notetakers
 Document progress
 Balance fluency with learning the code
 Use materials of interest to the student
 Book excerpts, songs, poems, student’s own writing
 High interest, low level books
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Braille-Specific Commercial Programs /
Approaches
 FUNdamentals (TSBVI)
 I-M-ABLE (Wormsley) (Individualized Meaning-centered
Approach to Braille Literacy Education)
 Mangold Basic Braille Program: Tactile Perception and
Braille Letter Recognition (Exceptional Teaching)
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Braille FUNdamentals?
What
is it?
• Program to teach complete literary braille code in 56
Clusters
• Leveled to be of interest to various age groups
• Assessment Tool
• Available from TSBVI
Why
use it?
• Print readers of all ages with beginning to advanced
print foundation
• Special populations (ELL and MH)
• Only braille code
• Ability to work vary level of instruction depending on
student mastery
• Duxbury allows for transcription based on cluster
mastery to facilitate independence
• Allows for review of clusters as needed
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Facilitating Independence with
Duxbury
 Ingenious!
 Duxbury has incorporated
a feature allowing translation
using Cluster levels
 Allows children to use
textbooks, or recreational
reading encountering only
familiar contractions
 Utilize with Webbraille (NLS), Bookshare, ReadingA-Z
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Older Versions of Duxbury
(before 11.1)
•Select Document
•Select Translation Tables
•Select Contractions
•Select "TSBVI Cluster 24"
Newer Version of Duxbury
•Select Document
•Select Learning Tables
•Select TSBVI
•Select TSBVI Cluster
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BrailleNote
 Auditory feedback
 Reinforcement of braille writing
 Ease of editing
 Builds fluency
 Encourages peer and
 teacher interactions
Possible Lessons
 Writing commands
 Basic editing
 Basic reading
commands
 Cursor navigation
 Basic spellchecker
features
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Activities
 Braille student’s own writing and have him/her read it
back.
 Question / answer writing
 Utilize materials with print and braille
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Word Study Ideas
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Word Wall Book
• Trick words
• Classmates
• Dolch words
• Braille/lp
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Wilson Trick
Words Ring
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Then add a little braille…
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What if a child looks at the braille?
Snack Tray
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Assessment Timeline
Running
Records
• Every 6-8
weeks
• Accuracy
• Oral
reading
fluency
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Sight
Words
• 3 times a
year
• Reading
and
writing
Braille
Contractions
General Ed
Reading
Assessments
• 3-4 times a • 3 times a
year
year
• Reading
• Determine
and
reading
writing
level
braille code
How do I manage all of this?
Assessment Binder
 Leveled Reading and Running Records
 Sight Words
 Braille Contractions
 Writing Samples
 Reference Materials
 Task Sheets
 Audio or video recordings (2-3 times a year)
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Dolch List
Record reading
and writing
progress through
the year.
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Beck (grade 4)
•Optic Glioma; field loss; 20/400; unstable
•LMA (B-P; P-S)
Grade
Format
Rate
H&T
Spring First
Large Print (36pt)
Braille
53 wpm
29 wpm
53-111 wpm
Winter Second Braille
67 wpm
72-125 wpm
Winter Third
Braille
97 wpm
92-146 wpm
Spring Fourth
Braille
130 wpm
150-200 wpm
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End of First Grade:
Large Print DRA (14)
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End of First Grade:
Braille DRA (16)
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Fall of Fourth Grade
Braille Dibels
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TIME
Motivation
 Goal setting
 Teacher, student, family
 Have the student document progress
 Reward progress
 Facilitate braille reading mentor
 Find real-life uses for braille whenever possible
 Participate in Braille Challenge
 Involve sighted peers (braillebug.org)
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 Keep track of the
number of worksheets
 Chart the contractions
 Rewards
 Braille Scavenger Hunt
 Trip to the restaurant
 Trip to the grocery store
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Working with Families
 Observations
 Home Visits
 Articles
 Mission Possible
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Integrating Print and Braille: A
Recipe for Literacy (NFB)
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Moving beyond resistance
 Developing trust
 Sharing resources
 Demonstrating value
 Meeting the student and
family where they are
 Negotiating compromise
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TIME
Expectations
 Integrate braille in meaningful and purposeful ways
 Bring it into the general education curriculum
 Vocabulary, homework agenda, schedule, notes, teacher
feedback
 Consider short term and long term expectations
 Utilize technology
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What does a child’s workspace look like?
Organization
facilitates
independence.
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A workspace for an older child
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CCTV
Writing Conference
 Workspace
 Training
 Setup
 VGA Connectivity
 BrailleNote
 Computer
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Our role as teacher of the visually impaired is to
teach our students the skills needed to become as
successful and independent as possible. To that
end, braille is a tool that often best serves dual
media learners not in the immediate, but in the
long term journey of academics and life.
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