DVI QUARTERLY
Convention Sneak Peek
Volume 57, Number 2, Winter 2012
Division on Visual Impairments
Council for Exceptional Children
© 2012
Picture: An advertisement for the CEC 2012 Convention and
Expo in Denver, CO at the Colorado Convention Center on April
11-14, which is hosted by the Council for Exceptional Children.
The poster contains the following words: CONNECT,
EXCHANGE, GROW.
Note: For ease of navigation, page numbers have been altered
to correspond to this specific file and whenever possible,
navigation links have been embedded that allow the user to
jump to specific articles.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
DVIQ Committee
Loana Mason, Editor
Cay Holbrook, Stacy Kelly, Susan Osterhaus, Judy StraussSchwartz, and Kim Zebehazy
Submission Deadlines
Autumn Issue: August 15th
Winter Issue: November 15th
Spring Issue: February 15th
Summer Issue: May 15th
Submit articles and ads to
loana.mason@gmail.com
The DVI Quarterly is a publication of the Council for
Exceptional Children’s Division on Visual Impairments (CECDVI). Advertisements included in this issue are not
endorsements of products or services, and individual views of
authors are not necessarily the official position of CEC and/or
DVI.
Find us on Internet
www.cecdvi.org
Find us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Division-on-VisualImpairments/248244976215
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Contents
Volume 57, Number 2
Page
iv Letter from the Editor by Loana Mason
1
President’s Message by Derrick Smith
5
Passing the Gavel by Loana Mason
9
A Sneak Peek at the CEC-DVI 2012 Convention Program
by Derrick Smith
16 Colorado Resources for Students with Visual Impairments,
Their Families, and Service Providers by Tanni Anthony
28 On the Occasion of Louis Braille’s Birthday by Penny
Reeder
33 “Happy Birthday Louis Braille” 5-Day Lesson Plan by Kristie
Smith
46 What Research Can Do for You? Bridging the Research to
Practice Gap in Visual Impairment and Blindness by Adam
Wilton, Kathryn Botsford, & Cathy Smyth
52 The Effects of Fluorescent Light on the Ocular Health of
Persons with Pre-Existing Eye Pathologies by Elaine Kitchel
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59 “Social Skills: Putting the C in Cool!” by Cyral Miller
63 Update from the Field: American Printing House for the
Blind
66 Update from the Field: National Federation of the Blind
CEC-DVI Position Paper for
Membership Review and Comment
See Below
69 Physical Education for Students with Visual Impairments
by Louis Tutt, Lauren Lieberman, & Bob Brasher
74 Eye-Q Challenge: Ocular Diagnoses Scramble (Part 1 of 3)
by Loana Mason
78 Membership Information & Incentives
85 Thirst for More Knowledge: Suggested Readings from JVIB
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Letter from the Editor
Loana Mason
Welcome to the new version of our beloved newsletter,
the DVI Quarterly. After almost a decade of careful
consideration, we have finally gone digital! Initially,
conversations about this possibility focused on costeffectiveness. However, the board decided that finances were
not sufficient justification to warrant such a drastic change,
and thus, we tabled this discussion. Luckily, DVI had an
amazing editor, Sheila Amato, who worked tirelessly to secure
the revenue needed to sustain a high caliber publication. (In
fact, the DVIQ is of such exceptional quality that people often
mistake it for a practitioner journal instead of a newsletter).
When Sheila decided to retire as editor, discussions
resumed about the future direction of the DVIQ. It was
amazing how much things had changed over a decade—what
once was a novel concept had now become prevailing practice.
While Sheila and her husband, Tony, had taken us into the
digital era by publishing both a hard copy and an electronic
copy of the DVIQ, we came to the realization that maintaining
a multimedia publication was no longer practical for a variety
of reasons. While finances definitely played a role, the shift in
how society prefers to access information prompted the
decision to suspend the hard copy publication. While we too
are saddened to see a physical icon disappear, we quickly
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DVIQ Winter 2012
came to realize that embracing the digital paradigm would
open doors to possibilities we had only imagined.
The task of going digital required more than simply
putting the pre-existing DVIQ into an electronic format.
Instead, it required thinking about the type of information our
members need and how they can access it on the go. Thus,
we decided to partner with Uberflip so that our publication
could be accessed from a variety of devices, including
computers, Smartphones, and tablets while still maintaining
the look and feel of a newsletter. Knowing that the page size
of the digital DVIQ adjusts to fit the screen size of the device
on which it is viewed, we decided to increase the font size of
the text so that users do not have to do as much zooming in
order to view it from a mobile device with a small screen. For
those who prefer to read hard copy text, the option to print
the DVIQ exists. Finally, for our members with visual
impairments, we are also providing a text only version and a
BRF file. Thus, we hope we have provided a variety of formats
to suit all reading preferences. This new format has also
allowed us to use full color and to include active hyperlinks so
that you can go directly to places of interest. Click on any web
or e-mail address in this publication, including advertisements,
to go directly to the website or to e-mail an individual. Any
graphics with an embedded hyperlink are indicated by a blue
arrow. No longer will we be restricted by page counts. We can
now let content dictate the size of our publication!
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DVIQ Winter 2012
On behalf of the DVI Executive Board and the DVIQ
Committee, I am proud to present you with the first edition of
the digital DVI Quarterly. As a new iteration of an old classic,
we welcome your feedback and your contributions. In order to
receive timely notification of the release of each issue, please
make sure that CEC Headquarters has your e-mail address.
The availability of new issues will be announced on our website
and Facebook page as well. We will also be building a digital
library on the DVI website (www.cecdvi.org) so that you can
access current and past issues from almost anywhere!
Thank you for your patience during this transition to a
new editor and a new format. We are truly excited about this
change and hope that the wait has been worth it. Please share
our premiere issue of the digital DVIQ with all your colleagues.
We are already hard at work on the Spring Issue and will have
it to before the end of spring.
Happy Reading!
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DVIQ Winter 2012
New from AFB Press!
DVI Members Receive a 10% Discount!
Use code 12CECDVI
Learning to Listen/Listening to Learn: Teaching Listening Skills
to Students with Visual Impairments—Lizbeth Barclay, Ed. (560
pgs., $59.95) This is the first comprehensive book to address
the systematic development of listening skills in students who
are blind and visually impaired and may have multiple
disabilities. This book includes: Concrete methods for
developing specific listening skills at different ages; Practical
strategies that can be used immediately; Charts that outline
skills to target for instruction; A helpful assessment checklist
Everyday Activities to Promote Visual Efficiency: A Handbook
for Working with Young Children with Visual Impairments by
Ellen Trief and Rona Shaw (288 pgs., $49.95) This important
new resource offers guiding principles for early intervention
with very young children who are visually impaired and may
also have additional disabilities. It includes simple activities
that can easily be incorporated into the everyday routines of a
child.
Reach Out and Teach: Helping Your Child Who is Visually
Impaired Learn and Grow by Kay Alicyn Ferrell, Susan J.
Spungin, Consulting Editor (445 pgs., $49.95) The empowering
guide that taught parents and teachers how to promote the
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DVIQ Winter 2012
development of young children with visual and multiple
impairments is now available in an exciting new edition that
reflects the concerns of today’s families and professionals and
the latest research findings on learning in infancy and early
childhood.
The Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness: Special Issue on
Orientation and Mobility The October-November 2011 JVIB
Special Issue features 160 pages of groundbreaking research
and practical information on O&M. It includes a special practice
report on incorporating music into orientation and mobility for
preschoolers with visual impairments.
The JVIB Special Issue on O&M can be accessed through
one-year, online subscription for $35 by subscribing at
www.afb.org/jvibspecial.asp. A limited number of print issues
are available for purchase for $25 through the AFB store.
AFB Press
American Foundation for the Blind
ORDER TODAY!
1-800-232-3044 or www.afb.org/store
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DVIQ Winter 2012
President’s Message
Derrick Smith
Resolutions. Every year as we start anew, it is often a time
to reflect upon the past year and look forward to a new
beginning. For many, it is a time to resolve to do things
differently the next year. Personal goals of losing weight,
relaxing more, spending more time with family, and reading
more are often found on the list of many. However, an
organization can also make resolutions since it is composed of
humans. Therefore, as we begin 2012, DVI is resolving to
make positive changes for the future of the organization!
My name is Derrick Smith and as of January 1, I am the
president of the best division in CEC, the DIVISION ON VISUAL
IMPAIRMENTS. While small in stature, we are a strong,
energetic, and well-respected division that focuses on being
the VOICE OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT within the field of special
education. For the past 54 years, we have been that strong
voice on behalf of students, their families, and the
professionals who serve them, and we plan to continue to
represent our field well!
Before discussing DVI’s resolutions, it is important that I
mention the change that is occurring within the leadership. I
would first like to thank those board members who are moving
off the board. These individuals have sacrificed time, energy,
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expertise, and money to serve DVI. These are some of the
finest people I know and am honored to have worked with
them for the past two years. Those moving off the board are:
Phyllis Simmons (past-president), Diane Pevsner (secretary),
Barbara Johnson (director), Edna Johnson (director), Stacy
Kelly (director), and Susan Osterhaus (director). I would
especially like to thank Phyllis for her service. She led DVI
through a very difficult time with professionalism, kindness,
and vigor.
While we hope to see all of these past board members at
future events, I am also excited to see new faces on the board
this year. We held elections in October and the body elected a
wonderful group of leaders. The new DVI officers are Dr.
Diane Pevsner, president-elect, and Dr. Tessa Wright,
secretary. We also added five new directors to the board: Dr.
Tanni Anthony, Tara McCarthy, Dr. Martin Monson, Dr. Sinikka
Smothers, and Adam Wilton. I look forward to working with
this new board as we move forward in 2012!
I would also be remiss to not take the opportunity to
thank Dr. Sheila Amato for her 10+ years of blood, sweat, and
tears (literally) as the DVI Quarterly editor. Sheila’s incredible
work ethic, professionalism, and passion showed in every issue
of our publication. Not only did she find incredible authors to
write practical articles for the field, she also started a series of
special issues that met the specific needs of the field at the
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time. In addition, she helped DVI immensely by securing
advertising revenue, which at its highest point made the DVI
Quarterly self-supporting. I would also like to thank Sheila’s
husband, Tony, for helping DVI by converting the publication
into PDF format so that it could be posted online.
Now, back to DVI’s resolutions! Over the past two years
the former president, Loana Mason, has been leading efforts to
establish a logistical foundation for the changes that will occur
this year. I will never take credit for the things that are about
to happen within DVI as Loana set the stage for these major
changes. My job is to lead the efforts as we implement the
changes. The three most exciting changes to occur this year
are the DVI Quarterly moving completely online, the change in
the editorship, and the updated DVI website.
Beginning January 1, 2012, we will start a new era for the
DVI Quarterly. Loana Mason will begin her tenure as the editor
with the enormous task of not only continuing the legacy of
the past editors, but she will also have to lead the efforts to
move the publication completely online. Loana has been
working tirelessly on finding the best digital format for the DVI
Quarterly that is both accessible and aesthetically appealing.
We all look forward to seeing the new format!
As part of this change, the DVI website will also be
changing. With the help of graphic design students at the
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University of Alabama in Huntsville, the DVI website has been
redesigned with the future in mind. The new website will be
more professional looking while providing many new features
including a member’s blog, new resources, and a “membersonly” area. The password-protected “members-only” area will
be an extra benefit for members, and we plan to add a great
deal of value to this area of the website. Within this area we
plan to provide access to the DVI Quarterly as well as other
professional resources. The new website will go “live” during
the CEC Annual Convention and Expo in April.
Along with these changes, we will plan to renew our
efforts to grow the organization, mentor younger
professionals, recruit and mentor new leadership, and create
new benefits for DVI members. My personal goal is to add
“value” to your membership in DVI!
As I end my first president’s message, I want to thank you
all for being the most amazing professionals. I am humbled
and honored to serve the best professionals in special
education and rehabilitation. I look forward to meeting you all,
and please feel free to contact me if you ever need anything.
Welcome to the NEW YEAR! Put your seatbelts on, it is going
to be a wild ride!
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Passing the Gavel
Loana Mason
Just like a plant that gets its strength from its roots, I
have become a better person because of my affiliation with the
greatest and most dedicated professionals in the world! It has
been a tremendous honor to serve as president of the Division
on Visual Impairments, an experience that has forever
changed me. Although it was very difficult to provide
leadership during these times of economic hardship, I
discovered a great deal about myself and our wonderful field.
Like the hardy cactus, I am truly amazed at our ability to
survive and even thrive during draughts. Our students with
visual impairments are lucky to have such creative and
resourceful teachers who are adept at securing and stretching
resources.
As a grassroots organization, our roots run deep because
of our shared belief in quality education for children and youth
with visual impairments, including those with additional
disabilities. In spite of our impassioned advocacy, it seems that
our grass seed never spreads far enough or fast enough. Over
the past two years, your board has worked tirelessly to expand
our cause by planting our seeds in a variety of different soils
instead of merely tending our own plot as we have always
done before. The biggest way we have done this is through
our partnership with the American Foundation for the Blind
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DVIQ Winter 2012
(AFB). We encourage you to take advantage of the special
CEC-DVI discount on professional development resources
offered by AFB Press, such as the Journal of Visual Impairment
& Blindness. We are also partnering with Uberflip to bring the
DVI Quarterly into the digital age so that busy teachers and
administrators can access the DVIQ on the go from their
Smartphones and tablets. We have also partnered with
students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville to redesign
our website for accessibility and to create a clearinghouse of
resources for our members. Finally, we have laid important
groundwork to look at how we can expand our capacity to
better serve professionals that work with students who are
deafblind. Stay tuned because this may include a proposal to
change our name to more accurately reflect the diverse
populations we serve. These are just a few things we have
done to branch out so that our organization can find new
sources to nourish its roots.
One would think that leading a small division is easy, rest
assured, it is not. In fact, there seems to be an inverse
relationship between organizational size and workload. As the
smallest division of CEC, we have to work twice as hard with
half the resources. Luckily, my predecessors laid a great
foundation on which to build, and without their groundwork,
my job would have been impossible. I would especially like to
thank Phyllis Simmons for teaching me how to be graceful
under fire (a skill I still have not mastered) and Ellyn Ross for
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DVIQ Winter 2012
helping me find my voice. I am also grateful to David Ross and
Mary Jean Sanspree for having faith in my leadership abilities
and to Sheila Amato for nudging me to think outside the box.
Most importantly, I want to extend my appreciation to the
board for keeping your minds open to new possibilities while
helping us stay true to our mission.
Although two years can sometimes seem like an eternity, I
am sad to see my presidency end, especially since I was just
starting to get everything figured out. Nevertheless, I know
that DVI will be in good hands under the leadership of Derrick
Smith as he carries on the initiatives started by his
predecessors and adds some new ones of his own. I am
excited to see the great things that will be forthcoming, and I
look forward to exploring the myriad of ways in which I can
continue to serve DVI for many, many years to come. (Luckily,
it will be behind the scenes where I am most comfortable).
For those of you (like myself) who tend to shy away from
the spotlight, I strongly encourage you to consider stepping
into a leadership position because you can make a difference
that extends far beyond your caseload—a difference that will
make life better for the professionals and children of the
present but also for future generations.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
It is like the seed put in the soil–
the more one sows, the greater the harvest.
Orison Swett Marde
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A Sneak Peek at the CEC-DVI
2012 Convention Program
Derrick Smith
As the chair of the DVI Program Advisory Committee, I
would like to begin by thanking my committee who reviewed
DVI proposals during the summer months. Without their
expertise and valuable contributions, the program would not
have been as strong. The committee (reviewers) consisted of:
 Janie Blome
 Susan Brennan
 Francis Mary D’Andrea
 Stacy Kelly
 Meredith McArdle
 Amy Parker
 Carey Phillips
 Tiffany Wild
 Kim Zebehazy
DVI had 21 submissions and we were able to accept 20
through negotiations with CEC. The DVI Showcase will be a
presentation by Dr. Deborah Hatton entitled “Evidence-Based
Practices for Students with Visual Impairments: Four Potential
Instructional Strategies”. I am very excited about this program
and hope that it will provide great information on multiple
areas within our field.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
DVI Executive Board Meeting
Hyatt Regency, Mineral Hall C
12:00-4:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Accessing Algebra Via MathSpeak:
A Case Study
Lecture by Emily Bouck
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Improving Reading in Students With
Visual Impairments With Repeated Reading Poster by
Mackenzie Savaiano
8:00-8:45 a.m.
Effectiveness of the Wilson Reading System
for Individuals Who Are Visually Impaired
Lecture by Cheryl Hannan
9:15-10:15 a.m.
Elementary Students’ With Visual
Impairments Conceptual Understanding of Sound
Poster by Tiffany Wild
9:15-10:00 a.m.
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Developing Sensory Efficiency in Students
Who Are Visually Impaired Through Multisensory
Science Activities
Lecture by Sinikka Smothers
10:30-11:30 a.m.
DVI SHOWCASE
Evidence-Based Practices
for Students With Visual Impairments:
Four Potential Instructional Strategies
Lecture by Deborah Hatton
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Description as an
Assessment Accommodation
Lecture by Kay Ferrell
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Using Graduated Guidance
and Verbal Rehearsal in the Roadside Instruction of
Street Crossings
Lecture by Tessa Wright
2:15-3:15 p.m.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Assessment of Concepts
for Young Children
With Visual Impairments
Lecture by Kay Ferrell
3:45-4:45 p.m.
What Do You Say When...?:
Responses to Questions About
Education and Visual Impairments
Lecture by M. Cay Holbrook
5:00-6:00 p.m.
DVI General Business Meeting
Hyatt Regency, Centennial H
6:15-8:15 p.m.
DVI Social
Hyatt Regency, Mineral Hall D
8:15-10:15 p.m.
Friday, April 13, 2012
DVI Executive Board Meeting #2
Hyatt Regency, Capitol 1
9:00-11:00 a.m.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Audio Description:
An Aid to Literacy
Demo by Joel Snyder
9:15-10:15 a.m.
New Developments
in Appropriate Lighting
for Individuals With Low Vision
Lecture by Kerry Isham
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Using the Picture Exchange
Communication System (PECS)
to Teach Requesting
With Tangible Symbols
Poster by Sarah Ivy
10:30-11:15 a.m.
Teaching Literacy to Students
With Significant Disabilities
and Visual Impairment
Lecture by Christine Moe
1:00-2:00 p.m.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
All for Literacy:
Literacy for All
Lecture by Tanni Anthony
2:15-3:15 p.m.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
A National Video Library of Clips for Teacher Training
Programs in Visual Impairment
Lecture by Ellen Trief
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Preparing Teachers to Work With
Cultural and Linguistically Diverse
Students With Visual Impairments
Poster by Paula Conroy
8:00-8:45 a.m.
Graphic Use by Students With Visual Impairments
Lecture by Kim Zebehazy
9:15-10:15 a.m.
Characteristics of Students
Who Are Deaf-Blind:
Meeting the Educational Challenge
Lecture by Sandy Bowen
10:30-11:30 a.m.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
State Braille Competency Testing of TVIs:
Lessons Learned
Lecture by Tanni Anthony
1:00-2:00 p.m.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Colorado Resources for Students with Visual
Impairments, Their Families, and Service Providers
Tanni L. Anthony, Ph.D.
Colorado is a state rich in resources for children and youth
who are blind and visually impaired. While there are always
dreams and plans to expand and improve our services and
supports to students, their families, and their service providers,
we have much to celebrate and share.
The state has close to 95 teachers of students with visual
impairments (TVIs)/certified orientation and mobility specialists
(COMS) working in Colorado’s 58 administrative units
(comprised of 178 school districts) and the Anchor Center for
Blind Children. Fifty-eight individuals working in Colorado schools
and with rehabilitation services have ACVREP O&M Certification
and 15 are ACVREP certified low vision therapists.
A good cross section of Colorado state resources will be
highlighted by program. The narrative detailing program
highlights is not exhaustive, but provides a good sampling of
unique and collaborative services. This narrative does not
address all state resources.
Anchor Center for Blind Children: Alice Applebaum is the
director of this not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing
early intervention/education to blind and visually impaired
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DVIQ Winter 2012
children throughout the state of Colorado. The mission of
Anchor Center for Blind Children is to teach visually impaired
infants, young children and their families, providing hope and a
nurturing environment where children reach their highest
potential. Anchor Center for Blind Children was founded in 1982
by a librarian from the Colorado Library for the Blind, who saw a
need for services for blind and visually impaired children, and the
local Delta Gamma Alumni chapter. The first group of children
included four preschool students and six home bound infants.
Today Anchor Center serves more than 400 children each year.
Anchor Center for Blind Children is in its fifth year in a new
magnificent building. The building itself is a teaching tool as it
was designed specifically for young children with visual
impairment. Anchor Center will be a featured tour site at the
April CEC Conference in Denver and is not to be missed!
 Website for Anchor Center for Blind Children
http://www.anchorcenter.org/who-we-are.aspx
Colorado Center for the Blind: Julie Deden is the
Executive Director of the Colorado Center for the Blind, which is
a training center located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in
Littleton, Colorado, about 13 miles south of Denver. Sponsored
by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the Colorado
Center’s training techniques and teaching methods are based on
the positive philosophy of the NFB which states that, "with
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DVIQ Winter 2012
proper training and opportunity, blind people can compete on
terms of equality with their sighted peers."
The Colorado Center for the Blind has an active Youth
Program under the direction of Brent Batron. The program
provides an abundance of training and social networking
programs for children and youth who are blind/visually impaired.
Summer Youth Programs include: (a) Confidence Camp for Kids
Elementary School Program; (b) Initiation to Independence
Middle School Program; (c) Earn and Learn High School Program;
and (d) Summer for Success College Program. Additional youth
offerings also include science activities (shark dissection!), time
with adult role models, and an annual Drive Master Program.
 Website for Colorado Center for the Blind
http://www.cocenter.org/
Colorado Chapter of AER (CAER): Colorado has a very
active chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation
of the Blind/Visually Impaired (AER). Mike Plansker, a TVI and
COMS with a metro-area school district, is the current president.
CAER offers mini grants to help defray the costs of conference
attendance and professional development projects, assists with
the annual O&M Conference, and co-sponsors the annual
Snowshoe Weekend with CSDB. Fund raising activities just
included a White Cane Day tee-shirt design competition with the
winning design offered for sale. CAER also offers training
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DVIQ Winter 2012
opportunities to Colorado teachers with the most recent training
focusing on technology. CAER hosts an annual awards banquet
to honor individuals for their leadership, commitment, and
exemplary practice in the field.
 Website for CAER
http://co.aerbvi.org/
Colorado Department of Education (CDE): For over 40
years, the CDE has held a position for a State Consultant on
Blindness/Low Vision. Dr. Tanni Anthony has been in this position
for the past 15-plus years. In this role, she plans an annual
budget specific to activities for students, families, and service
providers. Within the budget are the following activities:
(a) annual state conference on blindness/visual impairment; (b)
regional low vision evaluation clinics; (c) braille competency
testing and mentor activities; (d) review of braille-format state
assessments; (e) Vision Coalition (statewide advisory
committee); (f) annual Orientation and Mobility 2.5 day training;
(g) statewide technology consultation; and (h) statewide
mentoring support to TVIs and COMS. All training activities are
offered for UNC semester credit, CDE clock hours, and ACVREP
clock hours.
The annual state conference on blindness/visual impairment
provides a comprehensive training opportunity to the Colorado
teachers of students with visual impairments. The training is
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DVIQ Winter 2012
designed to focus on one or two topics in depth. Recent topics
have included: autism spectrum disorders and visual impairment,
mathematics and science instruction, and functional vision/
learning media assessment. During the 2008-09 school year,
Colorado TVIs participated in a three-semester course on reading
instruction provided by Dr. Cay Holbrook.
An annual O&M training is designed only for certified
orientation and mobility specialists. It is provided in collaboration
with the CO AER Chapter and always has a dual focus on lecture
and hands-on practice. The most recent trainings have focused
on O&M for wheelchair users, street crossings without traffic
signals, early intervention O&M, and the use of GPS.
A bi-monthly newsletter is prepared and disseminated to
Colorado families of children with blindness/visual impairment,
TVIs, COMS, braillists, and paraeducators. The newsletter,
What’s Happening Out There, is posted on CDE’s website on
Blindness/Low Vision. The CDE also offers a listserv for braillists
and one for CO TVIs/COMS.
Dr. Anthony further represents students with sensory
disabilities on statewide educational initiative committees (RTI,
Literacy, State Assessments, Teacher Effectiveness, etc.). One of
her current roles is to oversee a statewide process of updating
disability category definitions, including the eligibility criteria for
visual impairment, including blindness and deaf-blindness.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
 Website for CDE information on Blindness/LowVision:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/BLV.asp
 Website for CDE information on Orientation and Mobility:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/RS-OM.asp
Colorado Instructional Materials Center: Jim Olson is
the Coordinator of the Colorado Instructional Materials Center
(CIMC), which provides braille and large print textbooks as well
as instructional aids to students who are blind or visually
impaired and are enrolled in Colorado's pre-K-12 schools. The
CIMC maintains an annual registration of Colorado students with
visual impairments (1170) and registers those students who are
legally blind with the American Printing House for the Blind
(APH). Colorado registered 830 students during the January 2010
Federal Quota census and 654 on the January 2011 census.
The CIMC is able to purchase books through funds provided
by the Colorado Department of Education Exceptional Student
Services Unit, Colorado administrative units, and the APH Federal
Quota Registry. The most expensive transcription of a print book
into braille format purchased by the CIMC for a Colorado student
for the 2011-12 school year has been $21,782.00. During the
first semester of the 2011-12 school year, the CIMC has
processed orders for 530 braille and large print titles. Second
semester book orders were just beginning to be submitted at the
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DVIQ Winter 2012
time this article was written. To date, the CIMC processed 677
book orders during the 2010-2011 school year.
 Website for the CIMC:
http://www.csdb.org/Default.aspx?DN=baab178f-d0d8493c-b9da-3eb5b3280027
Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind: The
Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB) is a statefunded school under the umbrella of the Colorado Department of
Education. The school was established for the purpose of
providing comprehensive educational services for children, birth
to age 21, who are blind/low vision and/or deaf/hard of hearing.
Services are provided directly to students enrolled at the CSDB,
and outreach programs serve students, staff, and families in
communities throughout Colorado.
The director of CSDB Outreach is Dr. Laura Douglas. CSDB
Outreach activities specific to blindness/visual impairment
include: (a) the Colorado Instructional Material Center; (b)
coordination of the regional Low Vision Evaluation Clinics; (c)
fee-for-service student assessments in Colorado school districts;
(d) co-sponsorship of the annual Snowshoe Weekend; (e)
hosting the Braille Challenge; (f) an annual family learning
seminar; (g) short courses on compensatory skills, independent
living skills, and O&M skills on the campus; (h) adult role models;
(i) a Technology Loan Bank for the Blind/Visually Impaired; (j) an
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DVIQ Winter 2012
annual Education Beyond High School Fair; (k) community braille
classes; and (l) braille transcriptionists training; (m) home
intervention services for children birth to three years; (n)
monthly “Families Together” events for parents of children birth
to five years; (o) informational videos and articles on the CSDB
website.
CSDB also offers an Employability Center with programs on:
(a) Career Awareness; (b) Vocational Program; (c) On-the-JobTraining, and (d) Bridges to Life.
 Website for CSDB School for the Blind:
http://www.csdb.org/Default.aspx?DN=4fe585eb-58404d22-96e4-0d71b2328349
 Website for CSDB Outreach:
http://www.csdb.org/Default.aspx?DN=a52f4a55-de214d69-a779-675e11a0161b
 Website for CSDB Employability Center
http://www.csdb.org/Default.aspx?DN=ef9f8937-bb65-4c5c84e0-51d7b2528bd6
Colorado Services for Children and Youth with
Combined Vision and Hearing Loss Project: The “deafblind
grant” has been with the Colorado Department of Education for
over 30 years. Dr. Tanni Anthony is the Project Director and Gina
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Quintana is the Program Coordinator. The project provides
technical assistance to Colorado children and youth, birth to 21
years, who have both a vision and hearing impairment. The
technical assistance is available, at no cost, to parents, families
and professionals. In addition to ongoing inservice and site
consultation visits, the project offers: (a) an annual Parent
Training weekend; (b) an annual Summer Institute; (c) lending
library; (d) website with over 200 technical assistance (TA)support documents; and (e) a newsletter.
 Website for the CO Deafblind Grant
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/Deafblind.asp
Colorado Talking Book Library: A free service to
Coloradans of all ages who are unable to read standard print
material due to visual, physical or learning disabilities whether
permanent or temporary. CTBL provides audio, Braille and
large-print books and magazines.
 Website for Colorado Talking Book Library
http://www.cde.state.co.us/ctbl/
Commission for the Blind/Visually Impaired
(CCIBVI): Jean McAllister is the administrator of the
Commission, which was created pursuant to House Bill 07-1274
to make recommendations concerning the provision of services
to aid individuals who are blind or visually impaired in Colorado.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
It is comprised of 15 members appointed by the Governor. Its
statutory duties include serving as an information resource for
the people of Colorado and making recommendations concerning
the provision of vocational rehabilitation services, independent
living services, pre-vocational services, and business enterprise
programs. The Commission also serves as a liaison between the
blind and visually impaired community and the General
Assembly, the Governor, and Colorado State agencies.
 Website for CCIBVI
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDHSEmp/CBON/1251586557398
National Center on Severe and Sensory
Disabilities: Housed on the campus of UNC, the NCSSD is a
resource center of information, training, and technical assistance
for families and educators of school children who are deaf/hard
of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or who have severe
disabilities. The Director is Dr. Kay Ferrell. The center has
developed training materials and web products for technical
assistance. It has also sponsored six Research in the Rockies
events. Currently the center is involved in a tri-state study on
Description-Enhanced Assessments for Students with Visual and
Print Disabilities. Colorado TVIs were trained on Auditory
Description in the Fall CDE 2011 State Conference on Visual
Impairment and many have students participating in the study.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
 Website on the National Center on Severe and Sensory
Disabilities
http://www.unco.edu/ncssd/
Visual Impairment Program at the University of
Northern Colorado: The University of Northern Colorado offers
a Master’s Degree program in the area of Visual Impairment and
an endorsement in Orientation and Mobility. The fully-online
master’s program prepares teachers to work with students, age
birth to 21 who are blind/visually impaired, with a special
emphasis on the needs of early childhood and elementary-aged
students. Dr. Paula Conroy is the Program Coordinator. The
program provides an essential role in Colorado’s need for TVIs
and COMS. Currently Colorado is one of a handful of states
without a personnel shortage in the field of educating learners
who are blind/visually impaired.
 Website for UNC’s Visual Impairment Program
http://www.unco.edu/cebs/sped/prospective/Vision/index.ht
ml
In addition to the above resources, there are university
scholarships and technology scholarships through the See the
Future Fund and Tools for Life Fund. An annual Technology
Symposium is offered each May that has a specific focus on
students with visual impairment.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
If there any questions about these resources within the
state, please be in touch with Tanni Anthony at
anthony_t@cde.state.co.us or (303) 866-6681.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
On the Occasion of Louis Braille’s Birthday
Penny Reeder
anuary 4, 2011,
Dear Louis Braille,
I’m writing to send you a birthday greeting. Tomorrow is
your two-hundred-and-second birthday, which means that
braille, the code you invented that allows people who are blind
to read and write and communicate, must be about 187 years
old, since you were only 15 when you invented the code! Dear
Louis, that just blows me away!
When I was 15, I was busy pretending that I could see
just fine. My nose was quite literally buried deep inside every
book I read; I was spending three or four more hours getting
my tenth-grade homework done than my fully-sighted
classmates, and I was in a “math basics” class (for dummies)
because the guidance counselor at the high school I was
attending said none of the math teachers could figure out how
to teach geometry to “someone like me!” I would have been so
much better off, dear Louis, had I known the braille code or
about your life’s work of making braille the accepted literacy
code for people who are blind worldwide and going forward in
time.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Dear Louis, I was misguided for so much of my youth
about blindness and about braille. First, I thought that if I
could see, even a little bit, I wasn’t “really blind.” Most of my
teachers and all of the Caroline County, MD, public school
administrators thought the same thing.
That’s why they insisted that I use print, and that’s why
they couldn’t figure out how to teach me geometry or physics,
and that’s why I spent so much time on homework.
And that’s why I gave up on piano lessons, which I loved,
when I couldn’t read the music in the Grade Three John
Thompson music book, and also why, two years later, I went
off to college without any useable blindness skills at all!
In college, Louis, I went crazy trying to keep up with the
reading load. Then I discovered that I could hire people to
read aloud to me. And when I signed up for books from
Recording for the Blind (now Recording for the Blind and
Dyslexic)* things got better. Even so, I had to change my
intended major from Spanish and stopped at Spanish III
because I couldn’t read the print in the advanced Spanish
textbooks. Imagine how much happier I might have been with
my classes and my choices about majors if I had known
Braille! It’s a sad state of affairs that this misguidance is still
occurring in today’s mainstream schools with children who
have extremely low vision or are blind. Sometimes parents are
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DVIQ Winter 2012
told that because of “modern digital communications” like
audio books, braille isn’t really necessary. But in my opinion,
braille is essential for literacy gains.
Dear Louis, it took me several decades to see the
proverbial light, but thank God I found out that braille is just
about the most useful skill a person who is blind even a
person with very low vision can learn! Thank God I took the
braille reading and writing courses from the (free) Hadley
School for the Blind, and from a teacher in my state’s Division
of Rehabilitation Services! Thank goodness there were braille
magazines to help to practice my braille skills, like “Our Special
Magazine,” from National Braille Press, and the Matilda Ziegler
Magazine (now sadly discontinued in hard-copy braille).
Oh, dear Louis, the stories I could tell about learning to
use a Braille ’n Speak and then taking notes in graduate school
faster than any of my sighted classmates; about borrowing
print-braille books from National Library Services and joining
National Braille Press’s “Braille Book Club,” so that I could read
picture books to my then four-year-old son while I was
learning to read the braille code myself. Louis, my young
sighted son didn’t care how slowly I read, he only cared that I
was reading him a story, and later on, when he was struggling
to learn to read print, we read together, I reading one braille
page, and he reading the next print page until we had both
mastered the skills of literacy! He was my last of six children,
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DVIQ Winter 2012
and the only one to whom I was ever able to read aloud!
Dear Louis, I have so many reasons to thank you. Without
your code, I couldn’t do my job. Without your code, I would be
unable to keep personal records, to copy recipes, to find
addresses and phone numbers for friends and colleagues.
Without your code, I couldn’t label my microwave or my oven
controls. Imagine having to ask a family member for help
every time I wanted to cook them a meal! I don’t think I could
have succeeded in graduate school because I could never have
given an acceptable oral presentation, or read my class notes
even an hour after I had written them, or kept track of my
research, especially the bibliographic information! If I didn’t
know braille, I would have missed out on the hundreds of
books I have downloaded and read from Bookshare and the
National Library Service’s Web Braille project. And without your
code, dear Louis, I would never have developed the selfconfidence I enjoy (most of the time) today, or have embraced
my disability the way I have come to now.
Dear Louis, thank you from the bottom of my heart! And,
happy birthday!
Sincerely,
Penny Reeder
penny.reeder@gmail.com
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DVIQ Winter 2012
* Since the time this article was originally published on the
World Wide Web, Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic changed
its name to Learning Ally.
Originally published at www.abledbody.com
(http://abledbody.com/profoundlyyours/2011/01/04/abirthday-ode-to-louis-braille/)
Reprinted with permission of the author
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DVIQ Winter 2012
“Happy Birthday
Louis Braille”
Five-Day Lesson Plan
Kristie Smith, M.Ed.
Louis Braille
Inventor, Composer, Teacher, and Musician
January 4, 1809-January 6, 1852
Introduction
The following five-day lesson plan has been designed
primarily for sighted students and their teachers to learn about
the man behind braille—Louis Braille—and the code he
invented. Since Braille’s birthday is on January 4th, the
following activities and ideas can be taught during the first
week of January or spread throughout the entire month.
Several ideas have been provided for each of the days so that
teachers can pick activities that are best suited to their
individual students’ abilities, interests, and schedules.
After completing these lessons, children will understand
the braille code, know who invented braille, and realize that
people with disabilities have always been and will always be
capable of doing amazing things.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Objectives
 Children will know who the inventor of braille was and be
able to list facts about his amazing life.
 Students will visually read the braille alphabet.
 After learning the braille alphabet, children will create
messages for each other by writing representational braille
through pencil drawings of the dots.
 The class will learn facts about Paris, France—the place
where Louis Braille went to school
 Children will make a birthday cake and celebrate Louis
Braille’s birthday.
 While wearing a blindfold or closing their eyes, students will
attempt to write their name in order to better appreciate the
importance of braille.
 Louis Braille was a musician and loved music. Children will
learn to appreciate different types of classical music by
listening to different composers.
 Students will write their version of the fascinating life of
Louis Braille.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
 Children will use daily living skills to create Louis Braille’s
favorite dish—crab cakes (a link to the recipe is included in
the lesson)
Materials
MONDAY
 A copy of “The Man Behind the Code—Louis Braille”
 Any book in braille
TUESDAY
 A copy of the “Braille Code” for every student (see page
45 of the regular print DVI Quarterly)
 A copy of the lyrics to The Braille Rap Song (link also
included in the lesson)
 A copy of the book, Dottie and Dots See Animal Spots by
Kristie Smith (available through Amazon and Barnes and
Nobel)
 Sharpened pencil and notebook paper
 Computer with Internet access
WEDNESDAY
 Cake mix, icing and candles
 Braille writer or slate & stylus
THURSDAY
 Computer with Internet access for research
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DVIQ Winter 2012
 Classical music CD’s
 Crayons and Manila paper
 Old magazines and newspapers
FRIDAY
 Picture of the Eiffel Tower
 Straws and tape
 Crescent rolls and jelly
 Instructions on how to play soccer according to French
rules
 A play from Charles Perault and accompanying movie
 Ingredients to prepare Paula Deen’s crab cakes (Braille’s
favorite dish) from the Food Network’s website:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/crabcakes-recipe/index.html
 A shoebox and decorative items to make a chocolate
factory
Monday’s Activities
Show the class any book written in braille and then read
aloud “The Man Behind the Code—Louis Braille,” while the
students copy down interesting facts. After taking notes about
the life of Louis Braille, have the children create a colorful
collage with a paragraph summarizing the facts learned.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Tuesday’s Activities
Hand every student a copy of the “Braille Code” and
demonstrate on the dry erase board what a braille cell looks
like and how the dots are aligned.
Teach children a silly song through mnemonics that will
help students retain the dot configurations of the letters of the
alphabet (e.g., The Braille Rap Song, which can be found at
http://www.aph.org/edresearch/braille_rap/index.html)
Have the students study “The Braille Code”, and ask them
to see if they can figure out how Louis Braille created the
letters k through z, excluding w since this letter is not part of
the French alphabet. (Answer: row 2 is the same as row 1 with
the addition of a dot 3, and row 3 is the same as row 1 with
the addition of dots 3 and 6.)
Instruct the children to take out one sheet of paper and a
very sharp pencil. Tell them to poke small holes in the paper,
flip the paper over, close their eyes, and feel the raised bumps.
This will give them a sense of how Louis Braille began teaching
himself how to make raised dots. (Interesting fact: to make
these dots, Louis Braille used an awl, which is the same tool
that caused him to become blind.)
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Read the book, Dottie and Dots See Animal Spots by
Kristie Smith. Dottie and Dots See Animal Spots is about two
Braille cell characters named Dottie and Dots who travel to the
zoo and spy large print representational braille throughout
their day while looking at the animals.
Other recommended books: The Secret Code by Dana
Meachen Rau, Louis Braille: The Boy Who Invented Books for
the Blind by Margaret Davidson, Out of Darkness: The Story of
Louis Braille by Russell Freedman, and Louis Braille: A Touch
of Genius by C. Michael Mellor
Direct the students to write their name and the names of
their classmates, friends, or family using representational
braille.
Have students complete additional braille awareness
activities as desired, which can be found on the American
Foundation for the Blind’s website—the Braille Bug
(www.braillebug.com).
Wednesday’s Activities
Have a birthday party celebrating Louis Braille’s birthday
on January 4th. Using any cake mix and frosting have the
students take turns, mixing the ingredients, spreading the
icing, and writing the
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DVIQ Winter 2012
following message by making dots with different colored icing:
Happy Birthday Louis!
Picture Description: The message above is also shown as it
appears when written in braille.
Children can create a birthday card for Louis Braille, and
they may even write their note in braille by either poking holes
in the paper to make tactual braille or drawing large print dots
to make representational braille.
Sing Happy Birthday to Louis Braille while celebrating his
birthday with cake and ice cream.
Have children close their eyes and try to braille their
names on a sheet of paper and then compare it to their
regular writing.
Thursday’s Activities
Inform students that Louis Braille was not only a teacher
and inventor; he was also a brilliant organ player and
musician. Allow students to listen to different types of classical
music while they create braille inspired artwork on Manila
paper with crayons.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
On a sheet of notebook paper, have students brainstorm
their favorite songs of today and compare them to classical
music from years past.
Have the children fill a paper sack with words from a
magazine that describe Louis Braille such as: brilliant,
intelligent, piano, composer, blind, etc.
Friday’s Activities
Make today a celebration of all things Parisian since Louis
Braille lived in Paris, France. Have students spend the day
researching the cultural atmosphere of Paris, including foods,
clothes, art, climate, and geography. Ask the children to print
off pictures and create a folder of favorite items from France.
Show students a picture of the 113-year-old Eiffel Tower
located in Paris, France. Tell them that the Eiffel Tower has
1792 steps, and then have students work with a small group to
create their own Eiffel Tower using straws and tape.
Bake biscuits or crescent rolls with jelly for a virtual visit to
a Parisian cafe.
Teach students how to play soccer as this is the favorite
game of the French.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Using the Internet, have children research other
contributions for which Louis was known.
Many famous writers, such as Charles Perrault (the author
of Cinderella, Puss and Boots, and Sleeping Beauty) came from
France. Read a play from one of the stories mentioned above
and then watch the movie. Have students compare and rate
the differences and similarities between the play and movie.
After making sure that there are no food allergies
(especially to peanuts or shellfish), have the students prepare
one of Louis Braille’s favorite foods, crab cakes, using Paula
Deen’s recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pauladeen/crab-cakes-recipe/index.html
Tell the student that the first chocolate factory was built in
France in 1895. Using a shoebox, construction paper and other
small objects, have the students create their own chocolate
factory.
Summary
In conclusion, Louis Braille demonstrated to all that in
spite of any obstacle, which we all face at one time or another,
we can continue to move forward and look for opportunities
awaiting those with courage and faith.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
The Man Behind the Code-Louis Braille
Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809 with sight near
Paris, France. However, when he was three-years-old, he
accidentally struck himself in the eye with an awl (a pointed
tool used to make holes in leather). When the other eye
became infected, too, Louis became totally blind.
Louis was very smart and did so well in school that he was
allowed to go to a special school for the blind in Paris, France
to continue his education. When the blind students were
taught to read, they learned to feel large copper-wire letters.
As you can see, reading a simple story took a long time.
One day an army captain named Charles Barbier visited
the school and discussed night writing, a 12 dot code used to
communicate during battle so that the enemy did not know
what was written. At age 15, Louis created a simpler six-dot
code based on the 26 letters of the alphabet. By changing the
number and placement of dots, he created letters,
punctuation, numbers and family words. He also wanted to
read the Bible and developed many Biblical signs, such as
putting a dot 5 before the letter l to make the word lord.
While the code was easy for other students who were
blind to use, the sighted instructors were intimidated by a
system that did not resemble print. In fact, they would not
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DVIQ Winter 2012
allow it to be read at the school even after King Louis Philippe
praised the system in 1851. It was not until after Louis Braille’s
death in 1852 that the code was finally allowed to be used in
the school.
Louis Braille was also an accomplished musician,
composer, teacher and inventor, but he is known best as the
man behind the code that shows us that people with
disabilities can do amazing things!
The Braille Code
Picture Description: A handout containing three sections. The
first section is titled “The Braille Cell,” and it depicts the
numerical position of each dot in the braille cell. The second
section is titled “The Braille Code: Alphabet, Numbers, and
Basic Punctuation,” and it displays the braille alphabet on three
lines with the letter w by itself at the end. The letters a-j also
indicate their corresponding number meaning. The last line of
this section shows the Number Sign, Capital Sign, All Capitals
Sign, period, exclamation point, question mark, and comma.
Finally, the last section is titled “Write Your Own Message,”
and it contains five lines of 24 blank cells in which students can
darken dots to make representational braille.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Join our Nationwide Tele-Support Network
As a parent of a child with a visual impairment –
do you ever feel isolated?
Do you have questions about your child’s progress?
Would you like to share your experiences with parents of
children with the same vision problems?
Picture Description: Jennifer Snyder, a tele-support group
parent and her son, read a book together.
The Guild’s National Tele-Support Network hosts weekly
support groups for parents of children with similar visual
impairments. There is no charge to join or to participate.
We offer support groups for parents of children with
Retinopathy of Prematurity, Cortical Visual
Impairment, Achromatopsia, Leber Congenital
Amaurosis, CHARGE Syndrome, Autism Spectrum
Disorders with Visual Impairment, and HermanskyPudlak Syndrome (offered in Spanish and English).
All groups are facilitated by a psychologist or social worker
with frequent live input from ophthalmologists, optometrists,
and other vision and education professionals. Another group is
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DVIQ Winter 2012
designed solely for blind high school seniors planning to attend
college.
TO REGISTER, CALL DAN CALLAHAN at 800-915-0306
The National Tele-Support Network is offered by the
Children’s Health Initiative, a program of the Jewish Guild for
the Blind. All groups are open to any parent of a blind or
visually impaired child. Participation is free. E-mail
CallahanD@jgb.org
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DVIQ Winter 2012
What Research Can Do for You: Bridging the Research
to Practice Gap in Visual Impairment and Blindness
Adam Wilton
Kathryn Botsford
Cathy Smyth
The last issue of the DVI Quarterly focused on fostering
collaborative relationships between home, school, and
community. In order for the research enterprise in visual
impairment and blindness to proceed in a meaningful way, it is
critical that stakeholders (e.g., parents, students, teachers,
O&M specialists, etc.) be engaged at all points of the research
process. The end goal is clear – to create a knowledge base
that is firmly grounded in objective, empirically sound
research.
In this issue, we will focus not on what you can do for the
research enterprise, but instead on what research can do
for you. Researchers and professionals often note that there
is a gap between research and practice – conclusions drawn
from research are not consistently reflected in classroom
practice (Greenwood & Abbott, 2001). In our dual roles as
graduate student researchers and teachers of students with
visual impairments, we offer you a few insights on translating
research findings into pragmatic strategies for the classroom.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Everyone's Responsibility
As we discussed in the last issue, the generation of highquality educational research is the responsibility of all those
involved (e.g., parents, teachers, administrators). This same
notion can be applied to the application of the findings of this
research. Teachers are consistently asked to rethink both the
method and content of their instruction in response to data on
student performance (Gerstein & Brengelman, 1996).
Educational policy emphasizes that these changes to practice
be evidence-based (Odom, Brantlinger, Gersten, Horner,
Thompson, & Harris, 2005). Therefore, as teachers, we need
to be active consumers of the research literature – searching
for empirical work that is relevant to the students we serve.
Many school districts and/or professional organizations for
educators purchase licenses to online journals for teachers'
use. For research in visual impairment and blindness, individual
online subscriptions to peer-reviewed journals are less than
$50. The resources are at our disposal – what is needed are
educators of students with visual impairments that will mine
the extant literature and translate relevant findings into
pragmatic strategies.
Seeing Your Students in the Research
High quality research will clearly outline the demographics
of the research sample. Check to see if the characteristics of
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DVIQ Winter 2012
the sample approximate those of the student(s) that you have
in mind. If the two groups are dissimilar, this does not
necessarily mean that this research should be discounted.
Students with visual impairments are a heterogeneous
population, and so the generalizability of research findings is
essential. It is unlikely that you will "see" your student(s) in
the research at first glance. However, if the outcome
documented in the research is what you desire for your
student(s), it may be worth adapting the strategy or
intervention to the unique learning needs of your student(s).
Evidence-based practices that can be effectively applied across
student, teacher, and environmental variables are key to
forming a consistent knowledge base in education (Gersten,
Baker, & Lloyd, 2000).
Making Recommendations Work for Your Students
In the conclusion or discussion section of most research
articles in our field, researchers will summarize the research
findings and outline implications for practice. The challenge for
educators is to take these implications (i.e., what to teach)
and determine the strategies and materials needed for
meaningful inclusion in the student's educational program (i.e.,
how to teach). Teacher of students with visual impairments
have access to a wealth of adapted materials for their
students, and when the material does not exist, many take this
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DVIQ Winter 2012
as an opportunity to create something new. The following mini
case study illustrates this point.
Mini Case Study
Tom is an itinerant teacher of students with visual
impairments. He is currently serving a braille-reading student
in the second grade named Clara. Clara's classmates are
beginning a unit on time in mathematics, and Tom is
familiarizing Clara with a tactile analog clock. Tom notices that
when counting the hours/minutes, Clara often re-counts time
intervals in the circular array (i.e., counts minutes/hours that
she has already counted). Tom decides that Clara needs
support in counting strategies. A quick Google Scholar search
using the keywords "counting strategies" and "visual
impairment" furnishes a 1988 article by S. P. Sicilian entitled
"Development of Counting Strategies in Congenitally Blind
Children." Sicilian concludes that there are three dimensions of
tactile strategies required for successful counting among blind
students: scanning, organizing, and partitioning the array.
With these strategies in mind, Tom constructs a number
of counting arrays for Clara using craft foam and manipulatives
(e.g., buttons, macaroni, etc). These include circular arrays
similar to the analog clock currently used in the classroom.
Clara counts items in fixed arrays, first tactually scanning the
array to determine where she needs to count. Adapting a
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DVIQ Winter 2012
strategy from the article, Tom shows Clara how to keep one
hand on the starting item when counting in a circular array, so
as to not count the same item twice. Clara can transfer back to
working with the tactile analog clock, now that Tom can be
sure that Clara has the requisite skills.
Conclusion
In addition to assuming active roles in the development of
new research in the field of visual impairment and blindness,
educators should also be active consumers of this research.
There are numerous strategies and interventions in the
research literature just waiting for an ingenious educator to
translate into practice. As more evidence-based strategies find
their way into the educational programs of students with visual
impairments, the so-called research-to-practice gap narrows.
References
Gersten, R. Baker, S., & Lloyd, J. W. (2000). Designing highquality research in special education: Group experimental
design. Journal of Special Education, 34, 2-18. doi:
10.1177/002246690003400101
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Gersten, R., & Brengelman, S. U. (1996). The quest to
translate research into classroom practice. Remedial and
Special Education, 17, 67-74. doi:
10.1177/074193259601700202
Greenwood, C. R., & Abbott, M. (2001). The research to
practice gap in special education. Teacher Education and
Special Education, 24, 276-289. doi:
10.1177/088840640102400403
Odom, S. L., Brantlinger, E., Gersten, R., Horner, R. H.,
Thompson, B., & Harris, K. H. (2005). Research in special
education: Scientific methods and evidence-based
practices. Exceptional Children, 71, 137-148.
Sicilian, S. P. (1988). Development of counting strategies in
congenitally blind children. Journal of Visual Impairment
and Blindness, 82, 331-335.
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The Effects of Fluorescent Light on the Ocular Health of
Persons with Pre-Existing Eye Pathologies
Elaine Kitchel
Fluorescent light is the most common source of lighting
today for industry and commerce. The cool white fluorescent
tube is the light source of choice for most designers of interior
spaces. Fluorescent light is cheap, efficient and long-lasting,
and the tubes are available in a wide array of styles and
choices, from the common cool white fluorescent tube (4100K
and 5000K) to specialty tubes such as plant growth tubes and
actinic tubes for aquarium lighting.
Most schools are lit with cool white fluorescent tubes as
well, owing to the qualities of economy and long life they offer.
However, recent studies in cellular activity of the human retina
indicate cool white tubes or daylight tubes should probably not
be considered as a good lighting option for persons with eye
disease or eye injury.
When the eye is healthy and carrying on the process of
photoreception, each photoreceptor in the retina does one unit
of work for each peak in a wavelength of light which strikes it.
Each unit of work done by a single photoreceptor generates
one unit of cellular waste product, which must be carried away
by the eye’s natural system of waste disposal.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
In the diseased or injured eye, the natural system of
waste disposal is often compromised. Thus, while the retinal
cells are working hard to process light information, they often
produce more waste product than the eye’s disposal system
can handle. Waste products build up in the eye and are
perceived by the brain as “glare.”
Glare is often characterized as “fog, whiteness, blackness,
or an irritating feeling.” There is also “disability glare” which is
glare that is so intense that it impairs a person from doing
his/her daily activities. Whatever kind of glare it is, it’s
unpleasant to the person who experiences it. For the person
who has diseased or injured eyes, it is more than unpleasant;
it can be extremely painful, and it can last a very long time
after the source of light is removed.
How does cool white light, or light with an output in the
predominantly blue portion of the spectrum exacerbate glare?
It is simple mathematics. For every peak in a lightwave that
strikes a photoreceptor, the cell does one unit of work. UV and
light in the blue part of the spectrum have peaks which are
very close together, working the eye at a much higher rate (2
quadrillion times more operations per second) than that of the
warm white (2700K) fluorescent tube. Conversely, light in the
red part of the spectrum, tends to allow the retinal cells to
operate at a slower rate, often giving them a better chance to
keep pace with the disposal of the by-products of
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DVIQ Winter 2012
photoreception. This then, results in less glare and more
opportunity for disposal of waste product.
It is not too harsh to state that virtually all persons with
vision problems should be removed from a light environment
where the predominant light waves are at a temperature
above 3500K or a wavelength less than approximately 500 nm.
Not only is it uncomfortable for persons with diseased or
damaged eyes, there is adequate information available to
safely state that blue light, and also UV, cause irreparable
damage, over time, to the human retina, especially in young
children. Numerous studies by Dr. Chen of Sweden and Drs.
Ham and Ruffolo, suggest it is wavelength alone, not duration
or intensity which is responsible for cellular damage and death
in the presence of blue light. Serious consideration as to how
we light environments of persons with visual problems cannot
come too soon.
Because of the slow processing of visual information in the
diseased or injured eye, many persons with limited vision are
able to perceive the flicker in fluorescent lights, which is
imperceptible to persons with healthy eyes. While this does not
present a health problem to most people (except those with
epilepsy) it does become a source of annoyance for some.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
If there is a choice to light a school, workplace or home
with cool white or warm white tubes, then warm whites are
the obvious choice. While warm white fluorescent tubes are a
much better environmental choice than cool white;
incandescent bulbs offer an even better environment.
Incandescent bulbs are being phased out of production,
however, starting in 2012.
If overhead warm white tubes are selected, they can
perform even better for the low vision user by the addition of a
1” peracube lens. This lens looks like a silver grid with cross
pieces being 1” apart. Acrylic or Lucite lenses, which look more
like sheets of semi-translucent material over the tubes, tend to
scatter the light throughout the room and thus, rebound it
within the eye several times. Use of these lenses should be
discouraged.
It is important that those of us who make decisions about
the environments of others, especially children, take the safety
and the comfort of their visual experience into consideration.
Simply adding blue or ultraviolet light to ambient room light,
sunlight or warm white light will NOT help the person who lives
or works in the lighted area. It actually does harm. New
lighting systems are now available from commercial lighting
designers that mimic the part of the visible spectrum of light
we receive each day from the sun: mostly blue (4100-5100K)
at dawn and early morning, mostly green (3500-4000K) in late
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DVIQ Winter 2012
morning until late afternoon, and mainly red (2500-3400) at
dusk and into the evening. These are shown to be the colors of
light that people need at these times. To vary from these
guidelines is to dabble with the internal clocks of the persons
who live or work in the lighted environment.
By educating ourselves about epigenetic lighting and basic
information about the physiology of human beings, we can
provide the perfect light for all persons.
Resources and References
Chen, E. (1993). Inhibition of cytochrome oxidase and bluelight damage in rat retina. Graefe's Archive for Clinical and
Experimental Ophthalmology, 231(7), 416-423.
Fedorovich, I. B., Zak, P. P., & Ostrovskii, M. A. (1994).
Enhanced transmission of UV light by human eye lens in
early childhood and age-related yellowing of the lens.
Doklady Biological Sciences, 336(1), 204-206.
Hall-Lueck, A. (1986, May). Facts and fads: what works and
what doesn't. Paper presented at the National Forum on
Critical Issues in Infant and Preschool Education of Blind
and Visually Impaired Children, American Foundation for
the Blind.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Ham, W. T., Jr. (1983). Ocular hazards of light sources: review
of current knowledge. Journal of Occupational Medicine,
25(2), 101-103.
Ham, W. T., Jr., Ruffolo, J. J., Jr., Mueller, H. A., & Guerry, D.,
III. (1980). The nature of retinal radiation damage:
dependence on wavelength, power level and exposure
time; the quantitative dimensions of intense light damage
as obtained from animal studies, Section II. Applied
Research, 20, 1005-1111.
Hao, W., & Fong, H. K. (1996). Blue and ultraviolet lightabsorbing opsin from the retinal pigment epithelium.
Biochemistry, 35, 6251-6256.
Hightower, K. R. (1995). The role of the lens epithelium in
development of UV cataract. Current Eye Research, 14,
71-78.
Pautler, E. L., Morita, M., & Beezley, D. (1989). Reversible and
irreversible blue light damage to the isolated, mammalian
pigment epithelium. Proceedings of the International
Symposium on Retinal Degeneration (pp. 555-567). New
York: Liss.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Rapp, L. M. & Smith, S. C. (1992). Morphologic comparisons
between rhodopsin-mediated and short-wavelength
classes of retinal light damage. Investigative
Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 33, 3367-3377.
Rozanowska, M., Wessels, J., Boulton, M., Burke, J. M.,
Rodgers, M. A., Truscott, T. G., & Sarna, T. (1998). Blue
light-induced singlet oxygen generation by retinal
lipofuscin in non-polar media. Free Radical Biology and
Medicine, 24, 1107-1112.
Sliney, D. H. (1983). Biohazards of ultraviolet, visible and
infrared radiation. Journal of Occupational Medicine,
25(3), 203-206.
Yegorova, E. V., Babizhayev, M. A., Ivanina, T. A., Zuyeva, M.
V., & Ioshin, I. E. (1988). Spectral characteristics of
intraocluar lenses and damage to the retina by visible
light. Biophysics, 33(6), 1108-1114.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
“Social Skills: Putting the C in Cool!”
Contest Winners
Cyral Miller
CONGRATULATIONS to the five national teams who
produced winning videos for the 2011 Social Skills Video
Contest. Go to www.dcmp.org and the YouTube site to watch
the videos showing creative ways to teach social skills.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL89A63265E8487A6B&f
eature=viewall.
In May 2011, the Texas Education of Blind and Visually
Impaired Students Advisory Committee offered teachers,
parents, and students across the United States and Canada an
opportunity to submit a short video on the theme, "Social
Skills: Putting the C in Cool!" The contest provided a perfect
opportunity to highlight a favorite lesson to teach social skills
at home, school, or in the community.
We are pleased to say the Described Caption Media
Program (DCMP) (www.dcmp.org) partnered with the Texas
Education of Blind and Visually Impaired Students' Advisory
Committee to provide captions and description for each video.
Anyone can watch the five videos on the DCMP YouTube
channel. Experience the coolness at:
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DVIQ Winter 2012
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL89A63265E8487A6B&f
eature=viewall
You may also view the videos and lesson guides on the
website of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(TSBVI) www.tsbvi.edu, or through the DCMP freeloan library collection (anyone can view) as follows:
GAME NIGHT
http://www.dcmp.org/Catalog/TitleDetail.aspx?TID=6771
MY DREAM NIGHT OUT
http://www.dcmp.org/Catalog/TitleDetail.aspx?TID=6772
REWIND BUTTON
http://www.dcmp.org/Catalog/TitleDetail.aspx?TID=6773
GREAT CUP STACK CHALLENGE
http://www.dcmp.org/Catalog/TitleDetail.aspx?TID=6774
RAISING CANE!
http://www.dcmp.org/Catalog/TitleDetail.aspx?TID=6775
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Social Skills Subcommittee Members:
Virginia Haas
Administrative Supervisor of Low Incidence Populations Austin
Independent School District
Alaine Hinds
Parent and Community Organizer
Arc of Texas
Cyral Miller
Director of Outreach Programs, TSBVI
Rona Pogrund, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Special Education
Texas Tech University
Mary Ann Siller, M.Ed.
Education Consultant for Blind and Low Vision Services
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DVIQ Winter 2012
New! All-in-One Board: Student Model
A smaller version of APH’s popular All-in-One Board!
This handy, smaller multi-platform, adjustable board can be
used with either hook-Velcro® accessories or magnetic pieces,
as well as with dry erase markers, to facilitate a variety of
learning activities.
Includes:
 All-in-One-Board: Student Model (Magnetic/Velcro/Dry
Erase)
 Starter package of dry erase markers
 Product information sheet, print & braille
 Protective storage and carrying case
Surface of board measures approx. 13.5 x 10.75 inches.
http://shop.aph.org
APH American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
800.223.1839
info@aph.org
www.aph.org
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Update from the Field
American Printing House for the Blind
11th Annual National Prison Braille Forum (NPBF)
Draws a Crowd
Picture Captions: Ex Officio Trustees Jim Downs (GA) and
Leslie Durst (IN) talked about the challenges of producing
textbooks for the blind and visually impaired students in their
state. Ruth McKinney, Braille Institute, voiced concerns about
braille literacy and the availability of braille books. Attending
the National Prison Braille Forum for the first time were forum
scholars (l-r) Roy Pidcock (WA), Rick Rosenblatt (MD), and
Marshall Bautista (ID).
On October 12, the APH Prison Braille Advisory Committee
hosted a day-long Forum to discuss issues related to braille
production facilities in corrections settings. This year, 71
people attended from 20 different states. As far as we know,
there are currently 36 prison braille programs in the U.S., and
17 were represented at this year's Forum.
Highlights of the Forum included reports by two groups
that are administering Second Chance Act grants designed to
help participants in prison braille programs establish successful
careers upon reentry. A team of professionals from the
Accessible Media Access Center (AMAC) at Georgia Tech in
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Atlanta has developed and will soon be pilot testing a 30lesson curriculum for programs across the country to use as
participants learn braille and prepare for reentry. AMAC is
working in partnership with the Mountain View Correctional
Facility in Texas on this expansive project, which will be
completed by October 2012.
Another impressive report was presented by a team from
the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana. The
grant program being implemented in Indiana includes
expansion of the braille facility at Miami to include production
of educational materials in electronic media and to assist
individuals upon reentry. Both of the Second Chance Act
projects will provide participants with opportunities to learn
technology skills while incarcerated that they can use following
release.
Mary Nelle McLennan, APH's Braille Authority of North
America (BANA) representative, gave a compelling report
about recent and upcoming changes in braille codes and the
publication of resource materials. The information she provided
will be invaluable to braille transcribers across the country.
The National Prison Braille Network (NPBN) encourages
everyone interested to join this network of professionals – free
of charge. For more information, contact Nancy Lacewell at
nlacewell@aph.org (502-899-2339 or 800-223-1839 ext. 339).
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DVIQ Winter 2012
APH Wings of Freedom Award Winner
Ralph Brewer Spins a Tale of Gratitude
Picture Caption: Ralph Brewer, 2011 Wings of Freedom Award
Winner.
Would you like to be inspired and awed? If yes, then listen
to this 12 minute presentation by our 2011 Wings of Freedom
award winner, Ralph Brewer:
http://www.aph.org/awards/wings-ralph-speech.html
Ralph, the retired Tennessee School for the Blind
Superintendent, shares his life story. Your heart will be
touched!
If you are interested in learning about the history of the
Wings of Freedom Award, the other APH Awards, and those
who won them, visit our Awards From the APH web page:
http://www.aph.org/awards/
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Update from the Field
National Federation of the Blind
NFB Announces Second
Teacher of Tomorrow Class
The National Federation of the Blind has chosen the 2011
class in its NFB Teacher of Tomorrow program. This program
provides participants an opportunity to enhance their
educational experience by learning about blindness from
successful blind adults, parents of blind children, and blind
students. Through the experience, students who are preparing
to teach blind children are connected with the support,
resources, and positive blindness philosophy of the National
Federation of the Blind.
One of the leading objectives of the Teacher of Tomorrow
program is to share methods on how to discuss blindness with
students and how to best encourage them to develop positive
attitudes about blindness. This program also exposes
participants to the latest in instructional strategies, access
technology, and countless blindness resources. Together we
can ensure that blind children are given the best education
possible.
For the full class list, please read the official press release
(http://www.nfb.org/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=866). To
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DVIQ Winter 2012
learn more about the Teacher of Tomorrow program, please
visit www.teachblindstudents.org, or contact Rosy
Carranza by phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2283, or by
e-mail at rcarranza@nfb.org.
NFB Jernigan Institute
Teacher Leader Seminar
The National Federation of the Blind understands how
important it is for teachers working in a low- incidence field,
like blindness, to find opportunities to collaborate and network.
In an effort to foster learning, interaction, and community, the
NFB is collaborating with the National Organization of
Professionals in Blindness Education to host the first-ever
Teacher Leader Seminar at the NFB Jernigan Institute!
This three-day conference, January 27-29, 2012, will provide
teachers an opportunity to meet other professionals and
discuss best practices in the field of blindness. There will be
breakout sessions, “make and takes,” demonstrations of
technology, and participant-led discussions. Participants are
strongly encouraged to take advantage of social media before,
during, and after this seminar to stay in contact with each
other and teachers in the field. This conference is open to all
blindness professionals including teachers of blind students,
orientation and mobility instructors, classroom teachers, and
students in graduate programs.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Register or find out more at www.nfb.org/tls or contact
Emily Gibbs by phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2407, or
by e-mail egibbs@nfb.org.
Keep up with the NFB Jernigan Institute through our enewsletter, Imagineering Our Future. Subscribe by sending a
request to JerniganInstitute@nfb.org.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Physical Education for Students
with Visual Impairments
A Position Paper of the Division on Visual Impairments,
Council for Exceptional Children
2011
Louis M. Tutt
Lauren J. Lieberman
Bob Brasher
Physical activities, whether structured or recreational, are
important in the lives of boys and girls, men and women. All
people deserve formal and informal opportunities to fully
develop physical skills and abilities. Children and youth who
are visually impaired should have every opportunity to
participate in physical activities with other children, including
those who are sighted, and have specific physical activities
adapted when necessary to meet their individual needs at
various growth and developmental stages (Blessing,
McCrimmin, & Stovill, 1993; Lieberman, Robinson, &
Rollheiser, 2006; Stuart, Lieberman, & Hand, 2006).
Physical education is the development of motor skills and
patterns through individual and group games, aquatics, dance,
cooperative activities, and life-long recreational activities
(IDEA, 2004, PL 108-446). It contributes to students’ cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor development. Adapted physical
education is defined as physical education modified to meet
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DVIQ Winter 2012
the unique needs of children with disabilities (Lieberman &
Houston-Wilson, 2009). Adapted physical education instruction
can be delivered in a variety of placements, including those
found in both public and special school settings. The entire
multidisciplinary team makes such placement decisions, taking
into consideration factors such as fitness level, motor skills
development, ability to be in large groups, social needs, and
safety (Columna, Davis, Lieberman, & Lytle, 2010). There is no
separate curriculum for children with visual impairments
(Lieberman, 2011). All children should learn the same units,
with modifications when necessary, typically receiving an equal
amount of instruction per week as their sighted peers, or
more. Skilled peer tutors and paraeducators can be a resource
to assist with games, fitness, or other activities when needed
(Rusotti & Shaw, 2004; Wiskochil, Lieberman, HoustonWilson, & Petersen, 2007). When students with visual
impairments are included in general physical education with
peers, the entire class should learn sports for people who are
visually impaired such as goal ball, beep baseball, 5-a-side
soccer, tandem biking, or running with no sight. Such action
provides disability awareness and gives sighted peers
knowledge of specialized sports for students who are blind or
visually impaired (Foley, Tindall, Lieberman, & Kim, 2007).
Without physical education, students with visual
impairments may not develop gross and fine motor skills,
including locomotor skills, necessary for fitness, wellness, and
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DVIQ Winter 2012
independent living (Houwen, Hartman, & Visscher, 2009).
Students with visual impairments must not be denied the
opportunity to participate in physical education due to
stereotypical barriers or fear of liability. Indeed, lack of visual
motivation to move, challenges in visually imitating the
movements of others, and the potential over protectiveness of
adults may make physical education even more important for
students with visual impairments than for their sighed peers.
Tutt, L. M., Lieberman, L., & Brasher, B. (2011). Physical
education for students with visual impairments. Position paper
of the Division on Visual Impairments, Council for Exceptional
Children. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
References
Blessing, D. L., McCrimmon, D., Stovall, J., & Williford, H. N.
(1993). The effects of regular exercise programs for
visually impaired and sighted schoolchildren. Journal of
Visual Impairment and Blindness, 87, 50-52.
Columna, L., Davis, T., Lieberman, L.J., & Lytle, R. (2010).
Determining the most appropriate physical education
placement for students with disabilities, Journal of Physical
Education, Recreation & Dance, 81, 30-37.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Foley, J., Tindall, D. W., Lieberman, L. J., Kim, S. (2007). How
to develop disability awareness using the Sport Education
Model. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and
Dance, 78, 32-36.
Houwen, S., Hartman, E., & Visscher, C. (2009). Physical
activity and motor skills in children with and without visual
impairments. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise,
41, 103-109.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act-Improvement Act of
2004. U.S. Public Laws 108-446. Federal Register .
Lieberman, L. J. (2011). Visual impairments. In J. P. Winnick
(Ed.), Adapted physical education and sport (5th ed., pp.
233-248 ). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Lieberman, L. J., & Houston-Wilson, C. 2009. Strategies for
inclusion: A handbook for physical educators. Champaign,
IL: Human Kinetics.
Lieberman, L. J., Robinson, B., Rollheiser, H. (2006). Youth
with visual impairments: Experiences within general
physical education. RE:View. 38(1), 35-48.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Rusotti, J., & Shaw, R. (2004). When you have a visually
impaired student in your classroom: A guide for
paraeducators. New York, NY: American Foundation for the
Blind.
Stuart, M. E., Lieberman, L. J., & Hand, K. (2006). Parent-child
beliefs about physical activity: An examination of families
of children with visual impairments. Journal of Visual
Impairment and Blindness, 100, 223-234.
Wiskochil, B., Lieberman, L. J., Houston-Wilson, C., &
Petersen, S. (2007). The effects of trained peer tutors on
academic learning time-physical education on four children
who are visually impaired or blind. Journal of Visual
Impairment and Blindness, 101, 339-350.
Please send any feedback to
Deborah Hatton
Deborah.Hatton@Vanderbilt.Edu
by April 10, 2012
because we will vote on this
at the DVI General Business Meeting
on April 12th.
Thanks!
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Eye-Q Challenge
Ocular Diagnoses Scramble
Part 1 of 3
Loana Mason
Use the clues below to unscramble the jumbled names of
the eye conditions listed below. Note that all of these
conditions involve damage to structures in the anterior and/or
posterior chambers of the eye. When you have finished, check
your answers using the key on page 87 and discover your EyeQ
albinism
aniridia
aphakia
astigmatism
buphthalmos
cataracts
coloboma
dislocated lens
glaucoma
iritis
keratitis
keratoconus
phthisis bulbi
presbyopia
uveitis
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DVIQ Winter 2012
1. IRATESKIT produces soars, ulcers, or scars on the cornea
as a result of infections (bacterial, fungal, or viral), vitamin
deficiencies, environmental irritants, or lack of tears.
2. PUBLISHBITHIS is caused by low intraocular pressure in
the eye(s), which in turn makes the affected eye(s) shrink.
3. AHIPAKA is most often associated with cataracts because
it refers to the absence of one or both lenses.
4. MACBOOLO often gives the pupil a keyhole appearance
since it makes a cleft or a notch in the iris, lens, pupil, ciliary
body, choroid, retina, or optic nerve.
5. CRANETOOKUS diminishes the thickness of the corneas so
that they become cone-shaped, resulting in reduced distance
acuity, distorted visual fields, astimigatism, and sensitivity to
glare. Initially, this condition can often be treated with contact
lenses, but as it progresses, it may require corneal transplants.
6. MAINLIBS refers to total or partial lack of pigmentation in
the skin, hair, or iris and can cause reduced acuity, nystagmus,
strabismus, and photophobia as a result of an underdeveloped
fovea.
7. ISIRIT can cause constriction of the pupil, blurred vision,
tearing, and pain because the iris becomes inflamed.
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DVIQ Winter 2012
8. EARBOPYIPS occurs when the lens hardens with age and
loses its ability to accommodate near visual tasks, which
results in people holding reading materials at arms length.
9. ACOALGUM involves damage to the optic nerve when the
intraocular pressure increases because of the inability of the
eye(s) to drain off excess aqueous humor.
10. TACARCAST, cloudiness or opacity of the lens, occurs
primarily in the elderly (although it can occur in children) and
is treated by surgical removal of the lens.
11. AIDAIRIN is the total or partial absence of the iris and
often occurs with Wilm’s Tumor. Effects include reduced
acuity, restricted fields, and photophobia. Glaucoma and
cataracts may also occur.
12. LABTHUMPSOH is a form of glaucoma that appears
within the first three years of life.
13. VIESUIT involves inflammation of the choroid, iris, and/or
ciliary body, which can cause pain, blurry vision, and
photophobia. This condition tends to occur in conjunction with
histoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis.
14. COATEDLIDSNELS may be the result of trauma or may
occur in conjunction with other conditions like Marfan’s
Syndrome, coloboma, and Marchesani’s Syndrome. So long as
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DVIQ Winter 2012
there are no complications from the lens being dislodged from
its natural position, this condition often goes untreated.
15. TAGMAIMSITS occurs when the cornea is shaped like a
spoon instead of a sphere thereby preventing light rays from
being properly refracted onto the retina. This results in blurry
vision at all distances.
Stay tuned for the next Eye-Q Challenge on ocular
dysfunctions that affect structures of the vitreous cavity!
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Welcome New Members
Janis Aitken, ON
Francis Alexander, TN
Tanni Anthony, CO
Patricia Bolger, ON
Elaine Brown, CO
A. Burgess, OR
Thomas Burton, MO
Lisa Clifton, AE
Kelly Cogan, MO
Angie Cwalina, CA
Jessica Erlich, MA
Meghan Farrell, NY
Helen Frank, NC
Kathy Gaudreau, MA
Ryan Goetsch, NE
Connie Hill, KY
Rosemary Holeki, PA
Kathleen Huebner, PA
Kerri Johnson-Jones, MS
Carolyn Lasater, UT
Samantha Little, MI
Lisa McConachie, OR
Debbie Pfeiffer, VA
Susan Purdy, NC
Nancy Sanders, ON
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Elizabeth Eagen Satter, WA
Mandy Taylor, OH
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DVIQ Winter 2012
Touch Lives of Exceptional Children
Add your voice to our advocacy efforts to improve the
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Council for Exceptional Children
Division on Visual Impairments
The Voice and Vision of Special Education
80
DVIQ Winter 2012
Council for Exceptional Children
Division on Visual Impairments
The Voice and Vision of Special Education
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81
DVIQ Winter 2012
Council for Exceptional Children
Division on Visual Impairments
The Voice and Vision of Special Education
Join Online Today!
www.cec.sped.org
International
Membership Types
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Premiere
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Joint
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Student
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CEC Benefits
CEC’s Journals & Newsletters • Books, Media & Training •
Career Development • Advocacy & Support • Special Interest
Divisions • Peer Networking & Leadership Opportunities • Up
to the Minute Access • Discounts on Educational Resources •
CEC’s Online Job Board • Professional Liability, Auto, & Health
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DVIQ Winter 2012
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83
DVIQ Winter 2012
Title
Foundations of Orientation &
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Itinerant Teaching: Tricks of the
$49.95
Trade for Teachers of Students with
Visual Impairments (2nd ed.)
$44.96
Looking to Learn: Promoting
Literacy for Students with Low
Vision
$49.95
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When You Have a Visually Impaired $21.95
Student in Your Classroom: A Guide
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$19.76
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See the AFB Bookstore for even more titles.
84
DVIQ Winter 2012
Thirst for More Knowledge:
Suggested Readings from JVIB
If the content of this issue has piqued your interest, you
may find these articles from the Journal of Visual Impairment
& Blindness (JVIB) useful.
Braille Literacy
Braille: The Challenge for the Future by Judith M. Dixon (2011)
Braille Communication Skills: What Teachers Teach and
Visually Impaired Adults Use by Carol Allman (1998)
Changing the Public’s Attitude Toward Braille: A Grassroots
Approach by Gabrielle Belknap, Jason Wells-Jensen, and Sheri
Wells-Jensen (2005)
Louis Braille Celebration: A Parent’s Perspective on the
Importance of Braille for Success in Life by Mary Zabelski
(2009)
Louis Braille Celebration: The Difference the Dots Make: A
Personal History with Braille by Marc Mauer (2009)
Louis Braille Celebration: Past and Present Remembrances of
Louis Braille by Susan Jay Spungin (2009)
85
DVIQ Winter 2012
Social Skills
An Examination of Characteristics Related to the Social Skills of
Youths with Visual Impairments by Thomas J. Smith & Kim T.
Zebehazy (2011)
The Lifestyles of Blind, Low Vision, and Sighted Youths: A
Quantitative Comparison by Sharon Z. Sacks & Karen Wolffe
(1997)
Low Vision
Ergonomic Enhancements for Older Readers with Low Vision
by William R. De l’Aune, Arona Elk, Vincent Parmsey, & Gale R.
Watson (2004)
Lighting Needs and Lighting Comfort During Reading with AgeRelated Macular Degeneration by Per Fosse & Arne Valberg
(2004)
Students with Low Vision Describe Their Visual Impairment
and Visual Functioning by Amy Guerette, Sandra Lewis, &
Cameron Mattingly (2011)
86
DVIQ Winter 2012
Eye-Q Challenge
Answer Key
0 Mistakes: You are A VISIONARY!
1 Mistake: You are INSIGHTFUL!
2 Mistakes: You are FOCUSED!
3+ Mistakes: You need A CHECK-UP!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
keratitis
phthisis bulbi
aphakia
coloboma
keratoconus
albinism
iritis
presbyopia
glaucoma
cataracts
aniridia
buphthalmos
uveitis
dislocated lens
astigmatism
87
DVI Executive Board
President
Derrick Smith
University of Alabama in Huntsville
256-824-3048 (work)
256-322-7555 (home)
smitroe@gmail.com
Past-President
Loana Mason
American Printing House for the Blind
502-899-2325
lmason@aph.org
President-Elect
Diane Pevsner
University of Alabama at Birmingham
205-975-5351
dpevsner@uab.edu
Secretary
Tessa Wright
University of Nebraska--Lincoln
402-472-6636
twright5@unl.edu
1
Treasurer
Susan Brennan
University of Northern Iowa
319-273-7841
susan.brennan@uni.edu
Representative
Tiffany Wild
The Ohio State University
614-292-4783
twild@ehe.osu.edu
CAN Coordinator
Mike Bina
The Maryland School for the Blind
410-444-5000 ext. 1201
MichaelB@mdschblind.org
Quarterly Editor
Loana Mason
American Printing House for the Blind
502-899-2325
loana.mason@gmail.com
2
Directors
Tanni Anthony
Colorado Department of Education
(303) 866-6681
Anthony_t@cde.state.co.us
Deborah Hatton
Vanderbilt University
615-322-1015
Deborah.Hatton@Vanderbilt.Edu
Richard Jackson
Boston College
617-552-8429
richard.jackson@bc.edu
Meredith McArdle
The Maryland School for the Blind
410-444-5000
MEREDITHM@mdschblind.org
Tara McCarthy
The Ohio State School for the Blind
914-224-5024
tmccarthy@osdb.oh.gov
3
Martin Monson
Tennessee School for the Blind
(615) 231-7316
martin.monson@tnschoolfortheblind.org
Sinikka Smothers
Alabama School for the Blind
256-761-3548
mummusinikka@gmail.com
Adam Wilton
University of British Columbia
604-440-2079
awilton@interchange.ubc.ca
Student Ambassador(s)
Kathryn Botsford
University of Northern Colorado
206-849-3021
bots2132@bears.unco.edu
4
Catherine Smyth
University of Northern Colorado
720-205-3147
cathysmyth@yahoo.com
www.cecdvi.org
5