Ø Communicate Regularly with Your Child S Teacher About Any Academic Or Behavior Concerns

Helpful Hints Sabine Parish School District www.sabine.k12.la.us  Communicate regularly with your Special Education Resources on the child’s teacher about any academic or Information Internet (SERI) behavior concerns. -www.hood.edu/seri/serihome.html  If needed, schedule a meeting to for Parents National Information Center for Children discuss any concerns and develop a and Youth with Disabilities plan. www.nichcy.org regarding  Make arrangements for child care American Printing House for the Blind so you can participate fully. www.aph.org  Bring a trusted friend, support Agencies - Contact these agencies for person, adult family member or assistance and additional information. professional who knows your child. Visual Families Helping Families of Northwest  Ask questions. Impairment & Louisiana, Inc.  Communicate with other parents 2620 Centenary Blvd. and professionals. Bldg. 2, Suite 231 Deaf- Shreveport, LA 71104  Put all the paperwork you receive 1-888-989-0315 www.fhfla.org Blindness in one folder. Sabine Parish Pupil Appraisal Services  Become knowledgeable about P. O. Box 1079 » • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • « your child’s rights, the evaluation Many, Louisiana 71449 (318) 256-9228 Provided courtesy of the process and various exceptionalities. Sabine Parish School Board, www.sabine.k12.la.us/sped Pupil Appraisal Services » • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • « P.O. Box 1079 ChildSearch - Sabine Parish Many, Louisiana 71449 Resources (318) 256-9228, ext. 242 (318) 256-9228 Louisiana State Department of Education Internet - Search under “visual and P.O. Box 94064 hearing impairment” or find information Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804 October 2005 and links through the following (877) 453-2721 addresses: www.doe.state.la.us Determining the special help The term includes both partial sight and In order to determine eligibility, the following blindness.” must be done: an eye examination by your child will need to do his appropriate personnel; an educational very best To be eligible a student must have a “loss of assessment for the purpose of identifying vision which significantly interferes with the educational and environmental adjustments; ability to perform academically and which » • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • « an assessment of mobility and independent requires the use of specialized textbooks, functioning skills and needs; a family interview techniques, materials or equipment” AND The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide which addresses the needs of the family in one of the following four conditions: basic information to help you participate and understanding the student, community service agencies currently providing assistance to the become a valuable member of the evaluation Visual acuity in the better eye with best team. family in relationship to the student, possible correction of: 20/200 or less expectations of the parents, and appraisal of (blindness) or 20/70 or less (partially self-help and other functional skills exhibited The Law seeing). at home; and a developmental screening or assessment if the child is less than 6 years of There are parish, state and federal; A peripheral field so contracted that the age. guidelines, bulletins and laws that shape widest diameter of such field subtends an special education practice. angular distance no greater than 20 If your child also meets criteria for a hearing degrees and that it affects the student’s impairment and “the combination of which In Louisiana, Bulletin 1706, and the Pupil ability to learn. causes such severe communication and Appraisal Handbook include procedures, other developmental and educational standards and criteria for identifying children Progressive loss of vision which may in the problems that they cannot be eligible for special education and/or related future affect the student’s ability to learn. accommodated in special education services. A general description of pupil programs solely for students with deafness Other blindness resulting from a medically appraisal services, personnel, responsibilities, or students with blindness,” he may be more documented condition. rights of students and parents, and timelines appropriately classified as Deaf-Blindness is also included. Parents may obtain a free rather than Visually Impaired. copy of these from the Louisiana State But, what does this mean? Department of Education (1-877-453-2721). Some children have a loss of vision that will Within sixty school days from the time you seriously affect their learning and may signed the permission form all the above will Visual Impairment and Deaf- qualify as having a VI. be completed and you will be invited to participate in the decision as to whether Blindness your child has this disability. In Louisiana’s special education law visual impairment (VI) “…means an impairment in vision that even with correction, adversely affects a student’s educational performance.