[misc.handicap] Blind or deaf preschool?

Julie.Aman@f120.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Julie Aman) (10/24/90)

Index Number: 11265

Hello,

I'm sorta new here (I just got current).

Q.  I have a 4-year-old son who is 'legally' deaf/blind.  Actually, he 
seems to see better than I do and he has steroscopic vision which I do 
not. (I read normal print, use no adaptive equipment on my PC, but I 
cannot drive or see well enough to recognize people by their faces...if 
I know them well, I can tell by how they move and recognize them from 
across a room)  With his hearing aids, Kiyoshi tests at near-normal (of 
course this is over the limited hearing-aid-capturable frequency range) 
He is currently attending the local visually impaired preschool program 
(Columbus has had one for 20+ years).  Should I move him to 
hearing-impaired preschool?  He is slow on speech development (of 
course) and is about at the same place as his just-turned-two-year-old 
sister.  Today, I almost cried.  He pointed to a red circle in a 
newspaper insert and said something approximating 'red' and he did 
'yellow' and 'blue' and 'green'!  Sounds minor, but he has learned the 
concept of 'color'.  I guess I'm concerned because of the other concepts 
he doesn't 'get' because he has problems communicating.  (Like how to 
*play* a computer game...he *loves* to watch other people, and he likes 
to hit the keys, but he doesn't 'get' the idea of using the cursor keys 
to move...He is NOT DD, he tried to remove an outlet cover with a 
screwdriver after realizing the little thing in the middle was a *screw* 
He also only needs to see most simple tasks performed once (like playing 
tapes on the stereo) )  He seems much more precociuos than his 
seven-year-old brother Kelly *ever* was.

Would it be worthwhile for him to learn sign?

TCOY, 
- Julie

 * SLMR 1.0 * Enquiring minds wanna know

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Ann.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Parsons) (10/30/90)

Index Number: 11358

Hi Julie,

As a teacher of the Visually Impaired, I have several questions. First of all, 
does your son's vision allow him to see small moving objects on a screen? In 
other words, can he "track" them? Secondly, what does his Mision teacher say? 
Is he/she concerned about the way in which he sees and what are they doing to 
increase his ability to use his vision? Then, have you talked to the local 
teacher of The Deaf in the school? What does he/she say? Is your son getting 
speech therapy? This should be done to increase his language skills. 

I realize that you've probably got answers to all these, and you need to sort 
out all the info you have. If I can help, please let me know. If you are 
concerned about your son's deafness and how to best cope, try writing to a 
school for the deaf, just to get a professional opinion. Now, I'd be the first 
to say, professionals don't know everything, even though they pretent to do 
so. Your best bet is to get as much info as you possiblly can. that way you'll 
at least have a good basis upon which to build your decision.

I guess I would go on the principal that the best preschool would be the one 
which address your son's "worst" disability. Now, all this may be already 
known to you and as I say, professionals don't know everything. So, the best 
of luck to you. If you want, you could write to the Rochester School for the 
Deaf, 1545 St. Paul Street, Rochester, New York 14621. It can't hurt.

Take care, see you on-line.

Ann P.

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Chuck.Lynd@f120.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Chuck Lynd) (11/05/90)

Index Number: 11524

Julie, I have just joined the ABLED conference at the request of 
Tzipporah BenAvraham, who read your message in Brooklyn, NY. 
The situation with your son is interesting to me in part because 
I work at LINC Resources in Columbus, Ohio, where we operate the 
federally funded Information Center for Special Education Media and 
Materials, but also because (many years ago) I worked for several 
years in a program serving deaf blind children.  I therefore know 
that most kids served do have significant residual vision and hearing-- 
a fact that makes placement decisions especially tough.  

 From what you have said in your message, I think you have some good 
reasons to question your son's placement in a preschool for visually 
impaired kids.  What are they doing there for his language and speech 
development?  I guess that is the critical question - is he getting 
therapy, and if so are you working closely with the therapist?

If you want to talk by phone call me at work at 885-5599; we also have 
a BBS that you might want to check out:  885-5551.  LINC ONLINE offers 
access to several education and special education databases.

Chuck Lynd  Dir., Information Services 
LINC Resources, Inc.  4820 Indianola Ave.  Columbus, OH  43214   
614/885-5599 
Special Ed Media Center: 800/772-7372   BBS: 614/885-5551  FAX:  
614/433-0852 
CompuServe EDFORUM Sysop: 76703,674   Internet: 76703.674@compuserve.com
 * Via ProDoor 3.1 

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