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Category: Assistive Technology

Eye-Pressing in Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, And an Invitation to a Needs-Assessment Survey

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Assistive Technology , Low Vision , Readers Want to Know
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Does your child who is blind or visually impaired engage in prolonged eye-pressing? Perhaps you’ve noticed your child aggressively rubbing or poking their eyes with their fingers, knuckles, or fists, and you are concerned or even disturbed. You may wonder why it’s occurring, whether it’s acceptable, and how to address it.  If this describes you, please know you are not alone!   Let’s take a look at   why … Continued

Preparing Your Child Who is Blind or Low Vision for Kindergarten

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Advocacy , Assistive Technology , Books , Braille , Communication , Coronavirus , ECC , Education , expanded core curriculum , literacy , parenting , Planning for the Future , Self-Advocacy
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Such a whirlwind of bittersweet emotions—kindergarten is approaching! It’s hard to believe how quickly the years have passed, isn’t it? Your little one went from complete dependence on you to making strides toward independence. Thankfully your child’s absolute preciousness hasn’t changed, but their level of autonomy has. So, let’s take a look at how you can be preparing your child for increased independence in preparation for kindergarten.  Working … Continued

Catching Up With The Homework Hotline

From: FamilyConnect Blog
Categories: Access Technology , Assistive Technology , Braille , Elementary Edcuation , Secondary Education
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Imagine wrapping up your last zoom meeting of the day to find out that your child is struggling with arrays and factors and you are at a loss to translate what you learned about multiplication into the new terms your child’s school is using to explain math concepts. Now imagine your child is also using braille … Continued

How Will We Pay for My Visually Impaired Child’s Assistive Technology?

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Assistive Technology , Education , Low Vision , Online Tools , Planning for the Future , Technology
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I had a recent email from a family new to the country who wondered how they would afford their child’s assistive technology (AT) needed for school. Are there organizations who provide technology for free or a reduced cost? What financial assistance is available? I’m confident other families have the same concerns and thought it wise … Continued

How Will We Pay for My Visually Impaired Child’s Assistive Technology?

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Assistive Technology , Education , Low Vision , Online Tools , Planning for the Future , Technology
By

I had a recent email from a family new to the country who wondered how they would afford their child’s assistive technology (AT) needed for school. Are there organizations who provide technology for free or a reduced cost? What financial assistance is available? I’m confident other families have the same concerns and thought it wise … Continued

10 Ways to Keep the Dust off the Video Magnifier (CCTV) This Summer for Children and Teens with Visual Impairments

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Assistive Technology , Education , Low Vision , Planning for the Future , Reading , Technology
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Students often use video magnifiers or Closed-Circuit Televisions with magnification (CCTV) to complete homework and classwork during the school year. Summer CCTV-use is often a drastically different story! Here’s to transforming the norm and avoiding the summer assistive technology regression! If your child has access to a CCTV at home or the local library, here … Continued

Wax Museum and No Man’s Land

From: Raising a Child Who Is Blind and...
Categories: Assistive Technology , Autism Spectrum Disorders , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Social Life and Recreation , Social Skills
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Having a child in special education can feel like they are in “No Man’s Land,” especially if they spend a lot of time away from their peers as Eddie does. His unique needs due to autism and blindness make it hard for us to know where he specifically belongs. Because of this, we find ourselves … Continued

Wax Museum and No Man’s Land

From: Raising a Child Who Is Blind and...
Categories: Assistive Technology , Autism Spectrum Disorders , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Social Life and Recreation , Social Skills
By

Having a child in special education can feel like they are in “No Man’s Land,” especially if they spend a lot of time away from their peers as Eddie does. His unique needs due to autism and blindness make it hard for us to know where he specifically belongs. Because of this, we find ourselves … Continued

Wax Museum and No Man’s Land

From: Raising a Child Who Is Blind and...
Categories: Assistive Technology , Autism Spectrum Disorders , Low Vision , Personal Reflections , Social Life and Recreation , Social Skills
By

Having a child in special education can feel like they are in “No Man’s Land,” especially if they spend a lot of time away from their peers as Eddie does. His unique needs due to autism and blindness make it hard for us to know where he specifically belongs. Because of this, we find ourselves … Continued

Inspired by the Holidays: Take an “Autumn Walk” and Encourage Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired to Discover the Sights, the Smells, and the Feel of Fall

From: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice
Categories: Arts and Leisure , Assistive Technology , Books , Education , Getting Around , Holidays , Home Schooling , Independence , Low Vision , Orientation and Mobility , Personal Reflections , Reading , Self-Advocacy , Social Life and Recreation , Technology
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I will never forget his question. My transition students and I were on a nature trail walk and it was a particularly rocky section. One teen who was totally blind opted for sighted guide, so I offered him my arm. We all strolled on and chatted; all except this one, typically talkative, teen. “What’s on … Continued