With technology increasing leaps and bounds everyday to benefit students with special needs, where do those age old tools go? Do they get stuck on the back shelf to collect dust until the ever repeating circle of education comes around and says that they are the most beneficial practice again? Or, do they get put out in the next yard sale for a next to nothing price and treated like they meant nothing to the millions that were given so much because of the intervention?
In over seven years in a special education classroom, I have never had a student that was Visually Impaired or Legally Blind. I have known of two, neither of which used Braille at all. I can't speak from experience on this one, but the article does seem to make some valid points. I do know I never heard the VI teacher discuss or mention Braille. Leave me comments and let me know if I am way off the mark on this one. Thanks.
According to this article in the New York Times, less than 10% of the 1.3 million people that are legally blind in the United States use Braille. It seems from this data that it may be falling behind other forms of technology.
http://s.nyt.com/u/AoL
Nice article Mike. I haven't really paid attention to research in visual impairments but this has perked my interest. I'm wondering if there needs to be a push to teach more students with VI Braille or if literacy for VI needs to be redefined. The study cited for support for the point that persons who read Braille are more likely to be employed is over 10 years old so I'm also curious if employment stats are still the same or if they have changed as technology has improved. State legislators in Nebraska are considering making it mandatory to start Braille instruction in elementary, although there seem to be quite a few professionals who are against this.
ReplyDeleteNebraska article: http://tinyurl.com/y9rbnz5