The purpose of this book is to guide parents and teachers in fostering the blind/visually impaired child's skill development in such critical areas as academics, independent movement and travel, social interaction, daily living, and self-advocacy, so that he or she will truly be on the road to an independent future. A practical, easy to use guide, written in plain English, the book warns about common problem areas and provides ideas for getting and keeping the child's education and development on track.

All parents hope for an independent future for their blind/visually impaired child. To turn that hope into a reality, parents need to understand the scope of skill development that must be addressed, along with the importance of equal expectations for the child's development, proper training, and opportunity to practice and develop skills. But what if expectations are low, training in blindness skills is scanty or even absent, and overprotection prevents the blind/VI child from learning and practicing skills? The idea of an independent future can remain a distant dream. The purpose of this book is to guide parents and teachers in fostering the blind/visually impaired child's skill development in such critical areas as academics, independent movement and travel, social interaction, daily living, and self-advocacy, so that he or she will truly be on the road to an independent future. A practical, easy to use guide, written in plain English, the book warns about common problem areas and provides ideas for getting and keeping the child's education and development on track. It highlights the interplay between skills and competence, confidence, self-respect, and the respect of others. Of the small number of books and videos available on the subject, most were written by professionals in the field and many begin with the supposition that blindness is at best sad and at worst tragic. Few --maybe none --have the ardent passion for independence that the parent of a blind/visually impaired child brings to the subject. Instead of overwhelming parents and teachers with the difficulty of the undertaking before them, Getting Ready for College Begins in Third Grade will inspire their confidence and enthusiasm for the task at hand.

It is very important for students to bridge the away-from-school gap by practicing the skills they learned in the previous school year! The second edition of this parent-friendly resource provides students with reading, writing, and mathematics activities aligned to Common Core and other state standards that reinforce learning from second grade and keep them from falling behind in third grade. With clear instructions for quick and fun family activities, this is the perfect full-color resource for parents to get involved in their child's education and set them up for a successful school year.

Structured Discovery Cane Travel Approach to Orientation and Mobility Concepts is a collection of skill-building fundamental techniques essential to develop mobility independence for students who are blind or visually impaired. This book dives into transformational mobility concepts followed by a trove of tried-and-true necessary and efficient activities to enhance students’ abilities to improve problem-solving skills within natural environments while using a long white cane with a metal tip as the primary mobility tool. Since Structured Discovery Cane Travel is individualized, this activity-based collection may be used to enhance introduction to and/or assistance with on-going education of comprehending complicated concrete and abstract Orientation and Mobility concepts to help achieve independent mobility. Structured Discovery Cane Travel Approach to Orientation and Mobility Concepts focuses on encouraging students to develop intrinsic knowledge and abilities through this plethora of activity-based transformational approaches to target individual objectives. These activities logically transpire through direct exposure and/or teachable moments to hand-on experiences to help students create mental mapping skills of their surroundings which can then be utilized in novel or unfamiliar environments. Used in conjunction with The ABCs of Structured Discovery Cane Travel for Children, by Merry-Noel Chamberlain, parents and instructors of children who are blind or visually impaired will be able to comprehend and instruct O&M essentials using this vault of O&M activities.

Providing an ideal balance of theory and practice, Low Vision: Principles and Management covers all aspects of providing effective eye care to individuals with visual impairment. This concise yet comprehensive resource covers everything from theoretical background to current rehabilitative aids and low vision treatment strategies—all while adopting a practical approach to vision care. It brings practising eye care professionals and students fully up to date with current optical and electronic devices and how they are used in everyday practice, as well as evidence-based vision rehabilitation guidelines. Features comprehensive guidance on visual rehabilitation for acuity loss and visual field loss. Describes a wealth of practical advice and real-world case scenarios to help guide your day-to-day patient interactions as well as your most challenging situations. Covers hot topics, including the link between mental health and low vision, assistive technologies, measures of quality of life and other outcome measures, WHO classifications of visual impairment, and best practices for auditing and commissioning vision services. Contains over 200 diagrams, illustrations, and patient photos to aid in visual understanding. Explains how eye care professionals can work within a multi-disciplinary team to provide complete care.

Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) is an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) curriculum which focuses on the foundational techniques necessary to develop future independence for students who are blind or visually impaired. The ABCs of Structured Discovery Cane Travel for Children addresses essential non-visual concept development, techniques and mobility skills needed to travel efficiently, gracefully and safely within a myriad of natural environments while using the long, white cane with a metal tip as the primary mobility tool. This curriculum utilizes transformational knowledge and problem-solving opportunities through teachable moments to develop personal reflection and mental mapping which can be utilized post instruction. These students maximize their cognitive intrinsic feedback while completing everyday mobility tasks. Parents and instructors of children who are blind or visually impaired will comprehend the essentials of SDCT by reading The ABCs of Structured Discovery Cane Travel for Children; in addition, they will receive a treasure trove of O&M skill-building activities.