I’ve received hundreds of messages over the years from parents asking me questions about Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), specifically low vision IEPs and IEPs for visual impairment. Since I had an IEP in elementary school and again in high school for low vision, I’ve been able to share lots of free IEP resources on Veronica With Four Eyes and share my tips about how to start receiving IEP services. Below, I am linking a preview of some of my most popular posts that talk about getting visual impairment IEPs and my low vision IEP, as well as additional links to categories and tags on my website.
Ten Phrases To Know Before Your First IEP Meeting
Many years ago, my parents were trying to figure out what words and phrases to know for IEP meetings before my first meeting in kindergarten and common IEP terminology that they would need to know. My mom ended up befriending a special education teacher who was the parent of another student in my class, and they taught her a lot about what to expect in an IEP meeting and what words to use. Later on, we started learning even more words and phrases specific to low vision IEPs, and I took the ten most common words/phrases from my IEP meetings and created this post to educate others.
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Seven Myths About IEP Students
Some parents and/or students may be resistant to getting an IEP because they believe that it will keep the student from being able to stay in the classroom, take standardized tests, or even go to college. In reality, having an IEP can make all of this possible for students who are blind or that have low vision. This post addresses some of the most common misconceptions about having an IEP in general, with a special emphasis on low vision IEPs.
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Explaining Child Study Teams Using The Scientific Method
A child study team consists of professionals that determine if a student is eligible for special education services or accommodations in the classroom, such as IEPs or 504 plans. The exact size and composition of a child study team may vary, though normally, all of the members are based in the school. Some examples of staff members include the school psychologist, school nurse, school social worker, assistant principal, reading/math specialist, classroom teacher, disability specialist (like a teacher of the visually impaired), and parents. These meetings can be very confusing, and this post explains how child study teams are structured using terms from the scientific method for experimentation.
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Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
A common question I receive from parents of kids with low vision or people who are losing their sight is about the most common classroom accommodations for low vision students. Even as my vision has changed over time, my accommodations have stayed fairly consistent from middle school to high school and then to college. This post shares the most common classroom accommodations for low vision students and how these accommodations can help Student Assistance Plans (SAPs), 504 Plans, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and college Disability Services files.
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Computer Lab Accommodations For Low Vision Students
While it wasn’t officially written as part of my IEP accommodations, my teachers and I worked together to develop various accommodations for my low vision so that I could use computers in the school computer lab. These accommodations are essential for ensuring that students can fully participate in virtual learning and digital activities. This post shares the list of my computer lab accommodations for low vision that anyone can use. It’s worth noting that every school I have attended, including my college, uses Microsoft Windows laptops and desktop computers, with rare exceptions for individual classes.
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Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
I have a few different posts that are related to testing accommodations for low vision students. However, this post is the most comprehensive list of accommodations that I receive for taking tests, quizzes, and exams both in the classroom and in alternative testing environments. It’s worth noting that testing accommodations for standardized tests will need to be approved by the state, and students are not automatically granted accommodations just because they have an IEP.
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A To Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
The Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Tech Act) defines an assistive technology device as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” The Tech Act also defines an assistive technology service as “any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device.”
Assistive technology is a major part of IEPs for many students with low vision, and it’s important to know the different types of assistive technology for low vision that are available. This post gives examples of 26 different types of assistive technology that people with low vision can use.
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Five Things Your IEP Case Manager Won’t Tell You
Sometimes, people expect their IEP case manager to do everything for their students and fight every battle that comes up when it is not always possible in reality. Case managers are still essential, and I am very appreciative of their work for students, though I wish I had known some of these things in advance so that I did not get frustrated thinking that my case manager did not care about me at all.
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RELATED CATEGORIES, TAGS, AND POST ROUND UPS
