What is Blindness?
There are many definitions of blindness. Blindness does not only mean that someone sees only darkness. The generic definition of blindness is described as a person who has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less or their fields of (sides, top and bottom) vision is 20 degrees or less (tunnel vision). Also, a person who is blind may have the perception of light (can tell if lights are on in a room, or that it is sunny outside), but cannot see objects. A person who is blind may not be able to see detail, but can see shapes, or may have no tunnel vision and only peripheral vision. There are many eye conditions that would qualify an individual as being "blind."
How Do I Incorporate a Blind Child Into My Classroom?
Blind students should be held to the same standards as everyone else in the class, but how classroom information is presented to a blind student is what needs to be addressed.
How Can I Get Educational Materials For My Student?
The teacher for the visually impaired has many resources of where to locate braille and large print textbooks and materials for the visually impaired student. The vision teacher usually does the ordering of textbooks for visually impaired students although this is not true for all school districts.
What Kind of Toys Can I Get For My Blind Child?
Most toys that are developmentally appropriate for sighted children are also excellent for blind and visually impaired children, especially toys that are brightly colored (for low vision children) and toys that have sound and fun textures. Toys 'R' Us provides a catalog entitled "Toys For Differently Abled Kids," and the American Foundation for the Blind has a catalog entitled "Guide To Toys For Children Who Are blind Or Visually Impaired," if you would like further ideas on what toys are appropriate for blind and visually impaired children.
Where Can I Get Braille/Print Books To Read To My Children?
