Insights — Fall 2017 tells the stories inspiring us today.

Dive deeper with digital content that can't be printed on paper, but tells so much about the joy and perseverance of children served through Blind Children's Learning Center.

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Going Global With Early Intervention Comes Full Circle

Deaf-Blind Intervener Tricia uses tactile communication with a child at one of Bethel China's foster homes.

The pieces all came together for BCLC’s Outreach Director, Irene Takahashi, and Deaf-Blind Intervener, Tricia Houlihan, to “go global” with early intervention. At the invitation of former BCLC employee Christy Allen—now an education consultant for Bethel China—Irene and Tricia travelled to present at a three-day conference near Beijing, China.
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Sharing early intervention and tactile communication strategies, BCLC joined Bethel China’s efforts to spread best practices throughout China. Irene recalled families feeling greatly comforted:“Parents came up to us in tears after presentations, realizing for the first time that their children could have independent lives.”

Those presentations included videos of children served through Blind Children's Learning Center benefitting from early intervention, therapy services, and adaptive techniques:

Familiar tactile greetings, such as Deaf-Blind Intervener Tricia's bracelet, make it possible for Deaf-Blind children distinguish between individuals. This child now knows they have arrived to school.

A child's transition from the school bus to the child's classroom should be consistent. In doing so, they can navigate more independently and be better prepared to learn upon arriving to class.

Tactile symbols are part of a "Total Communication System" that allows children to make transitions throughout the day without relying on sight.

Therapeutic services help children compensate for specific areas affected by a visual impairment and other disabilities. Here, Physical Therapy helps a child achieve the major milestone of standing with minimal assistance.

Switches are a form of adaptive technology that allows children to communicate nonverbally and make choices. For a nonverbal child, this fundamentally alters how they can interact with peers and adults.

Name cues, along with other tactile symbols representing activities such as "play" and "lunch," create a reliable schedule for children with visual impairments to follow.

Isaiah Overcomes Fears of Learning and Exploring New Environments

When Elizabeth found out her son Isaiah was blind, she got to work: "Right away, we looked into what resources were out there. I wanted Isaiah in an environment where he could learn and be accepted.”

Therapy services quickly became a major factor in Isaiah overcoming fears to become more social and adventurous. Physical therapy (PT) “was so important for Isaiah to gain confidence in his mobility and safety," says Vivian, PT Assistant.

Isaiah, now 3, transitioned from the Center's in-home program and is now enrolled in the Bright Visions Early Childhood Center. Not only have his sighted peers shown Isaiah kindness and acceptance, they dramatically accelerated his speech development.

​As Elizabeth puts it, "Before Isaiah started at BCLC, he didn’t socialize at all. Now he’s not afraid of his surroundings.”

Hope's Journey from Bethel China to Blind Children's Learning Center and Independence

Hope is named rather perfectly. But if going by the story of how she joined the Phillips family, “Destiny” might be your pick.

Kim Phillips’ eldest daughter, Abby, heard about ophans in China. The six year old began saving every dollar she received for future adoption expenses. It wasn’t long before Kim sensed this might become a family effort.

And then, different friends from different parts of the country reached out at different times to tell Kim about a young girl in China who was blind and needed a home.

Kim remembers, “My heart started to pound. It felt like this was my daughter."

​That’s when the Phillips family reached out to Bethel China. By fall of 2008, Hope was three years old, in the United States, and enrolled at Blind Children’s Learning Center.

How Hope Has Succeeded Since