Accessible Test

Getting To Know You: A Social Skills/Ability Awareness Curriculum

for Students with Visual Impairments and Their Sighted Peers

(Continued)
Purpose

The purpose of this curriculum is two-fold: 1) To provide an opportunity for students with visual impairments and their sighted peers to learn and teach each other about the social skills needed to get along in the world and how both sighted people and people with visual impairments may differ in how they project themselves in social situations and 2) to have students with visual impairments teach sighted students the techniques they use to be independent in life. The lesson plans are divided into three levels: Lower Elementary (K-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), and Middle and High School. Each lesson includes an objective, targeted skill areas, an introduction, a list of materials needed, and an activity section that explains how to conduct the lesson. Lessons were designed to be conducted during a short half-hour period, preferably during students' shared lunchtime.

Project Staff

Charles “Burt” Boyer, Early Childhood Project Leader

Nita Crow, Consultant
Stephanie Herlich, Consultant

Monica Vaught, Research Assistant (Acting Early Childhood Project Leader)

Rosanne Hoffmann, Research Assistant

Background

There are well-documented articles and books written on the need for social skills training for students with visual impairments. There are also studies that have found that teachers of the visually impaired often teach social skills incidentally and not on a regular basis. They do not have concrete materials needed to teach social skills and time has not been set aside to address these skills. There is less published information about the curiosity that sighted students have with regard to how their peers who are visually impaired get around in the world and conduct everyday tasks. While the two topics appear to be quite different, we found that including them both in this curriculum provided both groups with the opportunity to learn about each other and do so in a safe and accepting environment. The targeted group for every lesson in our curriculum is both students with visual impairments and their sighted peers.

This curriculum focuses on learning those skills that will help students understand each other and learn how they are similar and different. The lessons teach students various skills either in the area of social development or adaptive techniques. Understanding each other and getting along in the world are two of the best educational principles that a student can learn. This curriculum was originally developed in 1997-99 and the lessons have been expanded in the subsequent years. The authors have used this curriculum for 8 years with various groups and presented the curriculum at two California State conferences and at the Denver AER International Conference. Additionally, at least three other teachers in California have used or reviewed this curriculum and two peer reviewers on the East coast have also reviewed the curriculum. Feedback from peer reviewers has been positive. One suggestion that many reviewers mentioned was a desire for the inclusion of some of the specialized materials listed in various lesson plans. They felt this would make the curriculum a great deal easier for them to use.

In 2008, the project leader and consultants met twice to review the curriculum and make revisions to the original document. In addition, a great deal of time was spent discussing what items to include in the kit to accompany the curriculum guidebook. The project leader developed a plan to make some of the items to include in the kit. Some discussion took place as to whether or not a training video should be considered. The final decision was that this was not needed at this time.

The project leader worked with BISIG to begin the process of having the curriculum guidebook prepared for printing. BISIG prepared a draft of the guidebook, and several illustrations have been identified to be included in the guidebook. The project leader and BISIG planned to have pictures of students taken as illustrations to depict a variety of the activities in the guidebook. The Getting to Know You kit was reviewed and revised. Graphics and illustrations needed for the guidebook were identified. Items for the kit were discussed and a preliminary list made.

Work during FY 2009

The project leader worked with the consultants to finalize the components of the kit to accompany the guidebook. The project leader began to build the prototype of the kit, which included purchasing items and creating others. Illustrations were completed for cards to be used in the kit. The project leader worked to identify a source for the vision simulators; it was determined that three vision simulators will be included in the kit and these will have to purchased. Pictures and illustrations for the guidebook were completed. A research assistant reviewed the guidebook, and revisions were made.

Work planned for FY 2010

Expert reviewers will be identified. Prototypes for this product will be completed and sent out for expert review. Revisions will be made based on feedback from evaluators. Product will become available.

Preschool Attainment Through Typical Everyday Routines

(PATTER)

(Completed)
Purpose

Curriculum and assessment tool designed to facilitate a visually impaired child's learning of the skills that preschool children are expected to master through involvement in typical household routines

Project Staff

Charles “Burt” Boyer, Early Childhood Project Leader

Sandra Lewis, Consultant

Rosanne Hoffmann, Research Assistant

BISIG Impact Group, Graphic Design
Background

Research has documented that the families of young children with visual impairments tend to allow their children to be passive participants in the activities that surround them, especially the naturally occurring events that are typically required to maintain a home. Because of the issues inherent in congenital blindness and visual impairment (difficulty with incidental learning, reluctance to explore, low muscle tone, etc.), these children don't demand, as children with vision do, to be involved with what the grown-ups are doing. As a result, these children have difficulty acquiring concepts, language, social skills, motor milestones, and self-concept.

PATTER is designed to invite parents to have their children who are blind or who have low vision help with making the bed, putting groceries in the cart, washing the car, and so forth. It is intended to encourage parents to appreciate what it means to "treat the blind child like you would any other child"—not by waiting for the child to initiate an interest in these activities (as typical children do)—but by just involving the child. It is the belief of the developers of PATTER that young children with visual impairments learn through doing—by being actively engaged in meaningful activities.

The project leader reviewed PATTER materials and decided that the product should be evaluated as a possible APH quota product. The product idea form was submitted by Sandra Lewis, Director of the Teacher Training Program for Teachers of the Visually Impaired at Florida State. The product idea went through the review procedures at APH, and the decision was to pursue PATTER as an APH product. A contract was secured with Lewis, including APH gaining exclusive rights to PATTER making it eligible to become a quota product. The project leader obtained the master videos of PATTER from Lewis.

The project leader and consultant completed the following tasks in 2008:

• 
  Thoroughly reviewed all components of PATTER for determining whether additional ones should be developed. No additional components were identified.
  
• 
  Developed additional routines for participation by the child.
  
• 
  Coordinated PATTER videos transference to DVD format.
  
• 
  Videos were reviewed by BISIG to determine their quality.
  
• 
  PATTER manuscript was reviewed and revised by project leader and consultant. Appropriate changes made.
  
• 
  Project leader met with BISIG to begin identifying layout of product, and any graphics to be included.
  
• 
  BISIG finalized guidebook for printing, and prepared DVD for duplication.
  
• 
  Appropriate documents and materials were to production to prepare product for sale.
  

The project leader worked with the research assistant to complete editing of product. The project leader worked with the consultant to finalize the written document after editing was completed. Project leader worked with BISIG to determining what graphics would be included in the guidebook. A final review was made of the quality of the videos to determine if any retakes were needed. The product was not sent out for field review as three expert reviewers have provided positive feedback indicating this will be a valuable product to have on quota for the field to purchase and use.

Work during FY 2009

PATTER became available for purchase as a quota item in February 2009. Three hundred copies were sold in the first month. Work has been completed on this product.