13 Yr Girl with Bad Eye Sight Needing Help with Organization in School.

I live in Oregon and have never dealt with the Montana school districts, but I can't see how they are getting away with saying they don't need to help her! I have worked in special education (I'm a speech pathologist) for the last 10 yrs. in several different school districts around Oregon. First and foremost, tell your daughter's teacher and principal that you want to refer her for special education (again). She may not qualify as a student with a learning disability, but I'm sure they have an eligibility category for visually impaired. Next, it sounds like you need to get an advocate. I don't know of the organizations in Montana that provide special education advocates, but if you google "special education advocates Montana" you will come up with them, I'm sure. (If not, let me know and I can send you some from Oregon that should be able to help you get in touch with some a bit closer to home). Advocates will help you deal with the school-- they know what your rights are and will assist you getting the help you need for your daughter. It can be a frustrating process, but don't give up-- there's help out there!
Good Luck!
--Emily

As a former teacher I know that your child is entitiled to an IEP(Individualized Education Plan). This is a plan draw up by the principal, teacher, and any other faculity that needs to be involved. This plan, once drawn up, must be followed. It can involve special seating arrangements, color coding,ect. You need to go to the Superintendent of your school system if your school principal is not doing anything to help you. Your child is entitled to equal education under the school laws!Let me know how it goes.

I have two suggestions but I am not sure if they would work for your daughter. You could try and get help through Department of Vocational Rehbiltation (DVR) and/or the blind school. I dont beleive people have to be completely blind for them to help. I worked for a company that was a contractor for both and they really help alot of people. I am just not sure of the specifics, its been awhile. But you could at least call them both and see what they say...?

Hi I used to work as what the school distruict called, "An Inclusion Aide," I sat in class with and helped students that had a disability. Call the District and see if they still have Inclusion Aides and maybe one of them could go with your daughter and help her either for a little while or for the rest of the year. It will not cost you anything as the school pays for it.
For your medical help, have you contacted Vocational Rehab, sometimes they have a office that helps young people in High School. Also the Federation of the blind or the Lions Club will help with Medical costs, that involve the eyes.
I hope this helps you. If you are in Idaho Falls, you might call the Child Developement Center as they might have some answers for you too.
Take care and May God Bless you with this need and help you find some answers.
J..

Something seems out of whack here. You have tried to resolve her sight disability with color coding, binders, etc. but her school won't let her do it? It almost sounds like you need to make a "Reasonable Accommodation" request in writing and present it to the school.

But first, can you set up a meeting with the principle and the teachers to find out what THEY think would help her and how they can help her achieve scholastic success? You could site the No Child Left Behind and let them know she is being left behind and if they don't reasonable accommodate her you'll get yourself an attorney.

I am wondering if the school has NOT agreed to your extra measures to keep her organized because they see a different child in their class...ie she is only putting this on for you. I am not saying that is the case, but it would be good to have that meeting with her teachers and principle and go with an open mind and really listen to what THEY think.

Good luck.

What state do you live in? Oregon has a group called "Oregon Parent Training and Information Center" - they help parents find resources and go with the parents to battle with the school to make sure the school is doing what they are legally obligated to do for your child. A learning disability is something causing the person to have a hinderance to the normal learning process. A child with ADHD has a LD because he can't sit still and concentrate even if he has no other problems - he's not able to do well in school, that is a disability regardless of the cause. I would tell your school that your daughter requires accomodation in the classroom! Check into the federal IDEA law and the No Child Left Behind Act - you have rights, the schools don't want you to know that because they don't want to put out extra effort! Find an advocate that knows the law and can go with you if you get intimidated easily. Good luck!

Talk to the school psychologist or Child Development Specialist and your daughter's core teacher. They can draw up a learning plan for your daughter and help her get through the day without so much stress. I admire your persistence in attempting to get her on track. The school is responsible for helping your daughter. Do not ignore this valuable resource. Your problem may be that she has not been properly "Identified" as a student in need of assistance.
Good Luck,
J. S

You need to set up a meeting with your daughter's teachers and administration (principal, councilor and other staff) to set up an IEP. She qualifies having a physical impairment. I'm shocked that she has not received any help as of yet! This is ultimately the school's responsibility but as your child's advocate you have every right to set up a meeting at everyone's convenience, although it should be ASAP. I would send an email and cc it to the superintendent stating your concerns and what you see as the problems and you should get pretty immediate results. Please keep us updated and let me know if you need any more information on how to get your daughter's rights to learn in place.

Hi C., this is absolutely not a sales pitch, but have you looked into CCTVs designed for people with low vision? I've worked in the CCTV field for several years and it's amazing how much they can help people with things like homework, reading, writing, etc. They can be pretty spendy ($2-$3k for a new one), but there are used ones available, and sometimes I run across people who want to donate an old one. In fact, this Sunday I have a man who's buying 2 new ones from me, and needs a home for his old ones (free!). They work, but aren't in the best shape. Email me at ____@____.com if you'd like to talk more about it.

They won't help your daughter with losing things at school, but they might help her grades by allowing her to do her homework more effectively.

Yep, IEP. And I know a Mom who had to almost camp out at the superintendents office for a week before getting the help her son needed. My brother has this same eye problem it sounds like. He had a cosmetic surgery when 5 to make his eyes point the same direction so havent really given much thought. I will ask him about this kind of trouble. He never finished highschool but did go get his GED and has a good paying job. Good Luck with your daughter.

You might try getting your daughter a lap-top with a basic printer cable. She could do her homework on it, go to class and print it out right there at school. It might seem like a hassle, but she would be sure that her homework was in her 'notebook'. Some schools have gone almost paperless because of laptop use.
You need to get a doctors prescription of her disability. That way she would fall under the school's guidelines for help. Your school district doesn't want you to know this, but they are resposible to get your child any help he or she needs.
Just an idea to throw around.

It sounds like your daughter's school is not being very helpful. Maybe you could look around and see if there are any better schools for her that would be willing to work with her problem. It might be kind of hard on her to lose friends, but her grades might improve.

You could also consider homeschooling too. I've heard of some excellent online home school programs.

You are entitled like the one lady said to an iep. You have to ask for an evaluation in writing. Send a copy to school and the special education dept since your school does not see your daughter's disability as a disability. It will take most of the year to set up, but they have to respond within 60 days to your request and they have to do the evaluation (by law) if you ask for one in writing. I would also go to the superintendent and (again writing) and tell them what is going on in your school. Ask for a copy of parent rights for special education they just updated it for this year so make sure it is 2007's. Once you get iep, make sure all her teachers are following it. Be firm but nice. Talk to the school councelor too they are the ones you will be dealing with. Look up IDEA on internet each child is intitled to a free education and what it takes to give them that. Unfortunetly sometimes as parents you have to fight for the services that they have. Also, keep a copy of everything you send to the school. Must have a paper trail they will deny all unless it is written down.

I would like to wish you the best of luck. I have few tips that I use at the office to help others organize, mainly accordian files. She would be able to keep all her homework in one "folder". Have you spoken with the superintendent about allowing her to have slightly different accomodations? I suggest that you go striaght to the top in order to enable her success. You also might be able to find someone through the UofO to help, they have great resourses and the students are always looking for a chance to help and learn.
Good Luck,
K.

C.,

It sounds like you have a wonderful teenage girl in need for help with finding things and having her eyes get better. I am not a doctor, but I do know of a doctor that has been a great resource to many children, teens and adults with eye issues. I have met him personally because he has worked with several members of our family and he is my eye doctor. He doesn't live in your state, but please check out his website at: www.doctorbruce.net. It has links to so many helpful tips. If that isn't enough perhaps you could email or call them and ask for a recommendation to a closer eye therapist or a place where you can find the imformation you are looking for. Not all doctors are alike and perhaps the one you went to wasn't what you needed...

Best wishes to you and your family,
G.

PS good job organizing!!

Another option....pull her out of public school and homeschool her. Maybe being home and being able to work at a slower pace to be able to gather her thoughts and work out a consistent system would help. You stated she knows her stuff and doesn't need a tutor and that is OK. Homeschool students are typically independent anyway....but teaching her organizational skills where you can monitor her ups and downs throughout the day might help her. She'll be turning her work in to you so you know it will be getting done. Just a thought. On another note...our Jr High AND Middle School HAVE to carry all of their things to every class. They can only go to their lockers in the morning, at lunch and after school. The Middle School has 10 classes!!! I homeschool mine. I love it.

Hello, first off let me say your daughter does not have to have a "learning disabilities" to qualify for for aid threw an IEP her physical disability alone makes her qualify, that is her learning disability, it affects her ability to learn.

My son has a language and comprehensiom disorder and organization had been one of the toughest issues we have had to have with him, he is know 16 and I have been involved with IEP's since he started school, his issue is he can't comprehend information that is to long and doesn't get right to the point, which lets face it the bulk of text books are really involved, they might read 5 pages but only 1 page holds the actuall info they need, for my son the school highlights only the info he needs, cutting down on the clutter. this might also help your daughter so that she doesn't feel quite so overwhelmed by the info, One other thing in his IEP is that homework may be turned in late without being penalised(SP).

Know here is how I help keep my son organized, it requires your 17 year old and your 12 year olds help. I have 7 kids, my son who is 16, two 15 year olds and a 13 year old, plus little ones, we each divide the subjects up and are responsible for keeping that subject organized, It takes some of the pressure off me but in the process helps the others to also learn organization skills and a little compassion. We moms can't do it all, at times we need to enlist the help of other children.

And about your daughters grades, look past those, my son's also suck so how I judge him, unlike my other kids, is by how hard is he trying. And if I can say he is trying hard, he is a success.

Feel free to write if you have any more questions, I would be happy to help any way I can!

I remember how hard it was to focus on school work when I started jr. High. I can imagine it is nearly impossable for your daughter. She may have an easier time if she couldn't see at all, so try using blind techniques. I know they organize their money by folding it differantly. get her to focus more on textures to stay organized. Also, it may be easier for her to stay on track if she had an eye patch. I know that my friend, who has a lazy eye, combs her hair over the lazy one because she is embarrassed by it, although I never noticed it until she pointed it out. I think it helps her ignore the weaker image, and use her strong eye to get things done. In the meantime, try and talk to her teachers and see if they have any ideas about alternative organization techniques. Also, there might be something else that interferes with her schoolwork as well. Some teachers can be very understanding and helpful if you talk to them one on one. I'm sure my mom would be. She is a retired english teacher.