Articulating the Need for Daily Consultation Time for Braille Students
Submitted by mlewicki on Mar 23, 2016
I frequently need to defend why I need daily consultation time daily for my braille students. I had a lot of fun recently articulating what I do every day during that time, and thought I would share, in case you might find it useful to add to your IEPs, or so that you are prepared to explain to anyone who asks "Why do you need all that time?".
Notice there is no mention of eating bonbons, but it does explain why we are so stinking tired at the end of the day. 
Feel free to add to the list, as I'm sure I forgot something.
I add this to the section:
Services that Benefit the Student
- TVI will meet regularly with the with classroom teacher, special teachers, Assistive Technology Specialist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, Technology Department, Vendors and Aide.
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Consultation time will also be used for:
- adapting materials
- adapting classroom lessons
- preparing lessons for the student relative to the IEP goals
- researching and procuring books in hard copy braille
- learning specialized software relevant to the student (to facilitate teaching it to them)
- learning better practices for braille translation programs, including ways to manipulate documents so that they are digitally ready for the braille translation programs
- checking on technology issues with the printers, embossers, braille notetakers, screen reading programs, translation programs, math translation software, braille note takers, tablets, and app interfacing issues
- computer accessibility issues
- finding organizations that lend or produce books
- shipping books back to the organizations that lent them
- sending out equipment and technology for repairs
- ongoing training of the aide in producing braille and graphics, as well as methods that will increase the student's independence
Have fun out there, and take a nap on the couch when you get home!
