opinion: more supports needed for blind, visually impaired students
we take issue with the fact that individual parents have to fight and advocate for their children every year.
3 minute read
empty classroom at an edmonton school. file photo.
postmedia, file
by: linda stainton and julia roy
the alberta society for the visually impaired (asvi) advocates for blind or visually impaired (bvi) children. we as parents are concerned and frustrated with the care, education, and developmental supports provided for bvi children in alberta. since our inception in 1976, developmental supports have been diversified and the responsibility, in whole or part, of several ministries. while alberta education has been the single consistent provider, the provisions overall from all, are inadequate.
in september of 2020, members of asvi edmonton met with education minister adriana lagrange. she provided two comments: education in its entirety is the responsibility of each school jurisdiction; and each jurisdiction is appropriately funded to ensure programming and placements are adequate. she encouraged us to continue to “monitor” and “advise.”
to that end, we created a survey that addressed each of the nine components of the alberta education document, the essential components of educational programming for students who are blind or visually impaired. the government of alberta vision alberta (2021) website states “each component is considered essential to the provision of a comprehensive program.”
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the results of this survey show that although bvi students are receiving some instruction in many areas, most students are missing areas of instruction, and very few are receiving instruction in all nine essential components. importantly, even when instruction is given, parents are generally not satisfied that the level of instruction is adequate to meet their child’s needs. (the complete survey results can be found at asviedmonton.org/news.) the survey results confirmed our concern that the supports our children are receiving are not meeting even the minimal standards as defined by alberta education.
one survey respondent expressed these concerns while also highlighting the long-term implications of not providing adequate supports to bvi students:
“there are very limited equipment and resources within the school system. parents are required to supplement these supplies to attempt to receive the equitable education that our children deserve … . i am not asking for anything special — just that my child can have the access to quality, free education that the rest of the students in alberta can access. investing in these students now will ensure that they are productive, independent taxpaying albertans in the future. this investment will pay for itself and add to the alberta economy as they age.”
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we have prioritized three issues:
- our children are the only major disability group whose care and support is allocated or directed to a charity. the impact of blindness needs to be recognized and supported properly and removed as the responsibility of a national charity.
- alberta education has a document that clearly defines appropriate education and developmental supports. students identified, as having severe vision loss should have the benefit of a service audit and supports, as defined in the essential components … for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- there are a grossly inadequate number of trained specialists (teachers of the visually impaired, braillists and transcribers, orientation and mobility instructors and technical experts) working in alberta. alberta education once addressed this through bursaries and post-secondary training programs. these have been eliminated; consequently our families are suffering. the funds and curriculums for post-secondary training need to be restored. the professionals trained through these programs live, provide an essential service, and pay taxes in alberta.
we have advocated for years that appropriate supports for our children be assured. school boards assert the funds granted are inadequate to meet assessed, existing needs. we take issue with the fact that individual parents have to fight and advocate for their children every year. this adversarial relationship is unacceptable. individuals who are blind and visually impaired require and deserve access to supports and services in schools and in the community in order to fully engage, participate in their lives, regardless of their families’ income or the fundraising ability of a charity.
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linda stainton has a totally blind son. as a teacher and advocate she has advised all levels of government and continues to work to improve services and supports for children with severe vision loss.
julia roy has worked in the school system providing supports for children with disabilities for 15 years and has a child who is visually impaired. both linda and julia are long-time executive board members of asvi edmonton.
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