Infancy

From infancy, the blind or low vision child and his family need early professional services that focus on how the child learns about his world, how parents understand and help with that learning, the impact of loss of vision on early development, and how parents feel about having a child with a disability.

Research has estimated that up to 90% of what every child learns in the first three years of life is learned visually, primarily through imitation. Vision is the sense that allows us to integrate all of the things we learn about the world. Without normal vision, the child must learn to “see” and understand the world in new ways.

That is why the Foundation for Blind Children begins its work in infancy with the child and the child’s family in both the home and the classroom.

Preschool

The Foundation, in cooperation with the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind, provides daily preschool classroom programs for children who are blind or visually impaired, and who also may have multiple handicaps. Specialized teachers, counselors, and therapists work in cooperation with the child’s parents in planning an individualized program that will best meet the child’s needs. Research has shown that the first five years of life are the most critical developmental period. The child learns how to relate to the world, how to move in the world and how to understand the world around him. The child develops attitudes and aptitudes that affect him the rest of his life.

Elementary and Secondary Program

Itinerant teachers travel to the child’s educational setting, work with the child and classroom teacher to develop literacy and compensatory skills necessary to access information. Braille instruction begins at an early age with exposure to tactile materials and instruction in tactile discrimination. The itinerant teacher of children with visual impairment adapts classroom materials in a variety of ways such as adding braille, tactile or visual cues, or large print so the child has equal access to the materials.

Sports, Habilitation, Arts and Recreation Program (SHARP)

The SHARP program provides year-round opportunities for school-age students. There are weekend programs during the school year and weeklong programs in the summer with activities from archeology to zoology. Students participate in sports like rock climbing, swimming and diving, horseback riding and goal-ball.

SMART Program

(Skill Mastery & Adjustment in Rehabilitation & Transition)

The Foundation provides a full array of programs targeting the rehabilitation needs of adults and the transition needs of youth. It offers year-round services for students and adults who are transitioning into the work force. Programs focus on interviewing techniques, job search strategies and work experience opportunities. It offers a six-week comprehensive summer independent living program as well as a six-week college preparation program open to high school seniors across Arizona.

Independent Living Training Program

Another way the Foundation for Blind Children promotes independence is through its Independent Living Training Program, a unique program designed for the benefit of high school age students who are blind or visually impaired living in Arizona. Skill areas included in the curriculum are cooking, grocery shopping, home management, street-crossing exercises, money management and hands-on vocational experience The program is designed to help students enhance their daily living skills, knowledge and use of community resources, social and personal development and use of leisure time.

Orientation and Mobility Training

To be independent in the world, a child must learn to be mobile. Whether at home, in the classroom, or in the neighborhood, a child must be able to orient to one’s environment and travel independently from one place to another. The child must see the world through all senses. Orientation and mobility specialists from the Foundation work individually with the child in each of these areas.

Media Center

At any age, in order to learn about and see the world, children with visual impairments need access to adapted materials, which will make learning meaningful and facilitate literacy and independence. Whether it is braille or large print, the student will receive any needed materials by the Foundation’s Arizona Instructional Resource Center (AIRC). In addition, students receive adaptive equipment including tactual maps and even games.

Technology Center

To be employable and competitive, children and adults must become technologically literate and learn employment-seeking skills. The Technology Center provides assessment and training to children and adults who are blind or visually impaired in the use of the latest assistive technologies.

Additionally, via the Technology Center’s Employment Services, individuals who are blind or visually impaired learn how to write resumes, find job openings, interview and obtain employment. Such training enables people who are blind or visually impaired to become successful and independent at school, at home, on the job, and in life.

Vision Rehabilitation Service

A person with low vision may have difficulty seeing when it comes to reading, writing, cooking or watching television. Low vision can impact the activities of students at school, employees on the job and adults at home and in the community. The Vision Rehabilitation Service treats individuals of all ages with vision impairment.

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Services for Children of school age (K through 12th grade) or younger:

• Infant Program



• Preschool Program



• Elementary and Secondary Program



• SHARP Recreation
  Program
  (SHARP stands for Sports, Habilitation, Arts and Recreation Program)

Services for Transition Age Youth and Adults:

• Employment Services



• SMART Program
  (SMART stands for Skill Mastery & Adjustment in Rehabilitation & Transition)
  
  
• Continuing Education

Services for All Ages:

• Orientation and Mobility Program

• Media Center
  
  
• Technology Center
  
  
• Counseling
  
  
• Therapy
  
  
• Family Workshops