The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre).
The SVRC PD program for term 3appears below. For the complete list of activities for 2004 go to: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/PD2004.html
All activities are open to subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, careers teachers, therapists, parents, VTs, students etc. Please remember to register: tel (03) 9841 0242, fax (03) 9841 0878 or email svrc@svrc.vic.edu.au
Professional Development Event
– Term 3 |
Date |
| O&M Morning | Tuesday 20 July |
| Mountbatten Workshop (‘Users’) 10am-12.30pm - BYO MB | Friday 23 July |
| Window Eyes Workshop 9.30-12.30pm - BYO laptop | Monday 2 August |
| Visiting Teacher Day | Tuesday 10 August |
| JAWS Workshop 10am-12 noon - BYO laptop | Thursday 19 August |
| MAGic Workshop 10am-12 noon - BYO laptop | Tuesday 7 September |
Remember the VT PD Day on 10th August – the program isn’t finalised as yet, but may include the following (and more):
Please remember to register! Any of the usual methods are acceptable! – Look forward to seeing you there!!!
Gerry Kennedy is again facilitating a number of interesting computer training programs, three of which are described below:
Tuesday 24 August 9.00-12.00
Irfanview is a freeware program that is fast, efficient and easy to use in manipulating and editing photographs from digital cameras and graphics. As a freely available program, all staff can use it at school, on personal and school notebooks and at home to crop, resize, re-colour and edit digital camera and/or scanned images. Irfanview can open and launch sound and movie files as well as supporting all popular graphic formats. It is a flexible program that allows students to work efficiently and use multi media resources effectively in all school tasks. In this session, participants will learn about the different image formats, how to convert, store and print them efficiently.
Monday 26 July 1.00-3.00 Tuesday 10 August 9.00-12.00
Clicker 4 is a versatile and flexible word processing program with onscreen word grids and full voice options. Clicker 4 provides up to five different writing options for students in Prep-Year 8 and caters to students of all abilities. It is packaged with over 1000 graphics and students can add their own digital images and photos, scanned images and clip art. It is an ideal program for mainstream classes and for schools supporting students who have either additional learning or access needs.
Wednesday 14 July 1.00-3.30 Beginner/Intermediate
Wednesday 21 July 1.00-3.30 Beginner/Intermediate
Wednesday 28 July 1.00-3.30 Making Talking Projects
Tuesday 3 August 9.00-12.00 Beginners
Monday 9 August 1.00-3.30 Intermediate
Tuesday 10 August 1.00-3.30 Beginners
Wednesday 25 August 1.00-3.30 Advanced
Tuesday 31 August 9.00-12.00 Beginners/Intermediate
Tuesday 31 August 1.00-3.30 Talking Projects
Where: Concord Education Support Centre, 411 Grimshaw St Bundoora
[ Melways 20 C1 ]
Cost per session per participant: $44.00 (inclusive GST)
For information about these and other programs offered or to register:
tel (03) 9467 3972 fax (03) 9467 8018 email hayes.emily.g@edumail.vic.gov.au
or kennedy.gerard.r@edumail.vic.gov.au
Latest count, Space Campers 2004 comprise the following lucky adventurers:
Students
Staff
The massive effort to raise the approximately $40,000 needed to make the trip a reality is well under way. Jeni has even enlisted several former Space Campers (and of course her long suffering family members) to assist her with her sausage sizzles! She has plans for a SILENT AUCTION – so if you have something to donate – please let us know!
And if you’d like to spend some time during the weekend sizzling sausages with Jeni, your offer will be willingly accepted! Any other information call Jeni – 0428 134660.
If your student wishes to take advantage of the free bike offer for joining the Great Victorian Bike Ride for 2004, their applications need to be in to Jeni Blake ASAP. Jeni already has two interested participants – Nathan and Kyle.
Students will need to pay $250 of the $440 GVBR fee by 16 July 2004 – cheques made payable to ‘Seaford Primary School’ as details need to be included with a school’s application. The balance is due by 8 October.
If you want to join the Visiting Teacher Service group please register your interest with Jeni Blake on 0428 134660. For further information, see Bulletin 6, 2004: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/06%2704.htm#gvbr
Article by Rachel Morgan, Children's Mobility Services, Guide Dogs Victoria
During the coldest week in history (28 June-2 July), 11 senior students left the comforts of Melbourne and travelled to Hall’s Gap in the Grampians. They were bound for adventure with Guide Dogs Victoria – new friends to meet and new sights to see in the crisp country air!
Upon arrival at Hall's Gap the students accessed the Information Centre and discovered some activities to do during the week. Bushwalking was particularly popular with the group managing to complete two walks, the second walk being a massive five kilometers long! Needless to say many ice-creams were consumed following this effort.
A very educational and humorous activity (that was not intended to be funny) was the Car Rally Exercise. Rachel Morgan had pre-organised four different car rally routes and a list of directions to end up in the town of Stawell. The students split into small groups and armed with directions, compass and a map, they directed the staff member in the car to drive in certain directions. Some of the groups however needed assistance after they found following the directions was a physical impossibility!!! (which way is north Rachel??) As you can probably guess, Rachel was teased mercilessly for the rest of the camp and the students loved it. They all did a fantastic job learning how to follow directions, look for landmarks, identify intersections and use the compass and maps. Well done guys!
Some of the other activities the students participated in were: bowling, mini-golf, shopping independently at Hall's Gap and visiting the Ararat Jail "J" Ward. This last activity was chosen not only to scare the students (ha ha) but to give them an insight into the life of the gold-digger inmates and the environment they had to endure in prison.
At the end of week party which was held on Thursday night, the students’ general knowledge and O&M knowledge was tested with both teams doing an excellent job. The younger team beat the older team by one point. Well done!! All students reported that they enjoyed the week away, especially making new friends and the freedom to do activities independently.
Thanks everyone for a fantastic week and we hope to see you at the senior camp in January based in the Melbourne CBD.
Source: Braille Monitor, April 2004
If you’d like to read a delightful article by Wisconsin woman, Terri Uttermohlen, about learning to scuba dive and then her first experience in the sea, please contact us. She writes:
As we swam, (the instructor) would tap my right arm when he wanted to guide my hand to show me things. I touched rocks bearded with algae, a tiny closed clam, and a conch shell that I believe still encased the conch. I saw sea plants that looked like firmly planted garden weeds and beautiful slime-oozing strands of tall sponges shaped like kielbasa. Mark placed my hands on coral, stubby sponges, and sea fans. One type of sea fan made of fuzzy finger-wide tendrils seemed to pull itself away from my touch. Another type had wide, rigid leaves that didn’t move at all. I was amazed when I touched coral. This variety was a hard globe with a pattern of lines and swirls incised into the surface.
You can also find the article on the National Federation of the Blind website: http://www.nfb.org
Source: http://www.blindness.org/coping/resourceDetail.asp?res=1&id=5
Attached to the print issue of The Bulletin is a comprehensive article from the Foundation Fighting Blindness website with lots of interesting food for thought for your students with Retinitis Pigmentosa. You can read the full article by clicking the link above.
For readers who would prefer to listen to the article, go to the site and click on the sound icon – the text will be read to you!
Young Blind Citizens Victoria is one of two current youth branches of Blind Citizens Australia. Our purpose is to support blind and vision impaired youth who want to lead full and independent lives. Young Blind Citizens Victoria has a vital role to play in representing the needs and ideas of young blind and Vision Impaired youth to Blind Citizens Australia and to the broader community.
Young Blind Citizens Victoria offers its members an exciting and varied mix of social, policy and discussion activities. We want to provide an opportunity for discussion, action and peer-support in a relaxed atmosphere that combines formal and social activities. For more information please visit our website at: http://www.bca.org.au/ybc.
Membership of YBCV is easy and free for all BCA members or Junior BCA members living in Victoria. To become a member of YBCV, you can e-mail us at: ybcv@bca.org.au or call the BCA National office for assistance during business hours on (03) 9372 6400 or 1800 033 660.
We value involvement from all of our members and encourage rural and regional young Victorians to participate. We welcome anyone who is interested from the young or the young at heart. It is by working together on issues affecting us that young people who are blind or vision impaired can achieve equity and independence within the community.
Note: If you are not a BCA member yet, please phone the BCA National Office during business hours or e-mail BCA at bca@bca.org.au
Our web site is an easy to use and accessible site and a great place to browse through all the information about us. The site has information about past events, newsletters, upcoming activities and contact information for the branch. Check out YBCV at: http://www.bca.org.au/ybc
Come and join us on the net via our own mailing list. Stay up to date with all that is happening in YBCV. This is the best way to be notified of coming up events, fundraisers or social activities. It is easy to join. All you have to do is send a blank email to: bca-youth-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
YBCV hosts the vip-ed discussion list for all aspects of education as they relate to blind and vision-impaired people. To join the list, send a blank email to: vip-ed-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
This list exists to provide a place for issues relating to education and the access of education materials for people who are blind, vision-impaired or have print-disabilities. We also have a number of Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs), teachers, caregivers, note takers, readers, assistants, parents and anyone who is interested on the list to provide support and suggestions for students.
YBCV has positive contact and involvement with several groups of young people in the blindness community. Some of these groups are:
We are also in contact with Visiting Teachers (VTs) for secondary school and DLOs at post-secondary institutions. We maintain these networks to ensure we have contact with the widest range of young blind people in Victoria.
Some potential YBCV activities are:
If you like the sound of these ideas, please let us know and we will ensure that they become a 2004 event/activity for the branch. We would also like to hear any other ideas and suggestions of what you would like to see YBCV do in 2004. We are constantly looking for member feedback and input to create an organisation that truly meets the needs of the blind and vision impaired youth of Victoria. We all look forward to making 2004 the best year yet for YBCV.
The following article was written by Dr Mike Steer, Renwick College Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children; The University of Newcastle.
Students with difficult behaviours that challenge successful education are found in almost every public school in Australia. These are individuals, in some instances children, who have made a reputation for themselves by their reaction to the various attempts at schooling they have received. If they have already spent many years failing at school, they are sometimes designated by school system administrators as “not yet ready for general education”: In some of today’s ordinary neighborhood schools, the reverse is held to be the case - i.e. it is the school that is “not yet ready to receive them”. More often than not, in listening to what the behavioural language of such youngsters is telling us, two propositions become evident:
The question of who owns the disorder and the notion of “owning” a disorder might at first glance appear a fiction. If a student is labeled behaviourally disordered or emotionally disturbed, the problem is apparently the student’s. The answer is not, however, that simple. If having a behavioural disorder is also partially determined by environmental expectations, it is likely that many children who have found themselves thus labelled, have become so because the expectations made of them were inappropriate.
The history of schooling for children with vision impairment, including an intellectual disability, particularly where so-called challenging behaviour is a feature, seems to me to have been a particularly bleak one. Many such students currently and in the past are and have been, world-wide, subjected to life and schooling in very restrictive environments, offering limited experiences together with negative, punitive treatment, loss of real relationships and opportunities for independence. This is still the case, I suspect, for many hundreds of students with disabilities in our state.
Until very recently these factors had reflected Bill Brown’s experiences and life fairly accurately. His name is fictitious, to safeguard the innocent. He had apparently lived in one or other of the state’s large institutional settings (euphemistically called Developmental Centres) for most of his life and had engaged in numerous forms of severe and life-threatening self abuse. In 2001, Bill moved from a relatively large institutional “home” in rural NSW, into a supervised foster placement. Now, in 2004 at age 18, he has graduated to a full-time job in his local community and seldom, if ever, engages in self-injurious behaviour. It is my hope that his story will inspire readers who want to help students with difficult (or challenging) behaviours to live with dignity and lead satisfying lives in our ordinary everyday Australian communities.
Bill Brown at 18 years old, lives on the New South Wales Central Coast. His records indicate that he has been labeled over the years as being “visually (these days more accurately termed vision) impaired” and having first “mental deficiency”, later “mental retardation” and more recently “intellectual disability”, together with “mental health problems” (which we would perhaps today term “psychiatric disorder”). He was first placed in a custodial setting in1990, when he was about four years old. He does not speak, but does use vocal sounds, gestures and pointing to let people know what he wants. Since his preschool years he had been reported as having “severe self-injurious behaviour”. These were at times life and health threatening. His behaviour often resulted in extensive tissue damage, periodic hospitalisation, serious malnutrition and extensive weight-loss. Some of the very serious behaviour that were a feature of his earlier institutional records include; frequent vomiting, ruminating, head-slapping, excessive scratching and rubbing, picking and tearing off his finger and toenails, body slapping, eye-poking and body-banging. On average he received monthly medical treatment while at the “home” for injuries sustained from his self-abuse. He also yelled and cried frequently, hit and kicked others, spat, vomited and defecated on others.
Because of these behaviours he rarely attended the educational day program that had been arranged for him outside the “home”. In fact he seldom left the “home” grounds, or his living unit except to receive treatment for his injuries. A wide variety of procedures, using both positive and aversive (negative) forms of reinforcement had failed to modify his behaviour in any significant way within the institutional environment and his vomiting had escalated to the point of serious weight loss.
Whenever he injured himself, he was physically restrained until he was calm. The restraint was used frequently and sometimes resulted in injury to the staff. Because of the vomiting and weight loss problem he had to be released if he vomited while being restrained. The institution’s psychologist prepared a pro-active treatment program for Bill in which he was taken for 10 minute walks as a reward for not engaging in self-injurious behaviour.
The psychologist noticed that during these short walks off the living unit Bill did not engage in self injury. The program was revised so that he could spend longer periods of time away from the unit in a variety of community environments. Continued improvement confirmed staff suspicion that there was a relationship between the self-injury and his “home” institutional environment. The staff also reported that they avoided using aversive procedures, for example, restraint and time-out, because they considered those treatments to be responsible for the increased vomiting. In fact, it appeared that Bill might be using self-injury for a variety of purposes including getting attention and avoiding tasks. It was as though he was using these various life-threatening and negative behaviours to gain control within the institutional “home” environment, over which, in fact, he had little or no control.
As a result of these observations, the psychologist developed an alternative positive intervention program for Bill, with the assistance of an academic from a neighboring university. The alternative plan provided Bill with some long overdue choices in, and control over his daily life. The aversive procedures were all dropped. In contrast to past procedures, an emphasis was placed upon implementing extensive programs and placements. These completely changed both the circumstances and environments associated with his previous self-injurious behaviour and replaced them with meaningful alternatives.
The new plan had four very basic components:
The significant relationships established by Bill in the past were also of primary concern. Attempts were made to reintroduce him to his family. In addition, his primary direct-care staff person at the institution, who had also become his friend, was asked to move with Bill to his apartment as a foster-carer. A second full-time staff person was hired prior to his move in order to establish a positive relationship before the move from institutional setting to community.
In June 2000 the move was made. Two other children also with disabilities live in the apartment. Bill participated actively in preparing for the move. For example, he helped plan, buy and arrange all necessary personal items prior to moving. He packed his belongings and placed them appropriately in his new home. He also participated in selecting furniture for the house and choosing which bedroom would be his.
He also completed two vocational training placements at job sites in the community, doing clean-up work and found a full-time job in the community. He was now been living in the community for a year and the dramatic improvements in his life and behaviour have been maintained. He continues to work a full day in the community and no longer requires one-to-one staffing during the work day, or evenings at the apartment. He takes part actively in all household duties including cooking, cleaning, laundry and shopping. He takes part in social and recreational activities and attends parties, movies, picnics and other social functions. He also attends church regularly. His general health and weight have improved.
Bill is responding positively to new demands that reflect a more meaningful lifestyle and is learning to make choices and exercise proper control of his life. His story teaches us the importance of providing the same kinds of resources and efforts to implement non-aversive, community-based supports as those used in developmentally restricted group settings. In his case, all previous efforts had been unsuccessful. In fact they had been life-threatening. Long standing behavioural patterns were finally reversed by providing the experiences which should have been in place for anyone in any good service delivery system.
The following article is reprinted from the May 2004 issue of RVIB Client Newsletter & Group Programs and was written by Jody W Ianuzzi
A blind woman is travelling alone down a dark, deserted street. There are some people who might consider her helpless and vulnerable. I would like to change that image. That blind woman just might be me on my way to teach my judo class.
Many of the challenges of blindness can be overcome by learning alternative techniques. Some situations can be a bit more challenging than others.
As a child in public school, I remember the schoolyard bully, who tested my vision by punching me in the face. My gym teacher gave me a permanent waiver from class, after years of sitting on the sidelines while the rest of the class played a variety of ball games.
Eventually, I found a solution to these challenges as well. Judo became my ultimate alternative technique. When I first heard about judo classes, I was hesitant. Based on my past experience, I didn't think the judo instructor would consider me as a student. Happily, I was wrong! The instructor didn't care if I couldn't see. He was more interested in what I could do, and I could do judo. I sincerely mean it when I say that my life hasn't been the same since that day.
It is now twenty years later. Life has come full circle. I am the instructor and I am recruiting blind and sighted members to my judo club. I want to give to my students what judo has given to me.
Unlike some martial arts, judo needs no adaptation for blind players. Blind players have been active in judo for many years, practising with sighted players on an equal basis. My students and I have attended many tournaments and clinics, both large and small and we have never been excluded or shown any favouritism. For children who are blind, judo can provide an opportunity to be ‘just one of the kids’ both at practice and when attending club activities. This is as it should be, as it benefits all players and embodies the philosophy of judo as well.
Judo is a full contact form of self-defence that includes throwing techniques, pins, chokes and joint-locks. A basic principle of judo is that a small person can throw a larger person by using the motion of the larger person to throw himself. In this way, if a person pushes you, then you pull them into a throw.
The physical benefits of judo practice include self-defence training, weight control, and physical fitness. With regular practice there is a noticeable improvement in balance, coordination and orientation. Men and women of all ages from small children to adults enjoy judo. It is a great way to get back into shape and stay in shape while having a lot of fun too. One aspect of judo that I enjoy is that it challenges your mind as well as your body. Other forms of exercise can be boring and it is easy to lose interest in them.
There is a philosophical benefit to judo training. As you challenge yourself you gain a feeling of accomplishment that carries over to all aspects of life. The knowledge that you can handle a physical conflict makes a verbal conflict much less threatening. You will find that you develop a strength of mind to stand up for what you believe in, but also a strength of mind that will allow you to step back when it is wise.
As skills and attitudes develop, the schoolyard bully becomes less of a concern. The blind person walking down the deserted street isn’t as vulnerable as some might think. The person who attempts to be dominating, finds they are not successful. Judo is a way to even the odds and change what it means to be blind.
I hope I have sparked an interest in you to learn judo. It can change your life as it has changed mine. Challenge yourself!
Source: DE&T Circular 158/2004
For the October 2004 annual round (ie 2005 program year), Program Support Groups/schools need not reapply for a continuation of existing allocations to students with end-dates, unless they wish to seek increased funding to meet changes in students’ educational needs.
In October 2004 schools should therefore only submit applications for:
Application processes for new students and reviews of students from Years 6-7 will therefore be the critical review points in terms of establishing educational needs for Program support. Schools should refer to Circular 085/2004 which outlines the review process for students in the transition Years 6-7 or equivalent.
At separate special general meetings held recently in Melbourne and Sydney, the company members of Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind and Vision Australia Foundation and Royal Blind Society of NSW voted to merge. Graeme Innes, President of the new Board of the merged entity, said the next step in the process was for the amalgamation to be ratified by the Federal Court, a formality that would take place on 6 July 2004. For more information contact:
Maryanne Diamond, Executive Officer of Blind Citizens Australia, has accepted the position of CEO of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, the newly formed national peak body for people with disabilities. Maryanne's resignation from BCA will take effect on 30 July 2004. ACROD looks forward to working collaboratively with Maryanne and the Federation.
The next two meetings for the Victorian Sub-committee of the ABA are going to be:
Where: Training Room – Vision Australia Foundation,
Glenferrie Rd Kooyong
Time: 5.30pm
Thanks to Mike Steer and Geoff Bowen for their contributions to this edition of The Bulletin. Thanks also to my fabulous and long-suffering proof-readers Dianne Skillern and Lea Nagel.
Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au).