Question 7.

My child needs textbooks in Braille. Does the school have to provide them?

Answer

Yes. The school must have an IEP in place for each child with a disability at the beginning of the school year.

The IEP must include the special education services, related services, and supplementary aids and services that meet your child's unique needs and provide her with a free, appropriate public education FAPE.

If the IEP specifies that your child will have textbooks in Braille, the school must provide these textbooks at the beginning of the school year.

If the school does not provide textbooks at no cost to you, they are not providing your child with FAPE.

The IEP should evaluate your child's reading and writing skills to determine her needs and the appropriate reading and writing media for her. Based on the results of this evaluation, if the IEP team decides your child needs instruction in Braille, the school must provide these textbooks.

A Learning Media Assessment (LMA) identifies the best reading format for your child (i.e., print, Braille, audio combination). A Learning Media Assessment helps the IEP team make other decisions about how to educate your child.

Legal Resource

Wrightslaw: All About IEPs Chapter 7 - Special Factors in IEPs

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition

IDEA

20 U.S.C.§ 1401(3)

20 U.S.C.§ 1412(a)(1)

20 U.S.C.§ 1412(a)(12)(b)(i)

20 U.S.C.§ 1414(d)(3)(B)(iii)

IDEA Regulations

34 C.F.R. §300.8(13)

34 C.F.R. §300.34

34 C.F.R. §300.105

34 C.F.R. §300.324(a)(2)(iii)

State Regulations

Check your state special education regulations to learnt the requirements in your state about additional assessments of children who are blind or visually impaired.;

Additional Resources

Assistive Technology Devices and Services

Family Creates Video about Raising Blind Kids. DVD about how parents can raise a "Wild, confident baby, toddler and preschooler."

CPIR - Special Factor #3: Blindness and Visual Impairment

Considering Blindness and Visual Impairment - Checklist

Learning Media Assessment
http://www.perkins.org/resources/scout/literacy-and-braille/learning-media-assessment.html

IEP Technical Assistance Guide (page 20), Nebraska Department of Education

Visual Impairment Checklist
Transition Guide for Blind, Visually Impaired, Deaf-Blind Students, Nebraska Department of Education

National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)

National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials (AEM)

AIM Basics for Families

National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)

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