Parents, braille will be much harder for your students to obtain.

Hi everyone, I’m devastated that the Trump administration’s anti- diversity, equity, and inclusion policies target people with sensory loss. The Department of Education recently used the policy to cancel grants that funded our nation’s major braille training programs. No training = Less braille access.

  • DIVERSITY: Blind, low vision, and DeafBlind students represent diversity in the general student population.
  • EQUITY: Blind students have the right to receive educational materials in accessible formats such as braille.
  • INCLUSION: Our students have the right to be included in all aspects of public life and community.
  • The Department of Education is using these DEI terms to cancel grants that serve our community! We can’t let that happen!

You may remember, that I fought a vicious battle to obtain braille for Kai’s high school math and science classes. We ‘won’ in mediation, and Kai got what he needed, and we made braille access easier for all students in our district, but now the nation’s current and future braille readers are at risk.

BELOW IS THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW

Continue reading “Parents, braille will be much harder for your students to obtain.”

A Great Resource for Transition-Age Youth with Visual Impairments

Transitions are hard for everyone, but can be especially fraught with anxiety for blind and low vision students and their parents. I’m excited to introduce you to a valuable resource that can help. MEET EMPOWER VI!

I’ve had the pleasure of contributing two video segments to their program. And I appreciate that they are committed to sharing a variety of perspectives on important topics.

The video below is me discussing the importance of allowing my blind son Kai to take risks. It’s titled, Kim Owens: The Dignity of Risk. It is part of a free course that parents can access by clicking here. If you take the free course, please also take the survey at the end. The data is important in supporting this work.

The next video is me sharing about our choice to send Kai to a local public school instead of the state’s school for the blind. It’s titled, Kim Owens: Public School Perspective. It is part of a free course that can be accessed by clicking here.

To check out more videos like these, visit the EMPOWER VI YouTube channel!

LEARN MORE ABOUT EMPOWER VI
At EMPOWER VI our goal is to support transition-aged students with visual impairment, especially those in rural communities, by providing the tools, resources, and community they need to succeed after high school.

Whether you’re a student, a family member or a professional, we offer free, virtual resources that help bridge the gap between high school and what comes next, including postsecondary education, employment, and independence.

Continue reading “A Great Resource for Transition-Age Youth with Visual Impairments”