Tag: Retinitis Pigmentosa

As Featured on Victoria Claire’s New Beyond Vision Website

Check it out: Navigating Blindness and Kai Owens were featured on Victoria Claire’s New Beyond Vision Website

Victoria Claire developed this site to inspire, support and advocate for the VI community and to change the public’s perception of the blind and visually impaired. Vicky is a talented speaker, sculptor, skater and surfer and, like Kai, she is legally blind from Retinitis Pigmentosa. She designs and makes amazing skateboards too! 
Through acceptance, adaptivity, and accessibility there is an amazing life for every visually impaired person. – Victoria Claire

Continue reading “As Featured on Victoria Claire’s New Beyond Vision Website” →

Breathe, Mama Bear, Breathe

Last week was the first week my legally blind son was back in school since the holidays. It was also the week that the action items in our formal mediation agreement were to be implemented by his high school.

The amount of internal stress I felt about his return to school took me by surprise. My fight-or-flight instinct kicked-in keeping my muscles tense, my breathing shallow, my mind jumpy and making sleep elusive. Continue reading “Breathe, Mama Bear, Breathe” →

Be Aware: Signs Ahead.

Signs. They are everywhere. Sometimes they alert us to danger, sometimes they send us on a detour. Our sign was created specifically to create a safe space for our blind son to traverse his high school parking lot filled with student drivers.

A couple of weeks ago in a Facebook forum for parents of blind kids, a parent asked how other people handle school drop off/pick up. I read several responses and decided to post a picture of our solution: a sign.  Continue reading “Be Aware: Signs Ahead.” →

Preparing for Battle: Support & Organization

Hi friends, This is my final post in a 3-part series about my family’s Special Education Formal Complaint and Mediation proceeding. If you are a new visitor to this blog, I’d recommend starting with the previous posts: Special Education Mediation Experience and  Formal Complaint & Mediation Processes Explained. Continue reading “Preparing for Battle: Support & Organization” →

Formal Complaint & Mediation Processes Explained

As discussed in my previous post we filed a Formal Complaint against our school system. This post will give an overview of what I learned about the complaint and mediation processes.

In early September, I downloaded the “formal complaint form” from our state’s education website. The document was four pages and asked a series of questions about the issues, and how we believed they could be resolved.  The Formal Complaint only covered issues that occurred within a 1-year time period. Near the bottom of the form, there was a question asking if we would be willing to mediate?  I selected “yes” thinking that I wanted to do everything possible to come to a resolution for my son. I submitted the complaint along with 20 pages of detailed records outlining the issues along with two recommendations for resolution.  Then I waited. Continue reading “Formal Complaint & Mediation Processes Explained” →

Special Education Mediation Experience

It’s been 5 days since our 8-hour mediation proceeding with the school district. (Yes, 8 long, emotionally draining hours.) The mediation was in response to a formal complaint we filed in September. Our allegations were that the school was not providing a Free Appropriate Public Education and was not upholding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in the areas of Accessibility and IEP Implementation.

I’m writing this article to assist other parents of blind children who are facing these issues. I hope to convey the process as we experienced it, as well as the immense emotional toll it took on our family. Continue reading “Special Education Mediation Experience” →

People Always Ask, “Is Kai Really Blind?”

Navigating Blindness was featured on Bold Blind Beauty! The blog owner, Stephanae McCoy, is a blind woman who loves style. She is a businesswoman, blogger, and abilities crusader who breaks the myth “blind people can’t be fashionable.” I find Stephanae to be a powerhouse in the blind and visually impaired community and I’m grateful to have our story featured: Continue reading “People Always Ask, “Is Kai Really Blind?”” →

Blindness and the Sixteenth Birthday

Last week was Kai’s 16th birthday.  I remember when we first heard the words “your son is going blind” and the feelings of dread and loss that swept over me when I realized he would not be able to drive.  It’s been 6 years since diagnosis, but right now we are feeling the diagnosis and loss acutely — like a fresh wound. Continue reading “Blindness and the Sixteenth Birthday” →