Fighting for my son not to start certain special needs classes!?

Question

My son was diagnosed with morning glory syndrome and that to the eye doctors considers him legally blind. He is 6 months old for goodness sake and his teachers believe he should start in normal classes. Dont get me wrong I know he has a disability but I dont want him to be bunched with children who have down syndrome because he is not on that level.

When he starts regular school in 2 years I believe he should start regular classes rather than being taught as if he has downs syndome. He is a little boy with vision problems not mental problems.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

9 minutes ago - 3 days left to answer.

Additional Details

3 minutes ago

i dont mean to sound negative in any way

His teachers believe these classes are not necessary because his vision is improving

Answer 1

Sounds like you just got the answer you were looking for.  By the time he does start school his vision may have improved even more.  

You're the parent, you should know what's best for your child.  You can start him in regular classes and see how it goes and then take it from there.  You wouldn't

want to see him struggling to keep up either.  Everything will be determined when he starts school, so don't be so worried now.

Answer 2

Do NOT put him into a "special education" classroom unless he has learning issues as well.  Being sight impaired does not mean learning impaired.  He will just learn a little differently.  You are right to be concerned!  When you are questioned about your choice, just ask "if he were missing a leg, would you put him in that program?"  Typical special education classrooms are a dumping ground for children who have a myriad of issues.  If your area offers a program for vision impaired children, then jump on it!  Otherwise you are correct, your child will be place with children with developmental issues, not just physical ones.

When he enters elementary school, you may want to consider a half day in general education and a half day in special education.  There will be some things that are very hard to do in a regular classroom (learning to read, math, writing), however listening to a story, participating in art, music, physical education, and so on should not be an issue.

Check to see if there are public schools that cater to students with vision issues in your area.  Your child will be able to receive the supports necessary and be educated with typical peers.

I am not familiar with his condition, but you may want to fight for a paraeducator to help guide him through the building and assist with his learning.

There are many assistive technology devices http://www.abilityhub.com/vision/lowvisi... that can help these children learn with their peers...there are screen readers, books on tape, tactile numbers and letters, scanners, and so forth.  The more you know, the better.

Try reading Negotiating the Special Education Maze

http://www.amazon.com/Negotiating-Specia...

so that you will be familiar with the tons of paper work and what your rights are.  You may also want to look at hiring the services of an "educational consultant" or a "parent advocate."  They are not cheap, but they know the ins and outs of special education and can be great for guiding you in the right direction.

Answer 3

I worked with a student yesterday that has low vision and is in a regular classroom. He uses a maginfing glass to help him see the words in the textbook. The special education teacher is in the room to assit him and any of the other special needs children to stay in a regular classroom. I think your son can do fine in a rgular classroom. However maybe look into a program like PPCD. That is a preschool program for students with special needs you can start at three and it helps the student make up ground so that they are ready at 6 for a regular classroom. Then they will have an aid or special edcuation teacher that assists them in the classroom. However if his vision is improving he may not qulify for special education.

Answer 4

I am assuming you get Early Intervnetion services now for your son. There will be no placing him in a classroom until he is 3 yrs old so I would wait and cross that bridge when you get there. Is it possible the eye Drs are discussing a school for the visually impaired which is different than a special ed classroom. To be saying at 6 months of age you kid must be in special ed at 3 is pretty extreme.

Answer 5

First of all, special education classes are specific to the area of need. There are many different levels of service ranging from mentally retarded to gifted. Your son, if he learns at a typical rate, will never be placed in a mentally retarded class. That just isn't done.

In fact, your son may never even be classified until he is six years old because it is hard to assess a child any younger than that. Usually you are entitled to the services of a Mobility specialist in the case of Vision Impairment. Many vision impaired students are educated in the regular classroom with extra services.

The other benefit of special education is that the student receives special accommodations on classroom tests and on state tests. This is something to consider strongly when thinking about special ed services.

As the parent of a child with special needs, you are pretty much in the driver's seat. You must be included in any meeting about your child and you can make most of the decisions regarding placement.

Morning Glory Syndrome is not associated with mental retardation, so that type of class will not be considered. The curriculum in those classes will not meet your son's needs and no educator will dream of placing him there. There is a law that says your son MUST be place in the least restrictive environment possible. And believe it or not almost all educators act in the best interest of the child.

For further information on your rights as a parent of a child with special needs, go to the Wright's Law website.

Answer 6

I tend to agree that a general special needs class is not what your child needs.  At this point, what he is going to need is to work with (at least at first) teachers who can help him learn how to function and work with his disability.  Legally blind can cover a fair amount of ground...from limited vision to none...and you don't mention if the level of vision will decrease over time.  In any case, you do have some time before this becomes a big issue.   He won't be eligable for services through the schools for another two years.  At that point, they would evaluate him to see what he would qualify for.  Qualifying for special ed support does not automatically mean placement in a special ed class. It can mean placing the child in a "normal" class, but making sure certain adaptations are in place to help the child.  However, if his vision is improving, by the time your child would be old enough to qualify, there may be no need!  Relax...do what you need to do for now.  Once your child is two or three,you can re-evaluate what is going to be best by the progress that has been made.

Answer 7

I don't know where you are from but in most American schools "special education" has a very broad meaning. In some states gifted education is under the special education umbrella. The idea of him being in a mentally impaired classroom is foolish projection at this point; like you say, he's only 6 months old!

Visually impaired individuals are typically educated in regular classes although they might be pulled aside to learn braille, if he needs that.\

Since you are a concerned parent, it is a good time to read up on the syndrome,and get with other parents who have VI kids as you will probably need to educate many a teacher in the years to come!

Answer 8

There may be an organization for the blind in your area. They will point you in the right direction. having a child with disabilities is hard fortunately I believe there is more awareness today than there ever was. good luck!

Answer 9

Your child ...your decision !!!

Why not hunt around for a school that caters for the blind, or a school that can supply a teacher aid to the classroom, and that way he is not disadvantaged in anyway. If there is nothing available in the area etc, maybe consider moving, or even home school.

He is still a baby and in the next 2yrs he will progress and learn at an amazing rate, and as you said his vision is improving.

Good Luck.