WHEREAS, the educational programs provided to blind children in Maryland, whether in the residential setting or in the public schools, are grossly inferior to similar programs for sighted children; and
WHEREAS, in a very real sense, blind students are lacking many basic skills that sighted students are presumed to have acquired; and
WHEREAS, too many blind persons lack basic reading and writing skills, a problem which has been exaggerated by the fact that blind youngsters with some vision are encouraged to use print even when Braille would be a more efficient means of reading and writing for them; and
WHEREAS, the perception, held by many special education teachers, that Braille is inferior to print is reinforced by the fact that they usually learn to read Braille with their eyes instead of with their fingers, thus leading them to offer minimal instruction to their blind students; and
WHEREAS, blind children are not given instruction in the use of a white cane at an early age, nor are they expected to travel as independently as their sighted peers; and
WHEREAS, the experience of progressive professionals in the field of special education establishes that early white cane travel training, and emphasis on the use of Braille increase the likelihood that legally blind students will grow up to be successful, independent adults; and
WHEREAS, blind children in education that is as rich and provided to sighted children;
Maryland are entitled to an meaningful as the education
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled in Hagerstown on October 13, 1984, that this organization call upon the Maryland State Department of Education, the Maryland School for the Blind, and the public school districts throughout the state to restructure the educational system for the blind to incorporate the following standards and goals:
- Every blind student should be guaranteed the same standard of education provided to sighted students;
- Every blind student should be guaranteed the opportunity to read and write;
- Every legally blind student should be taught to read and write Braille;
- Every blind student should be expected to achieve the same competence in reading, writing, and all other academic areas that sighted students are expected to achieve;
- Every blind student should be required to Braille or type answers to essay tests such as the writing competency examination required for high school graduation;
- Every legally blind student should begin white cane travel training in the first grade;
Every blind student should be taught with the aid of blind adult role model, that it is respectable to be blind;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urges the Maryland State Department of Education to update its list of resource materials for the handicapped to include the professional literature by the National Federation of the Blind.