BRAILLE IS LITERACY
Access to higher education, career training programs, and employment opportunities for blind and low vision students depend upon literacy, and braille is the key to literacy and independence for people who are blind or have low vision.
The total number of students reported in the Annual Registration of Students with Low Vision in Texas this year is 10,853. Shockingly, only 732 of these students (just 6.7%) use braille as a reading medium, and less than half of them use it as their primary reading medium.
The Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities recently completed and distributed a report recommending seven important changes to the Texas Education Agency code which would result in enhancing the availability, teaching and use of braille study and test materials for blind and low vision students and their teachers.
The Braille Revival League of Texas fully supports these recommendations and urges their adoption by the Texas State Legislature.
Recommendation 1: Amend Chapter 30, Education Code Sec. 30.002(c) and related statutes by requiring a unanimous decision by the ARD committee before braille can be determined to be a medium that is not appropriate for a student who is blind, deafblind, or has low vision.
Recommendation 9: Amend Section 30.002(c) to clarify that literacy includes math literacy skills, and that braille must be used across educational contexts.
Recommendation 13: Amend Chapter 30 Education Code Sec. 30.002(b) by adding (4) provide access to braille instructional materials and embossed braille statewide testing materials at no cost to districts if print or electronic copies are provided at no cost.
Recommendation 14: Amend Chapter 31 Education Code Sec. 31.028(a) to add the requirement that the commissioner ensures students with visual impairments have access to their instructional materials at the same time as, or earlier than, their peers have access to their non-adapted materials. This must be supported by the creation of a centralized service in Texas offering braille transcription and tactile graphics produced when requested.
Recommendation 15: Amend Chapter 31 Education Code Sec. 31.028(a) to add a requirement that TSVIs, who need an adapted teacher edition (braille or large print), will receive their adapted teacher edition at the same time that other teachers receive their non-adapted teacher edition.
Recommendation 17: Amend Chapter 30 Education Code Sec. 30.002(c)(6) to add year-round (B) access to their assistive technology and instructional materials.
Recommendation 21: Amend Chapter 30 Education Code Sec. 30.002(c)(7) to include a requirement for TSVIs to receive at least 6 hours of professional development training in braille every five years.