One of my best and most unique experiences with inclusive education came from one of my students in my grade 11 English class during practicum 491 who had a designation E. This meant that they were legally blind and had very little vision in either eyes. This impairment made it impossible for the student to see anything that was written or projected onto the board at the front, and also made it extremely difficult for them to read small text. This student also had a very difficult time recalling basic instructions or directions during class and especially for work that was to be completed at home. They also were extremely shy and anxious, often resistant to share out in class or in small groups. Although this student struggled with different basic aspects of the classroom, they were passionate about reading and overall, a very polite student.
This posed a unique, challenging opportunity for me as this grade 11 English class was an honors class and we moved at quite a rigorous pace, and the academic expectations and standards were high (especially from the other students in the class). I had to be extremely well-prepared for each class. I had to constantly think ahead, making note of anything that this student would need extra support for. I collaborated with her after the first class to figure out a system in order to figure out a way for them to get the information and materials each class to be successful. For notes, PowerPoints, or anything that was completed on the board during class, I made sure to make them a large-print copy of anything in advance so they could follow along auditorily and add their own notes. I would either email them or physically print the notes out for them. This allowed me to make sure they had access to all the most important information that was taught during class, and would be able to review it at any point with ease. Because of their anxiety, whenever there was an in-class timed write or quiz scheduled, I would let them know at the beginning of class, giving them the chance to go to the resource room if they felt they needed a less overwhelming environment to complete the assessment. I was also able to get this student large-print versions of all the novels we covered in class from the library which helped them access the material much more easily. I also made it very clear to this student that this class would be very discussion based but it they did not feel comfortable participating (they would sometimes experience severe anxiety), to let me know at the beginning of class.
It was rewarding to see them come out of the shell during the quarter. At first, they did not participate in any of the discussions, but by the end of the quarter, they were able to participate in basic discussions, and continued to improve at self-advocation. Near the end of the semester, I did not need to bring the support forward to the student because they would come up to me and ask me for exactly what they felt they needed for the class. It was a great to see the self-advocacy and confidence develop and flourish over the course of the quarter.
(Designation E – Visual Impairment)