Ongoing Literacy for Families of Children with Visual Impairments
History of Microsite
In the fall of 2003 the Visually Impaired Preschool at the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind offered an 8-week literacy class for families of young children who are potential braille readers. This course was the starting point for the development of this web site. Dr. L. Penny Rosenblum and Mrs. Susan Greer wrote an article about the Dots for Families class.
This web site was originally designed by L. Penny Rosenblum, Ph.D., University of Arizona, and Linda Reed, M.Ed., Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind Parent Outreach Program for the Visually Impaired for family members, teachers of children with visual impairments, and others interested in promoting literacy opportunities for young children with visual impairments. This was originally a project of the Parent Outreach Program for the Visually Impaired of the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB), a participating agency in IDEA, Part C, through the Arizona Department of Economic Security / Arizona Early Intervention Program (DES/AzEIP).
We would like to thank the ASDB Parent Outreach Program for the Visually Impaired: Susan Greer, M.Ed., Supervisor, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Linda Reed, M.Ed., Outreach Coordinator, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Vicki Numkena, M.Ed., Preschool Teacher, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and Sandlyn Miller, M.Ed., Preschool Teacher, Teacher of the Visually Impaired. Thank you for the encouragement and support to Doris Senor Woltman, Superintendent, Arizona Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and a special thank you to Pam de Steiguer, M.A., who helped with the site design and preparation of materials.
The Dots for Families microsite was moved from the University of Arizona to Paths to Literacy in July 2013.
Please follow the links on the left side of this page under "Dots for Families" to explore our web site. There are lessons to assist you in learning to read and write the braille code in addition to information to promote your child's literacy development. Note every page appears in the left sidebar menu, so we invite you to click on all of the links to find what is here!
It's never too early for books. This toddler's family makes reading a part of their daily routine. (Book shown is from the On the Way to Literacy series from the American Printing House for the Blind. For more information or to order, go to www.aph.org, click Shop and put this catalog number in the Search space: 6-77500-00.