2. THE POWER OF INTEGRATION 5300 Angeles Vista Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90043 323-295-4555 Joan Marason Director of Wellness & Enrichment Programs Donald A. Ouimet Vice President of Programs

3. Helping children and adults who are blind, visually impaired and/or multi-disabled achieve independence. Junior Blind of America Mission Statement

4. Expanded Core Curriculum for Blind and VI Children & Youth  compensatory or functional academic skills, including communication modes  orientation and mobility  social interaction skills  independent living skills  recreation and leisure skills  career education  use of assistive technology  sensory efficiency skills  self-determination

5. Social Skills  Blind & Visually Impaired Children can have a hard time developing social skills.  They lack access to facial expressions and body language; visual cues that help shape the social interaction of their sighted peers.  Systematic instruction can help visually impaired children develop social skills.  Children need to practice skills to become proficient.  Integrating visually impaired children with their sighted peers offers both groups access to new skills.

6. Ice Breaker

7.  Open & active setting  Enhance cognitive abilities  Socialization  Opportunities to experience peer support and team work WHY INTEGRATION ENRICHMENT?

8.  Being seen as a child first and foremost.  Becoming more independent and self-reliant  Increasing self-esteem through helping others  Making new friends  Learning to accept and become comfortable with individual differences. BENEFITS OF INTEGRATION

9. CHALLENGES  Over protective families  Funding  Staffing  Modification of Activities  Transportation

10. ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM  Find a usable space  Establish a staff  Establish a program design  Recruit program participants

11. Q & A

12. THANK YOU