Preschool Services for Students
who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Referral for Preschool Services
Services are available to preschool children with diagnosed or suspected blindness or visual impairments who live in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island.
A preschool program is designed to provide home-based programs for children prior to school entrance.Programs are developed following consultation with parents, other professionals working with the child, and appropriate educational assessment.
Services are intended to focus on the child's individual needs and to assist parents/guardians in learning how to teach their child.Emphasis is placed on visual development and its relationship to:
- Other sensory development (hearing, touch, etc.)
- Gross motor development
- Fine motor development
- Language development
- tyle="font-family: Arial,'Times New Roman',Courier; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; line-height: 150%; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> Intellectual development
- Social/emotional development
- Self-help skills
- Play skills
A teacher trained in the education of children who are blind or visually impaired will visit the home and/or preschool program on a regular basis. Parents and preschool staff will be provided programming suggestions and will receive coaching to develop skills required to promote the learning and development of children who are blind or visually impaired.
Parent Education
Two-day workshops focusing on topics of interest are held each year at the APSEA centre. Opportunities for parents to share experience and knowledge with one another is a valuable aspect of these workshops.
Assessment
Assessment by professionals (e.g., teachers, psychologists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, residence counsellors) trained in the education of children with visual impairments is available at the APSEA Centre.Week-long programs designed to address specific needs such as feeding and behaviour management are also available.
Resources
The APSEA Centre has a professional library with a large collection of books, videos, and pamphlets addressing the needs of children who are blind or visually impaired.A toy library lends an array of toys, kits, and learning materials for use by parents and other service providers.
Location and Accommodation
The APSEA Assessment Centre is located in the Residential Building at the APSEA Centre, 5940 South Street, Halifax, N.S.APSEA provides complimentary overnight accommodation to parents and students for 1-5 day assessments.
Contact/Addresses
For further information please contact:
Director of Programs for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired (image)
)Voice/TTY: 902-424-8503
Fax: 902-424-0543
E-mail: Victoria Jeans
Referrals for Services
Referrals can be made by parents, pediatricians, ophthalmologists, optometrists, public health nurses, social workers, audiologists, speech pathologists, and otolaryngologists.