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Every state has professionals both working
with students who are deaf/blind
and students who are visually impaired.
Most school systems have either a teacher
who works in that school, or what we call
an itinerant teacher who travels to that school.
And so that particular teacher would be aware
of any of the resources that are especially designed
for students who are visually impaired.
There are a number of excellent resources that have been
developed for students who are visually impaired.
There are a book of tactile drawings.
ANNOUNCER: Braille textbooks
and a large binder of tactile graphics is shown.
FRASER: It has been created and published
by the American Printing House that most teachers
of the visually impaired are familiar with.
And that readily is available, so that if, let's say,
that day they're looking at a picture of an oak leaf...
ANNOUNCER: Several tactile leaf drawings are on one page.
FRASER: ...then there are several different tactile kits
that are out there that have those in there.
You know, because maybe it's January
and there's no oak leaves around--
they're all under five inches of snow.
For the public school teacher seeking resources,
there are a number of options, primary among which would be
a local museum in their area.
Most museums are quite willing to adapt equipment,
lend equipment, may, in fact, have a visiting program.
ANNOUNCER: Photographs of a school visit
to an aquarium include students touching exhibits
and handling sea urchins and starfish.
FRASER: We also had an aquarium that we worked with,
and the aquariums were very willing to take
a few of the more hardy creatures and put them into
pails with some seawater and hand them to our students to
hold and examine.
And that was just wonderful.
And if the teacher of the visually impaired
or the classroom teacher calls the museum,
the museum is usually quite happy to provide
whatever is needed, or can make suggestions
about ways to get that equipment.
They like to be part of the learning process.
The museums are there, in fact,
to be a resource for the community.
And it's just amazing what museums are willing to do.
ANNOUNCER: Parent at home looking at Perkins Web site
for science activity suggestions.
FRASER: There are lots of teachable moments
that happen in the home, and if parents would like
some additional information to support some
of those teachable moments, on our Web site
there are a number of life sciences activities
that parents could look at, and they could do those.
There's instructions included with pictures of what to do,
usually with items that are available around the house,
and we love to have parents try some of those activities.