School readiness and kindergarten transitions: Children with vision impairment and blindness

Abstract

Given the unique challenges for students with vision impairments, including blindness, a successful transition to and preparation for kindergarten is critical to their future academic success. If children, who are visually impaired, particularly those using braille as their primary learning medium, experience a comprehensive and successful transition process, they will be better prepared to participate in and benefit from the kindergarten classroom. The purpose of this chapter is to describe and explain how children who are visually impaired have a unique developmental experience and have unique educational needs during the preschool years as well as in the transition to and participation in kindergarten. More specifically, the chapter provides background about the topics of vision impairment and blindness and the transition to kindergarten, compares school readiness skills for children with and without vision impairment, describes unique skills that children with vision impairment need in adapting to kindergarten classrooms, and identifies strategies that can effectively support transitions to kindergarten for children who are visually impaired. Given the unique challenges for students with vision impairments, including blindness, a successful transition to and preparation for kindergarten is critical to their future academic success. If children, who are visually impaired, particularly those using braille as their primary learning medium, experience a comprehensive and successful transition process, they will be better prepared to participate in and benefit from the kindergarten classroom. The purpose of this chapter is to describe and explain how children who are visually impaired have a unique developmental experience and have unique educational needs during the preschool years as well as in the transition to and participation in kindergarten. More specifically, the chapter provides background about the topics of vision impairment and blindness and the transition to kindergarten, compares school readiness skills for children with and without vision impairment, describes unique skills that children with vision impairment need in adapting to kindergarten classrooms, and identifies strategies that can effectively support transitions to kindergarten for children who are visually impaired.