VIDBE-Q Volume 66 Issue 4
grocery store nearby? Are there public transportation options? Is the neighborhood
surrounding the school conducive for living off campus?
It is also a good plan to begin establishing the use of a bank account with a
debit card connected to it. Many of the services that will be used on campus as well
as some forms of public transportation will require access to a credit card or debit
card, such as Uber, Lyft, taxis; even some transit companies are moving to fares
provided on smart phone apps. One very helpful book is Finding Wheels:
Strategies to Build Independent Travel Skills for Those with Visual Impairments
available through Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)
publications at http://www.tsbvi.edu/store/ .
Conclusion
Looking for ways to go about a day in the way you anticipate your child
needing to conduct themselves will help them know you are interested in their
unique needs, help them know you are eager to support them, and that you are
willing to learn, too. The time you invest now will bring benefits to them
throughout their lives. As they prepare to enter a world with very few examples in
the mainstream media, you can create a positive learning environment in which
independence is nurtured. If you are looking for some role models, there are a few
shared in the LiveBinder on Role Models for Students who are Blind and
Deafblind, https://www.livebinders.com/b/2697227.
