VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 3
they share with faculty and students from other AIDB campuses. Ms. Mitchell said
that in both environments, safety is considered at all times. Students must be given
an orientation of safety before they begin working in the classroom or the farm.
Students are required to sign safety contracts and pass a safety quiz before
engaging in the curriculum and activities at the farm. Ms. Mitchell reiterated over
and over about the importance of safety when working with students with visual
impairments in agriculture educational experiences. She spoke of the need to be
aware of hazards. This ranged from leaving garden hoes and rakes out to be
stepped on to garden hoses impeding walkways for cane users. Specific hazards
include:
a. Tool Safety – students should be given opportunities to use power
tools. They must be given safety goggles to wear and be shown how
to handle the tools properly before they can run them on their own.
All tools should be labeled with print and braille and have a proper
location for storage, that does not change. This way students know
where to access and put away their tools upon completion of a project.
b. Cages – students need to be reminded to close cages of their birds
when getting them out to clean the cage or handle the bird. The
corners of poultry cages are sharp and can scratch or poke a peer as
they walk by. These cages are elevated so a cane will not detect them.
Keeping the cage doors closed allows for peers to pass by to access
other chickens in the barn.
