ings from this study showed that participants
were not encouraged to maintain their native language or culture in their schooling in the United
States. Participants felt a pressure to learn English quickly and felt lucky to have the educational
opportunities that they were given. It is evident
that teachers need to understand and support the
second language acquisition of students who
come from CLD backgrounds as participants in
this study found language to be the main barrier
to employment and success in post-secondary
education.
The TSVIs provided between 15 minutes
and one hour per week of support for instruction
in areas related to the visual impairment, including the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC). More
individualized instruction in the ECC areas is essential as young CLD/VI students may not have
the background knowledge necessary for developing independent living skills, so learning these
skills could take longer. This intense instruction
may have helped the participants in this study to
develop the skills necessary to be more independent as young adults. Teachers must work
with the families of CLD/VI students, as they may
not view the need for their child to develop independence and self-determination skills as a priority. Perhaps most importantly, teachers need to
be realistic about the requirements of different
post-school options and must give honest feedback about student performance. This information
and honesty will help promote successful postsecondary outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse young people who also have visual
impairments.
38
