they are, like all such things, imperfect and un-
able to respond to the needs of all students who
need them.
Curriculum Accessibility
Early grade level expectations. Of key im-
portance to students with visual impairments is
the standard related to accessing information.
Students are expected in early grades, to "identify
parents and other trusted adults they can tell if
they are feeling uncomfortable about being
touched" or "if they are being bullied or
teased" (FOSE, p. 13), and then in upper elemen-
tary if they are being harassed or abused, sexu-
ally or otherwise (p. 15). Moreover, they are ex-
pected to identify people with whom they can talk
about puberty, adolescent health issues, sexual
orientation, and relationships (pp. 14-15). These
things are probably no more or less difficult for
students with visual impairments. That is to say, it
is probably easier for young people to talk to the
adults in their lives about being bullied or teased
if that mistreatment is not grounded in a percep-
tion of the child as gay or lesbian, for example.
Similarly, discussions of sexual orientation and
relationships are often easier for youth to negoti-
ate with their parents or guardians when they are
defined in heterosexual terms.
Upper elementary and middle school ex-
pectations. The expectations with respect to ac-
cessing information rise as children get older. In
upper elementary, students are also expected to
"identify medically-accurate information about fe-
male and male reproductive anatomy… puberty,
and personal hygiene" (FOSE, p. 14). Further, in
middle school they are expected to access
"accurate and credible" information about sexual-
ity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual ori-
entation, pregnancy prevention, reproductive
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