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VIDBE-Q Volume 63 Issue 3
Figure 1. Students
participating in Cane
Quest.
Figure 2. Students competing at
Braille Challenge.
decision making. For 42 consecutive years, FIMC-VI has offered at least two Working
with the Experts statewide workshops specific to students with visual impairments. In
addition to all this face-to-face training and technical assistance, FIMC-VI staff also
produces webinars that are posted on the FIMC-VI website (www.fimcvi.org). Topics
such as Teaching Cooking Skills without a Kitchen, Importance of Eye Medicals,
Statewide Assessment Updates, Florida Students with Sensory Impairments,
Determining Time and Intensity of Services, and more are available at no charge. We
believe that providing a variety of opportunities to learn has paid off; during the 2017-
2018 school year, 100% of the Florida districts that provide services to students with
visual impairments participated in an FIMC-VI training.
FIMC-VI also partners with Braille Institute to offer Cane Quest® and Braille
Challenge. Offered in Tampa for the past three years, Cane
Quest has tested the orientation and mobility skills of over 100
participants. In 2008, FIMC-VI hosted the first Florida Braille
Challenge with 18 competitors at one event. In 2018, there were
four Florida Regional Braille Challenge events with over 140
braille readers competing and 420 teachers, volunteers, family
members, and agency
personnel in attendance. Only 50
students qualify for the National Braille Challenge
competition from the United States and Canada, and
Florida is extremely proud to have 5 braille readers
qualify in 2018 and 6 students in 2017!
