Low-vision Books

It was very enlightening. There is hope for dogs and their owners to live a good quality of life. The book was encouraging in this aspect. It was compassionately written.

Our dog abruptly went blind on Father's Day which is not that uncommon
for our breed. We subsequently had to have his eyes removed due to irre-
versible and painful end-stage Glaucoma. We were, of course, devastated
as our dog just turned 6 last March. Our animal Opthalmologist suggested
this book as a great source for us and our acceptance of his delemma and
also some valid suggestions for helping our pet have as normal a life as
possible. These suggestions have worked well so I highly recommend this
book for others to read in similar circumstances.
Mary J. Hathaway

The majority of us dog owners love our pets but know little about what happens--or in the present case fails to happen--behind those happy eyes. Caroline Levin's lovingly written guide to living well with and for man's best friend when he can't see is a tremendous resource for such human pack leaders, brimming over as we are with good intentions but a little slim on the science side.

It's telling that so many reviews of Levin's work begin by telling the story of a beloved dog's loss of vision. Few of us come to Levin's instruction out of theoretical knowledge. Rather we desperately need to know what to do.

This reviewer and his family have not seen a dog lose his vision. Rather, we recently adopted an abandoned Rhodesian Ridgeback who is already blind. Sammy joins a home with a seeing Ridgeback who has done extraordinarily well in adjusting to life with the bumptious fellow.

Levin's book helps me understand our new dog's psyche, how to ameliorate his fears, and why he loves our voices and cowers when strangers speak the same words.

Sixteen chapters begin with the basics of how people and dogs grieve, how the canine eye is designed to work, and the reasons why it stops doing so. From there the author expertly leads us through behavior change and how to adjust our lives to that our sight-impaired pets can get on with theirs.

The book is peppered with photos of blind dogs and their owners and affectionate reassurances that living with a blind dog can be as joyful as tragic and often more so.

The book has large print--one wonders whether a nurse of ophthalmology presses her editors for this concession--and wide margins. As such, it reads quickly. In this reviewer's case, it will occupy an easily accessible place on a shelf for quick reference as we help our Sammy rediscover the playful, confident sub-alpha male that bounds playfully in his dreams and behind his happy smile.

My vet recommended that I get this book. I am so glad that I did take his advise. What I have read so far has been a big help. Before getting this book, I felt helpless. Now I know that Merlin and I will still have a great life together. Thank you so very much.

Sincerly,
Peggy Parker

This book was such a big help I thought my dog that went blind in three days would never have a good life. But since reading this book and using the information I gained from it I and my dog are enjoying things again and we are doing all the same things but just a little different.

Featuring color paintings by Sioux artist S. D. Nelson (who was inspired by the traditional art style of the Plains Indians), Crazy Horse's Vision by Joseph Bruchac is the true story of a young Native American boy named Curly who witnessed fierce battles between his tribe of Lakota Indians and white settlers. Defying the custom of his people, Curly ran to the hills in search of a vision, and what he saw would transform him forever. Curly would then come to be known in history as the Sioux war chief Crazy Horse. An author's note following the story relates a summary of the life and death of this brave an unselfish leader. Crazy Horse's Vision is an outstanding picture book and a welcome addition to personal, school, and community library collections.

I adore Crazy Horse and bought this for my 5 year old daughter who just loves this story. It's a great story for anyone and I highly recommend it for all schools.

This beautifully illustrated book is one to read to your children many times over. It tells a story all American children should hear, and it has a magical feel to it.

I especially enjoyed the illistrations in this book. The pictures almost draw you into the pages. They are drawn in the traditional style of the Sioux People. The story is about a man who is greatly respected by his people.

I received my item very quickly!! I ordered on a Monday and received it on that Thursday. And it was regular shipping. I was very happy!!!

I volunteer at a nursing home where I have taught a group of residents how to play poker. The ones with poor vision have had trouble finding playing cards that they can read. They have said unanimously that these cards are the best. I highly recommend these for people with vision problems. The 6's and 9's are hard to tell apart at the beginning, but you get used to reading them.

These are perfect for individuals who have trouble seeing and want to play card games.

All Children Have Different Eyes is an excellent resource for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, other Special Education Teachers, or other people in the VI field, including parents. The book explains in elementary school language about different visual impairments and modifications needed for these students. I use it as part of a lesson for general ed classrooms with VI students in them. As seen at Dallas TAER conference April 2008.

This is a very encouraging and informative book. Examples of thoughtful behavior and explanations of differences can help change childish curiosity and unkindness. This book focuses on what can be accomplished by children who have visual difficulties. First, the authors have us meet Tommy who has nystagmus. A sound spelling is given along with a little story of how Tommy encourages positive reactions and how he handles negative reactions of children. After Tommy's story, we read stories of other children with other low visual difficulties such as cataracts, myopia, and strabismus. There is a glossary. Resources include books and websites. Activities in the back of the book, give reference to pages in the story with examples of improving social compentency skills. The scenes in the stories and the skills include making friends, coping with mean people, coping with other people's lack of knowledge, etc. I highly recommend this for children, teachers, and parents.

For a full page review reader can go to the Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Bulletin October 2000 Issue. Suvava Bjarnason, The Head of Research and Policy at ACU states that Sedere's book is an impassioned plea for a dramatic re-thinking of educational policy for low-income economies. He rates the book as one of the best and very interesting one.

Also Dr. Premadasa Udagama, the former Secretary of Education of Sri Lanka has indicated its pandemonium of pro-poor education the only book that I know in the recent years has completely focused on education for the poor.(Reference: Rupavahini, The National Television of Sri Lanka and Sirasa, TV Chanal)

This book is currently used as a textbook for the Graduate Course on Educational Reforms at University of Pittsburgh, Pa, USA.

Readers Please note that the book is a Textbook at University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the course titled ADMPS 3210: Implementation of Educational Policy. at Ph.D. and Master's level For reviews read: Horizon, November/December 200 issue Vol:8 No: 6. Reviwed by Dr. Tom P. Abeles;

Another full page long review by Svava Bjarnason, Head of Policy Division of ACU Association of Commonwealth Universities The Bulletin, No 145/October 2000

See Comparative Education, Volume 38, No 1 2002, pages 116 - 118 , Carfax Publishing, ISSN 0305-0068 Tylor-& Francis Ltd, Upali Sedere's book is reviewed by Prof. Angela W. Little of University of London. Globalisation and the Low Income Economies is a passionate plea for a radical reform of the learning curriculum in low-income economies to meet the challenges posed by economic globalization. Upali Sedere views contemporary issues in low-income economies (LIEs), but especially those of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, through the global lens of contemporary education reform in the context of economic globalisation. "The argument starts with a pessimistic assessment of the power of education reform in low-income economies to meet the challenges posed by economic Liberalization. Because both external and internal efficiency are low, the education system contributes to the increase in socio-economic disparity and the perpetuation of poverty. The author then considers the emerging world order and the dilemmas of development, identified as the contradictions between the four axioms of development liberalization, modernization, democratization and culture and civilization. In so doing he draws extensively on Huntington's (1997) The Clash of Civilizations. He identifies economic, technological, sociological, moral and political 'trends', the first two of which he defines as 'positive and exciting'-the last three as 'negative and frightening'. Alluding to Toffler's work (1980) Sedere suggests that while Toffler's third wave of development, driven by information technology, is currently driving the development of the West, his second wave-industrialisation-is still in its infancy in many LIE countries. Sedere's curriculum frame is the 'Expected Student Profile' (ESP). The ESP curriculum is explicitly oriented to the survival-skill needs of the poorest. The pro" le has four dimensions-time spectrum (past, present and future), operational domains (family, work, culture, environment), horizons (immediate, extended, global) and competencies (cognitive, affective, psycho-motor, social). The ESP curriculum is also oriented to the skill needs of survival in globalising economies. These skills are classified further as general skills, life skills, social skills, cross cultural skills, communication skills, intellectual skills, psychomotor skills, economic skills, special skills, social engineering skills and technical skills. They are embedded within the curriculum through a process-'The Impact Focused Curriculum Development Spiral (IFCS). The Impact Focused Curriculum is pro-poor not pro-elite; it is graded by learning blocks and operational age not by grade group and chronological age; it narrows disparities and empowers weaker schools rather than widening them; it adopts a modular, multidisciplinary approach in which knowledge is naturally integrated rather than a compartmentalised, subject-based approach in which integration is artificial etc.

Promoting a 'non-pedagogy of the oppressed' the IFC model places 'learning' rather than 'teaching' at its heart-and learning that merges the worlds of education and work. (see 3 page review for more details)

There are those who teach ABOUT technology, and then write a text and there are those who DO technology and write about their experiences and insights. Scherer is a doer. This MUST READ book is packed with information and practical strategies, but it adds real-life personal stories to weave together and make sense of the many scattered pieces we know as "special education" today. This book is a real treat. It reads like a novel but leaves you with much wisdom as well as useful ideas and insights.

The authors offer people with low vision an optimistic, do-it-yourself, down-to-earth approach to obtaining or retaining a driver's license.
My husband has age-related macular degeneration, and we have gone the rounds of doctors, specialists, laser and photodynamic-something-or-other treatments, plus the DMV.
This "practical guide" explains various eye diseases cataract, AMD, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, optic atrophy, corneal dystrophy, stroke at least as clearly or maybe even more clearly as have the professionals whom we have consulted.
The guide urges readers to educate themselves about their state's DMV vision policy, investigate the various aids and devices available for vision-impaired drivers, and then come to their own conclusion as to whether they should be behind the wheel.
Among the amazing devices described in this guide are minifying mirrors by Brookstone, bioptic telescopes (Galilean and Keplerian) mounted on regular glasses, a telescope implanted in the eye, and the GPS-based iRadio system being developed by Motorola.
Surprise! there are personal trainers who specialize in teaching low-vision drivers!
The 104 pages of appendices are a valuable resource, providing definitions, contact information for further information and support, DMV vision requirements in 50 states plus D.C., and a bibliography.
This book is IN BIG PRINT! Very thoughtful.
Alison, Carson City, NV

This book is a wonderful resource for parents. It decribes how your child's vision develops and how you can support it with simple,fun games. Since we see best when we are relaxed, these activities help your child relax and to see more clearly and comfortably. There are also activities for you to do if your child is having trouble with their eyesight.

In my husband's situation, his vision loss happened suddenly and left both of us wondering to whom we should turn for help and how to get in contact with agencies and persons. The Guide filled this purpose quite well. It also supplied us with good general information about a number of areas about which we needed information but didn't know it until we read the guide. It comes in large bold print which may be helpful. This did not help my husband but it did help me since we "read" the guide together. I read and my husband listened.

Still Giving Kisses: A Guide to Helping and Enjoying the Alzheimer's Victim You Love

I started working as a low vision occupational therapist after taking an online course two years ago. I have found this book to be an extremely useful supplement to my training. The optometrist author and his occupational therapist wife make a wonderful team in writing a book that specifically tells a novice in this speciality area how to evaluate and treat patients with a variety of visual disabilities. My only criticism is that if I bought every evaluation tool suggested, I would go broke. However, if readers use shopping discretion, this book will serve them well as a frequently used reference tool.
barbarasmithoccupationaltherapist.com