These resolutions have been reviewed by the Resolutions Committee and recommended as do pass. The membership of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma will vote on whether to adopt these Resolutions at the board meeting on Sunday morning. They do not become official policy until they are adopted by the membership.
2019-01
Requiring state rehabilitation counselors to inform all clients of opportunities provided by all consumer groups
WHEREAS the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma is the leading consumer advocacy voice for the interests of the blind of Oklahoma, and
WHEREAS consumer organizations of the blind, such as the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma provide vital resources including peer support, experiential opportunities, training, and scholarship programs, and
WHEREAS blind consumers must have knowledge or information about available programs and activities in order to take advantage of the opportunities, and
WHEREAS state rehabilitation counselors can serve as obvious and key links between their clients and beneficial programs and services available to consumers, and
WHEREAS state rehabilitation counselors for the blind all too often ignore, neglect, refuse and prevent clients from acquiring access to information and choice regarding consumer driven programs and activities, rather than enthusiastically embracing and promoting them in an unbiased manner: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma in Convention assembled this 31st day of March, 2019, in the city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that we call upon the Department of Rehabilitation Services to adopt a policy requiring all rehabilitation counselors to inform each of their blind clients who have rehabilitation plans, )IPEs) regarding all available consumer provided activities, conventions, scholarship programs and other potentially helpful opportunities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that state rehabilitation counselors will be required to document compliance with informing their clients about such consumer sponsored services as such in the consumer’s case file.
2019-02
Restricting Structured Discovery Instruction to Qualified Instructors
WHEREAS the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma have always been concerned with assuring delivery of highest quality rehabilitation services to the blind consumers in the State of Oklahoma, and
WHEREAS the Federation has been integrally involved in the origins and development of the Structured Discovery) Method of blind skills instruction including Orientation and Mobility skills, and
WHEREAS this methodology has proven that it is non-visual techniques that keep blind people safe while learning to travel…not the instructor’s visual acuity, and
WHEREAS structured discovery methods, positive attitudes about blindness, and high expectations for performance are the keys for helping children and adults who are blind or low vision to become independent, productive members of society, and
WHEREAS it is no more possible to properly and appropriately acquire the necessary skills and techniques for teaching with the Structured Discovery Method through simple and brief observation of a Structured Discovery Instructor, than to acquire the necessary ability to practice rehabilitation or other counseling skills in like manner: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma in Convention assembled this 31st day of March, 2019, in the city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that we call upon the Department of Rehabilitation Services and the Department of Education, Special Education Division, to implement regulations requiring that Structured Discovery Method be taught only by instructors qualified by college degree programs which are based upon sufficient course work in the Structured Discovery Method.