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Welcome Message Banner Banner with some photos of GAB Hands Reading Braille
Mission

The Georgia Academy for the Blind endeavors to provide each student developmental opportunities in the areas of intellectual growth, vocational work experience, and functional living experiences. Inherent in the teaching-learning process is the establishment of wholesome attitudes, values clarification, and the development of positive mental health. The Academy accepts the responsibility of providing services to visually impaired children and non-sensory impaired children who are school age and who may have significant concomitant handicaps.

Purpose

The Academy was established in 1852 by State of Georgia legislation to meet the educational needs of blind school age persons. The Academy program has served visually impaired persons continually since 1852 as the state s only residential school for the blind. Beginning in 1968, a program was developed for deaf-blind children and funded by the ESEA, P.L. 89-313. The program for multidisabled children has developed over the past 30 years to a current enrollment of about 50 multidisabled children ranging in age from three to 21 years. The Georgia Academy for the Blind is funded primarily through state monies and Title IV, Parts B and C. Each funding source is utilized to provide services to students at the Academy, and each funding source is used for a particular purpose or project specific to the population for which the funding was intended. The application for NAC accreditation and the self study is made possible by state and federal funds.

The purpose of the educational programs at the Academy is to provide developmental opportunities in a variety of academic, vocational, and community domains. The role and responsibility of the school has remained constant in that the faculty and staff are dedicated to the preparation of visually impaired persons to gain their rightful place in society.

The advent of P.L. 94-142, Individual Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.), and the Reauthorization of I.D.E.A. have heightened the commitment of the professional employees to serve students statewide. In addition to serving as a provider of educational services, the Academy assists local systems in deciding upon appropriate instructional strategies for visually impaired students. The variables concerned with placement are overwhelming. The Georgia Academy for the Blind does not take a preservationist point of view. In many instances, recommendations have been made that visually impaired students return to the regular classroom.

In order that sound decision making might take place in regard to individual placement, directors of special education and coordinators of programs for visually impaired students are required to participate in the development of IEP s and to take an active role with parents in decision making. Professional workshops (often conducted by Academy personnel) have taken place across the state concerning the role of local systems in the education of visually impaired students. The role(s) and function(s) of the school have expanded dramatically to one of resource for special materials, in-service and pre-service staff development, and leadership in special education for visually impaired children who are placed in the residential school as well as the local school systems.

P.L. 94-142 and I.D.E.A. have presented an existing and satisfying relationship with fellow special and general educators. These mandates are to be applauded. The Academy s compliance with these mandates has had a positive influence on the profession and those persons served by the school.