Set for the future- Francesca Lachman enjoys time with dad Alan and mum Maria Franca. Francesca will be one of many blind and vision impaired children who will benefit from the new school. 74954 Pictu

By Emma Sun
A NEW primary school for the blind and vision impaired in Monash University Berwick is already accepting enrolments for its opening on 31 January next year.
The Insight Education Centre will be the only school of its kind in Victoria and is set to help children learn the skills required to transfer successfully into mainstream education.
Pearcedale’s Alan Lachman, whose nine-year-old daughter Francesca is congenitally blind, was the driving force behind the establishment of the school.
He said it was amazing that the school will finally open next year.
“It’s been three years work so it’s hardly an overnight success, but we’ve achieved what we’ve achieved in the time required,” he said.
“Insight will give Francesca and dozens of other children the chance to get their academic skills up and get their lives improved tremendously.”
Kay Berry-Smith, who has taught and been the principal of the South Australian School for Vision Impaired for 24 years, will be the principal for Insight.
She said the school will be comprehensive, with a focus on providing a very broad curriculum for students and connecting to the greater community.
“We want to emphasise that we are a specialist school, not special school and we offer an advanced curriculum.
“We will aim to give them the skills needed to access the mainstream curriculum, including Braille, orientation and mobility, using all the assistive technology to access curriculum, social skills, independent learning skills and transition skills.
“We are looking at as many community links as we can, like the local library, sporting groups, clubs such as scouts, to enable the students to associate with students who have regular vision.
“We will offer practical experiences for the children and hands-on learning, such as visiting the local fire and police station, rather than just sitting in the classroom and talking about the community workers to make learning much more real for the students.”
She said the school expects at least 20 students to start next year.
Students will attend the school five days a week, though they don’t have to stay for the duration of primary school and are free to integrate to mainstream anytime they wish.
“It’s not segregation, it’s preparation, training and giving the children all the skills and self confidence to get out in the world and compete on an even ground with everyone else,” Mr Lachman said.
“The most common fallacy about mainstream is that disabled children are automatically integrated by virtue of their attendance at the school but the most common reality is that many of the children are isolated and segregated within the mainstream environment.
“If a child gains all he or she needs in one year then we will encourage them to go into mainstream.
“The goal is to prepare children for success, prosperity in mainstream.”
He thanked the many parties involved in the lengthy process.
“We’re very grateful for the support from Nossal, the Education Department and Monash University, as well as people like Senator Mitch Fifield and Flinders MP Greg Hunt.”
For more information about the Insight Education Centre, visit www.insightvision. com.au or call 9445 0792.