STUDIO, THIS IS RIVER CITY
LIVE
>> Rance: WE ARE DOING IT BIG
OUT HERE AT THE AVENUES MALL.
IT.
EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL
CHILDREN, BUT IMAGINE TRYING TO
GET AN EDUCATION IF YOU WERE
BLIND OR DEAF OR IF ENGLISH
ISN'T YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE.
THE FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
AND BLIND WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE
1880s AND HAS GROWN, PROSPERED
AND CONTINUED TO PROVIDE
EDUCATION ON A HIGH LEVEL.
>> THE SCHOOL BEGAN TO SERVE AS
PART OF A TRAINING CENTER FOR
DEAF AND BLIND STUDENTS IN THAT
PERIOD OF THE 1880s.
BEFORE LONG THE PROGRAM BEGAN TO
BE AWARDED.
>> Rance: AFTER THE FLORIDA
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND,
TRANSITION TO A TRUE EDUCATIONAL
FACILITY, IT GREW, AND HAS NOW
EXPANDED TO COVER 85 ACRES WITH
DORMITORIES.
WELL.
>> OVER THE YEARS THE PROGRAMS
WERE EXPANDED TO THE POINT THAT
WE HAVE TODAY, FREE SCHOOL
THROUGH AGE 22.
ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE STUDENTS
HAVE BOARDING BECAUSE THEIR
PARENTS LIVE AS FAR AWAY AS
HOMESTEAD AND THAT AREA.
THEY COME AND THEY STAY DURING
THE SCHOOL WEEK IN DORMITORIES
HOME.
>> Rance: STUDENTS AT THE
SCHOOL ARE LIKE ANY OTHER
FLORIDA.
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS.
>> THE SCHOOL HAS A
COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WHICH
MEANS THAT WE LITERALLY DELIVER
ALL THE SCHOOL SUBJECTS THAT ANY
FLORIDA STUDENT WILL HAVE.
AND THEN WE SORT OF EXPAND THAT
AND HAVE EXTENDED CARE.
>> Rance: STUDENTS LEARN
REAL-LIFE SKILLS TO PREPARE THEM
FOR AFTER SCHOOL.
>> WE PROMOTE SELF ADVOCACY
FIRST, SO THEY KNOW HOW TO SELF
ADVOCATE, WHO TO GO TO.
WE TEACH SUCH THINGS AS
ACQUIRING YOUR OWN
TRANSPORTATION, KNOWING BUS
SCHEDULES IF YOU ARE BLIND OR
VISUALLY IMPAIRED, LAUNDRY
SKILLS FOR EVERYBODY.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WHEN THEY WALK OUT THE DOOR THEY
HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO
GO TO COLLEGE OR SOME OTHE POST
SECONDARY TRAINING OR DIRECTLY
TO COMPETITOR EMPLOYMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE THE
SKILLS TO RESIDENTIALLY
>> Rance: THERE ARE DEAF AND
BLIND STUDENTS IN MAINSTREAM
SCHOOL SETTINGS, BUT THE
STUDENTS WHO COME TO THIS SCHOOL
APPRECIATE BEING IN A SETTING
WITH TRUE PEERS.
>> ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT AT ALL.
AN EDUCATION STUDENT, EDUCATION.
THIS SCHOOL SERVES THE STUDENTS
WHO REALL BENEFIT FROM THE
EMERSION IN -- FOR EXAMPLE,
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES AND MATERIA
AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE BLIND OR
FOR STUDENT WHO IS ARE DEAF OR
HARD OF HEARING.
THE STUDENTS WILL HAVE FULL
ACCESS TO ALL THEIR MATERIALS IN
BRAILLE OR ENLARGED MATERIALS IF
THEY ARE IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR
THE BLIND.
AND IF THEY ARE IN THE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE DEAF THEY'LL
HAVE ALL THE COMMUNICATION MODES
POSSIBLE THAT WILL MAKE THEM --
LIFE.
>> Rance: THE SCHOOL IS FUNDED
93% AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
OUTSIDE DONORS HELP IN MY WAYS,
INCLUDING AIDING QUALITY
PROGRAMS.
>> IN MANY MAIN STREET SETTINGS
STUDENTS WHO WERE DEAF OR BLIND
WOULDN'T MAKE THE TEAM OR BE
SELECTED BECAUSE THEY WOULD
HAVEN'T THE SAME ABILITIES, OR
WOULDN'T BE PERCEIVED TO HAVE
THE SAME ABILITIES AS THEIR
SIGHTED OR HEARING PEERS.
HERE EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME
PLAYING FIELD, LITERALLY,
ESPECIALLY IN FOOTBALL OR
BASKETBALL SO WE CAN LITERALLY
HAVE A TEAM OF THEIR OWN AND WE
ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE PERFORMING
ARTS THAT WAY, DANCE TROOP FOR
THE DEAF STUDENTS AND MUSIC
PROGRAM FOR BLIND STUDENTS THAT
GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.
IT GOES INTO ACTUAL PERFORMANCES
OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY JUST TO
SHOWCASE THE SKILL.
>> Rance: THAT IS JUST A BRIEF
HISTORY ON THE SCHOOL.
WEEKS.
GREAT SCHOOL.
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