a blind 10-year-old girl

she lives with her family
she attends school

Susan the Special Girl

Susan Hurley standing by a window with birds singing outside, sunlight streaming onto her face

This story is about Susan who is a 10-year-old girl in a family of five.  There is Mr. and Mrs. David Hurley and her younger 8-year-old sister, Shudra, and her older brother, Kenneth.  The Hurleys are African Americans live in a mixed neighborhood. 

Susan is visually impaired and has been diagnosed with low visual acuity. low visual acuity is a measurement of visual clarity or sharpness that indicates a disabling visual impairment. It's defined as visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/400, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less, with the best possible correction​ (Usability & Web Accessibility , 2024)​ 



A Special Morning

Mr. Hurley waving goodbye as a school bus drives away

Even with this disability, Susan has been able to earn good grades in school and continues to make normal progress in school.  She has been placed in a regular classroom.   

Susan is well adjusted to social settings and gets along well with her peers.  Sometime her older brother teases her about the physical changes he notices to her body.  

Susan’s father is a courier, and her mother is a substitute teacher for the local school system but, only accepts assignments where her children attend.  She chose this because it gives her more flexibility to interact with her children during school hours.  She visits her children’s classrooms and sometime actively participates as an assistant in their classroom by checking homework assignments and working one on one with a student. 

The Bus Ride

Susan Hurley sitting in a classroom next to Lily, listening intently with a smile

Susan does not like to interact with her mother in this manner at school but readily accepts and sometimes requests help from her mother while at home. She tells her mother that it is embarrassing at school for mom to help her in front of her classmates. 

Mr. Hurley only attends the children’s schools on special occasions, such as attending sporting events when their children are participating.  Susan plays on the school’s volleyball and runs long distances on the track team.  She has won track ribbons but rarely gets to play in a game because she is not very good.  Susan accepts this and just practice as hard as she can.   



A New Friend

Mrs. Hurley handing Susan a box of cookies in a school cafeteria

This is the same attitude Susan has with disability because she tries very hard to be successful in all her classroom assignments.  

The teacher and the vision specialist have collaborated with the inclusion of the parents and has made the following accommodations for Susan that include: 
Purchasing books and other written materials commonly used in the classroom in large print for Susan to use when completing assignments. 
The computer and White boards are also used to display large print. 
The school allows Susan to take the books and other supplementary materials home to complete assignments as needed.   
All students have computers to take home. 

The Surprise

Susan Hurley playing the piano in a classroom, with classmates clapping

Low vision acuity can make it difficult to read a newspaper at a normal distance, even with corrective lenses. People with low vision may need to use enlarged print or adjust the lighting to read. Susan has a large magnifier to use at home when reading regular sized materials at home. 
According to current research, low visual acuity is generally considered more prevalent in girls and women than in boys and men, meaning that females are more likely to experience vision loss or impairment than males; this is supported by data from various studies on the topic 
Key points to emphasize with Susan so she can be prepared for these after she graduates from public school. 
More females than males experience permanent vision loss or blindness. There is a higher risk of vision loss among Hispanic/Latino and Black individuals than among White individuals​ (Eye Conditions and Diseases, 2024)​ 
Higher female prevalence: Studies consistently show that a higher percentage of women experience vision loss or low visual acuity compared to men​ (Vision and Eye Health, 2024)​ 
Age-related factors: This disparity might be partly due to the longer life expectancy of women, making them more susceptible to age-related eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration​ (Vision and Eye Health, 2024)​ 
Access to care: Some research also indicates that women may have less access to eye care services in certain regions, contributing to higher rates of vision problems​ (Vision and Eye Health, 2024)​ 

Music Class Joy

Susan Hurley swinging high on a playground swing, with a joyful expression

Below is an abbreviated list of possible causes of Visually impairments taken from:
Presbyopia -A condition that affects people over 40 and makes it difficult to read small print or focus up close.  
Color blindness - The inability to distinguish between colors​ (Consumer Assistance for the Aged, Blind and Disabled and Medicare Outreach as a Condition of Medicaid Eligibil, 2023)​ 
Low vision - Low visual acuity means vision between 20/70 and 20/400 
Central vision loss - Difficulty reading, writing, and performing precision work.  
Peripheral vision loss- Also known as "tunnel vision",  
Cataracts - A clouding of the lens that prevents clear vision which is usually caused by age, trauma, or disease.  


The Playground Adventure

The Hurley family sitting around a dinner table, sharing stories with smiles

Infectious diseases - Many infectious diseases can lead to vision loss and sometimes blindness 
Several genetic conditions can cause blindness, and the most common ones are inherited retinal diseases (IRDs).  
Blurred vision (called refractive errors) is usually age-related macular degeneration 
Glaucoma. 
Diabetic retinopathy​ (Usability & Web Accessibility , 2024)​ 
My assessment is that Susan can live a normal life by adhering to the accommodations outlined in this discussion.  By becoming more self-reliant and making other teachers, other influential people and employers aware of her disability so she can be allowed to use her learned accommodations throughout her life’s endeavors. 



A Dinner to Remember

Susan Hurley smiling in bed, dreaming peacefully

Before bed, Susan thought about her special day. She dreamed of becoming a famous musician. Her family believed in her dreams. Susan knew she was special in her own way. She fell asleep with a smile, ready for another amazing day.