Visionary school lets kids with visual impairment catch up fast

Many young students at schools for the visually impaired suffer delays in their development because, unlike other children, they cannot learn by imitating others.

Training the muscles and senses of these children is especially important as they will need to learn braille and keyboard skills, said Fu Ching-wah, a social worker with the Ebenezer School and Home for the Visually Impaired.

For the past 11 years the school has been providing occupational, physical, speech and music therapy to students, in addition to a mainstream academic syllabus.

"In the past 11 years, we have been seeing more and more children like this. They have sensory or physical problems such as difficulties with walking. They face many challenges in life," Fu said.

Two-thirds of the school's 62 students, from Primary One to Form Three, receive therapy that is funded by donations. The school receives no government subsidies.

Six-year-old Rainbow Cheng Yuen-ting, a Primary One student, receives individual occupational therapy sessions once a week.

Glaucoma and corneal opacity have left Cheng with only 10 per cent of her vision and her sight is expected to deteriorate.