Spring VI Enrichment Weekend (VIEW)

Who: Any student in Montana that qualifies with a visual impairment, Elementary through High School.

What: During this event students will be able to:
Join classes on MSDB campus to learn with other students with visual impairments about Core Curricular and to develop skills in the Expanded Core Curricular areas such as:

• Braille & Nemeth
• Low Vision/Blind Technology
• Life Skills
• Social Skills
• Recreation and Leisure (including the ever popular Goalball and Showdown)
• Career Skills

Students may also participate in field trips in the local community to work on Orientation and Mobility skills, Social Skills, Self Determination, and Self-Esteem. On these outings, the students use different transportation modes, have lunch in the community and visit stores to understand their purpose and ways of operation.

Adaptive Sport activities occur in conjunction with the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, NWABA.

• Goalball is a popular sport for blind and visually impaired people. Due to varying levels of sight among players, all players are blindfolded. Two teams of three players each spar off against each other in a fun-filled match of trying to roll a heavy ball with bells in it past the opposing team, which in turn tries to block the ball with their bodies. The games are very exciting and challenging and offer all valuable lessons in team sportsmanship.
• Showdown is a game similar to table top tennis in which players are blindfolded. Matches between opponents tend to get very competitive.

MSDB hosts VIEW twice each year for visually impaired kids of all ages from around the state. In addition to goalball games, the weekend offers other opportunities for students to learn important skills. Each weekend focuses on an aspect of visually impaired education such as technology, orientation and mobility, independent living, or career education, or on a hands-on activity like art. VIEW is a great opportunity for social interaction and fun.

NWABA provides adaptive equipment, as well as in-person team members to host various cooperative games, showdown, goalball, swimming, and more.