I HAVE a child with visual impairment in a mainstream school. She is coping well, and performs on par with her sighted peers. As a result of her hard work and determination, the school now deems it unnecessary to grant her extra time in examinations. This is despite a letter from our ophthalmologist stating her visual condition, and that she requires 50 per cent extra time for written assessments.

As a parent, I was not consulted nor even informed of the school's decision, although I have been an active advocate for my child since she joined a mainstream school. I made several attempts to speak to the principal and heads of department concerned, but I was not granted an audience.

When asked, the school could not explain how it decided my child no longer needed extra time, though literature in special education for the visually impaired states that children with low vision find reading extremely tiring, and invariably need extra time (Corn, 1996). Expert research also states that extra time is required for all children with visual impairment, low vision included, in exams and assessments (Gale and Steer, 2007).

As a result of this whimsical decision, my child was unnecessarily stressed, fearing she would not be able to complete her work on time, and would therefore perform poorly. Why is my child discriminated against for her disability, and why is she penalised for coping well? And why is the school unwilling to meet me to discuss my child's needs?

Lee Lay Hong (Mdm)

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 28 Oct, 2008.