Professional EthicsBy: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com Updated June 7, 2022 As with all professions, vision professionals will face ethical dilemmas and need to use personal and professional standards to handle these issues. While each person has their own code of ethics based on their set of beliefs and standards they use to guide their life, the following is a code of ethics set forth by the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AERBVI) and the Council for exceptional Children (CEC).
Ethical PrinciplesHow people respond to ethical dilemmas is governed by their internal belief system. A professional code of ethics guides professional practice. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), has a code of ethics for educators of persons with special needs that can be found in their Ethical Principle and Practice Standards.
Principles include:
Code of EthicsAER established and adopted a code of ethics in 1992 for teachers of students with visual impairments, O&M specialists, rehabilitation teachers, and low vision therapists that can be found in the appendix section of Foundations of Education, Volume 1. The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments Code of Ethics addresses:
AER further specifies ethical areas of consideration in the standards of each certification area within the field of visual impairments. These standards include:
Ethical DilemmasEthical dilemmas will most likely be encountered throughout a professional’s career. When faced with an ethical dilemma, Kay Holbrook and Alan Koenig suggest the following strategies within Foundations of Education, Vol. 1, History and Theory of Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments (PP. 263-264):
"Following a carefully defined professional code of ethics and applying it throughout one’s professional life helps to ensure that the education offered to children and youths with disabilities is of the highest quality and that improvements are continually sought.” |
History of vi
Visual Impairments
Vi organizations & Agencies
VI book resources
VI Professionals
Professionalism
Instructional Planning
Professional Publications
Educational Programming
Individual Learning Differences
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Medical vision exams
fvlma
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writing goals
compensatory skills
Guiding Principles Functional Skills Community Based Experiences Concepts to Teach Organization & Study Skills Time Management Virtual Instruction Movies & Assemblies Lectures & Instruction Board Work (Chalk, White, etc.) Daily Schedule Morning Meeting Weather Check Dramatic Play Blocks Numbers & Counting Cranmer Abacus Instruction Algebra Geometry & Spatial Sense Measurement & Data Early Literacy Experiences Create Tactual Books Reading Instruction Reading Efficiency Science Adaptations Social Studies Adaptations Accessible Educational Materials Individual Schedules & Communication Cards Adjust Lighting Large Print Optical Devices for Near Optical Devices for Distance Optical Device Use Photocopying Font Legibility Increase Contrast Pictures & Worksheets Keyboarding Instruction Word Processing and Shortcuts Navigate Computer w/o a Mouse Braille Code Braille Instruction Braille Instruction Materials Writing Braille Summer Reading (braille) Signature & Handwriting Nemeth Braille Code Tactile Graphics Guidelines Creating Tactile Graphics Tactile Graphics Instruction Teacher Made Materials Labeling System assistive technology
Overview of Assistive Technology VI AT Resources Non-Optical Low Vision Devices Video Magnifiers Video Magnifier Instruction Screen Enlargement & Readers Low/Med. Tech Tactual Devices Notetaker Instruction Braillewriter Repair Tactile Graphics Technology Braille Technology Auditory Access Devices Accessing Audio Books iPads as Instructional Tools Making iOS Device Accessible iOS Accessibility Resources VoiceOver Apps for VI Note Taking apps Apps for Accessing Books Identification Apps Navigation & Location Apps Braille Apps Magnifier Apps Sound Making Apps Cause & Effect Apps Vision Skills Apps Apps for Early Learning Read to Me Story Apps Apps for Communication Android Apps for VI sensory efficiency
Sensory Input Encourage Use of Vision Sensory Area & Rooms Lightbox Use Sensory Activities for Students with Multiple Disabilities Sensory Tables Visual Efficiency Skills Visual Attend and Scan Activities Visual Tracking Activities Visual Discrimination Activities Visual Motor Activities Tactual Readiness Developing Skillful Hands Auditory Readiness Listening Skill Instruction independent living
orientation & Mobility
career education
recreation & Leisure
self determination
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