CASELOAD ANALYSIS
By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com Updated March 10, 2018 An important component of program management involves caseload analysis in order to determine the need for changes in staffing based on current students and projection for growth with population changes. An analysis can be a snapshot of a typical week or a month. It should factor in direct service time as well as consultation, material production, case-manager duties and travel. While it is common for a teacher’s workload to be considered by the number of students they teach, this does not apply to Teachers of the Visually Impaired as their caseload crosses all subject areas, all grade levels, and students with multiple disabilities. Some students require regular direct instruction while other students require only monthly or quarterly consultation.
Caseload Factors to ConsiderThe unique accessibility and learning needs of students makes an assessment of a caseload based only on the number of students not an appropriate measure of time needed to perform the job. Blindness and low vision has a tremendous impact on every aspect of a student’s learning and each student has unique and diverse needs. Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments must teach students in all areas related to the Expanded Core Curriculum that are appropriate for that student. This includes the need for specialized instruction in concept development, compensatory access, sensory efficiency, instruction in assistive technology, activities of daily living, social development, recreation and leisure, career education and self determination. In addition, they must collaborate with teachers and therapists to adapt the materials, environment and the curriculum.
The Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) having adequate time to:
Conducting a periodic caseload analysis can provide administrators with an understanding of the TVI's time and consider the need for expanding the program. As districts grow, or otherwise change, the service needs change. The data from the caseload analysis will reflect what changes are needed and thus provide quality control. Some of the tools for caseload analysis can be detailed and daunting to say the least. They will yield valuable information, but if you need a simple and quick tool to balance caseloads, I have found the TSBVI Staffing Patterns (adapted from the IOWA rules for SpEd) to be a helpful tool. If you are looking for a more detailed analysis, consider the QPVI identified below. Caseload Analysis ToolsQuality Programs for the Visually Impaired (QPVI) forms and guidelines can be used by both Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI's) and Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Specialists
The APSEA Guidelines for Determining Caseload Size for TVI's provides guidelines and suggestions for administrators when assigning students to an itinerant teacher. Supervisors should consider:
The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired also has a resource page on Caseload Analysis Guidelines as part of the Administrators Toolkit. The page includes assumptions, why it is important to conduct a caseload analysis and what should be taken into consideration.
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TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level. In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community-based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites. In addition to the book, the following two supplements are included: ·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Concept Checklist ·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Activities Checklist For complete product details and additional images, visit the TVI's Guide product page. TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details ·      Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font) ·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments ·      Author: Carmen Willings ·      Language: English Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  For complete product details and additional images, visit the Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Product Page. Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details: ·      Digital pdf download: 210 pages ·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments ·      Author: Carmen Willings ·      Language: English Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement The Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These word lists and sentences will help the student refine their keyboarding or braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, you may also copy and paste the passages into any braille translation software for quick production on an embosser. They may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency. For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency & Maintenance Product Page Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency Worksheet Details: ·      Digital pdf download: 338-page print and simulated braille worksheets ·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments ·      Author: Carmen Willings ·      Language: English Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists: Grab & Go ECC Supplement The Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Grab and Go ECC supplement is a 446 page pdf downloadable print on demand workbook that includes 2940 vocabulary card on 3 1/2" x 2" templates divided by each of the 32 Thematic Units along with a checklist of each unit words in print and simulated braille. As a companion to the TVI's Guide to the ECC, the vocabulary cards correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. Additional Use: Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments can have a extremely varied caseloads. It is possible to go several years without having a student on your caseload who requires braille instruction. Like other skills, if you do not practice your braille regularly, it is easy to lose those skills. Use these checklists and cards to maintain your braille skills. Fold the checklist along the line dividing the print from the braille. Choose to either read the print and produce the word in braille using a braillewriter or read the simulated braille and decode it. Finally, these vocabulary cards and checklists may be used with family members or peers who are interested in learning and practicing the braille code. For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Vocabulary Cards & Checklists Product Page Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Details: ·      Digital pdf download: 446-page print on demand resource ·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments ·      Author: Carmen Willings ·      Language: English BONUS! Lotto Cards The LOTTO Cards Grab and Go Supplement includes 37 theme related unit cards along with activity suggestions that support activities within the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. On My Way File Folder Cards Print and use these cards to represent locations the student may visit that are related to the current thematic unit. Use these with the On My Way File Folder Game outlined in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC p. 27. NEW! Access to TVI's Guide Bonus Membership Pages Note: All products are digital pdf downloads. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number. If you encounter any difficulty, please let me know and I can assist you. 
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