Early Intervention Services

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated June 16, 2025
Early Intervention (EI) services are similar to school-age special education services but are designed for children from birth through age two (up to 36 months). These services support families in promoting the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities, including those with visual impairments.

​Overview of Early Intervention

​Early Intervention is a voluntary, family-centered program that begins with an individualized assessment. It is designed to identify the child’s developmental needs and provide services that align with the family’s priorities. Services may take place in a variety of settings:
  • The child’s home
  • Early Intervention centers
  • Childcare settings or preschools
It is crucial for a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) to be part of the Early Intervention team. However, access to TVIs within EI systems varies by state and region.

​Why Early Intervention Matters 

​Visual impairments can significantly impact early development, including how a child explores their environment, develops motor skills, builds social connections, and acquires language. Because vision is a dominant learning sense in infancy, children with visual impairments require intentional instruction, modeling, and hands-on experiences to make sense of their world.

​Key Strategies for Supporting Young Children

Understand Developmental Milestones
Children who are blind or visually impaired may meet developmental milestones later than their sighted peers, but this is typically related to sensory access, rather than cognitive ability. Visual impairment is a sensory disability, and children with visual impairment may also have additional disabilities. Standard developmental checklists may not apply directly to children with visual impairments. It’s important to interpret milestones within the context of the child’s unique learning profile.
Provide a Variety of Meaningful Experiences
Children with limited or no vision: cannot learn through visual observation, may struggle with concepts like object permanence or cause and effect, and benefit most from real-life, hands-on experiences. Suggested strategies:
  • Wear the baby in a front carrier and narrate daily routines
  • Let toddlers explore safe kitchen tools during meal prep
  • Offer consistent tactile and auditory experiences
  • Explain and involve the child in every step of daily routines
Offer Tactually Interesting and Varied Materials
Many store-bought infant toys lack tactile variety. Instead:
  • Choose real objects that offer different textures, weights, and temperatures
  • Look for high-contrast features if the child has usable vision
  • Rotate toys and introduce natural materials (e.g., metal, rubber, wood)
Tactile exploration lays the groundwork for braille readiness and encourages sensory curiosity.
Reduce Auditory Distractions
Excessive background noise (TV, radio, etc.) can overwhelm a child’s developing auditory processing system. Keep the environment quiet to:
  • Support listening and attention
  • Improve language acquisition and comprehension
  • Make spoken communication more meaningful
Talk to the Child with Purpose
Consistent and meaningful language input helps children make sense of their world. Be sure to:
  • Use clear, simple language
  • Explain actions before doing them
  • Let the child know when you enter or leave the room
  • Avoid overtalking—provide space for interaction
Engage Siblings
Involve siblings when appropriate. Older children may enjoy:
  • Modeling activities
  • Practicing skills recommended by the intervention team
  • Reading to or playing with the child
Involvement should always be voluntary and age-appropriate.
Create Predictable Routines and Transitions
Establishing a consistent routine builds a child’s sense of security and helps them anticipate what comes next.
  • Use touch or object cues to prepare for transitions (e.g., hand the diaper before a diaper change).
  • Reinforce sequences through repetition and predictable environments.
Encourage Movement and Exploration
Children with visual impairments may lack motivation to move toward objects they cannot see. To foster exploration:
  • Place sound cues around the room (e.g., wind chimes on doors)
  • Use wrist/ankle rattles for body awareness
  • Encourage safe, independent movement by removing obstacles
  • Allow the child to explore safely, rather than bringing everything to them
This builds early Orientation & Mobility skills and supports cognitive development.
Foster Independence
Parents may be tempted to do tasks for the child, especially when progress is slow. However:
  • Teach skills with the child, not for them
  • Be patient and allow extra time for tasks
  • Repetition builds confidence and competence
  • Early independence supports future success in self-care, learning, and social participation.

​More Articles Related to Early Intervention

More Resources:

On the Way to Literacy Handbook, 2nd edition. American Printing House for the Blind. 2007. This revised version, available from APH with quota funds, includes comprehensive information about emergent literacy. It brings together material from a variety of sources to give teachers and parents information about how literacy develops for a young child with a visual impairment, from birth until the child begins to read and write. It discusses areas of development that form a foundation for literacy and everyday activities that support a child’s learning in these areas.
Public Law 99-457, the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Act, established the initial federal funding and guidelines for Early Intervention services. Enacted in 1986, PL 99-457 became what is now known as Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
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