Enviromental Observations

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​May 29, 2019

As part of the Functional Vision Evaluation (FVE), it is important to observe the individual's environment.  The environmental observations will provide you with insight into how the environment is positively or negatively impacting the student's use of vision. 

Make Environmental Observations

Include information about where the assessment took place. Identify the lighting conditions, the size of the objects and materials used, the distances at which the students were able to recognize objects. Also indicate whether the student used prescribed glasses or other optical aids including the specific strength of those aids. Environmental variables may affect a student's visual functioning. Note these conditions in natural learning environments during near, intermediate, and distance FVE activities including color, contrast, lighting, space, distance, and time. Color may impact how a students uses vision. Red and yellow may be preferred colors for students with CVI, but not always. Color preferences can promote the use and further development of functional vision. Contrast describes the student's sensitivity or ability to detect difference of brightness.

​Lighting Observations

​Consider the student's visual diagnosis and implications for determining lighting needs; the lighting conditions in each environment; and the student's sensitivity to light indoors and outdoors and the need to provide protection from glare and/or ultraviolet rays.

Note the following in regards to lighting:

• What type of light is in the room or area? (sunlight/natural light, incandescent light, fluorescent light, LED lights, halogen lights, combination lights)
• Indicate if there are any lighting controls at the windows. Are there adjustable drapes, shades, blinds? Are windows uncovered or are there skylights.
• What type of lighting fixtures are in this room or area? (e.g. ceiling lights, table lights, lights or lamps with dimmer switches, natural light, no light, other)
• Describe the levels of lighting in the area (too dim, too bright, uneven, adequate)

Note the following in regards to glare:

• Note any possible sources of glare (TV, computer, monitor, smartboard, whiteboard, laminated pictures, polished floors, mirrors, or glossy/shiny surfaces).

Note the following in regards to color and contrast:

• What color are the walls?
• What color is the floor covering?
• What color is the furniture?
• Is there good contrast between the door frame, door(s), and walls?
• Is there good contrast between the walls and floor?
• Is there good contrast between furniture and walls?
• Is there good contrast between handrails and walls?

Note if the area is well organized or cluttered.
Note any safety hazards:

• electrical cords in walking paths presenting tripping hazards?
• items on the floor presenting a tripping hazard?
• Cabinets and drawers left open or partly ajar?

If the Student has difficulty with lighting, include some or all of the following possible recommendations in the report:

• Adjust Lighting (dim, medium or bright)
• Avoid glare
• Permit student to wear sunglasses/visor
• Wear protective clothing & sunscreen
• Extra time to adjust to lighting changes
• Adjust window blinds
• Position student so the student faces away from window (or near window depending on student's needs)
• Recommend that teacher does not stand in front of window during instruction (avoid being "back lit")
• Task lighting may be needed

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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


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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.

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