​IDEA Overview

IDEA has two main parts related to age:
  • Part C: For infants and toddlers (birth through age 2) and their families, providing early intervention services.
  • Part B: For children and youth (ages 3–21), providing special education and related services in public school settings.

​Definition of Visual Impairment under IDEA

​Under Part B, a child may qualify for services under the eligibility category of "Visual Impairment, including Blindness", defined as:
“An impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.”
Important Clarification:
In a May 22, 2017, memorandum, the U.S. Department of Education clarified that the IDEA definition does not include a severity modifier—meaning any vision impairment, regardless of visual acuity or severity, must be considered under this eligibility category if it adversely impacts educational performance.

Eligibility Determination Process

​Before services are provided, a full and individual evaluation must be conducted to:
  1. Determine whether the child has a disability.
  2. Identify the extent of the child’s educational needs.
Eligibility for visual impairment must be based on multiple sources of information. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • A recent eye medical report
  • A Functional Vision Evaluation (FVE)
  • A Learning Media Assessment (LMA)
  • Additional evaluations if determined necessary by the team.
No single assessment tool may be used as the sole criterion for eligibility.

Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) and Educational Need

A key component of eligibility for students with visual impairments includes identifying the unique educational needs that result from vision loss, especially those addressed through the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC). While many students—regardless of disability—can benefit from instruction in areas such as independent living, social skills, or self-advocacy, students with visual impairments require ECC instruction that is fundamentally different. Because vision is a primary channel for incidental learning, students with visual impairments often cannot access information or experiences visually in the same way their sighted peers do. As a result, critical skills that sighted students typically learn by watching, observing, or imitating must be explicitly, intentionally, and systematically taught.
For this reason, ECC instruction must be provided by a licensed Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) or in collaboration with a TVI. The TVI understands how vision loss affects learning and knows how to adapt, scaffold, and deliver instruction in the nine ECC areas so that students can build the concepts, compensatory strategies, and hands-on experiences they need. Without this specialized instruction, students with visual impairments would be at significant risk for delays in independence, access, social-emotional development, and long-term postsecondary readiness. ECC instruction is therefore not an add-on, but rather a critical component of FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) for students with visual impairments.

​Key Takeaways

  • IDEA ensures access to services for students with visual impairments.
  • Any level of visual impairment must be considered if it affects educational performance.
  • A thorough evaluation—including eye report, FVE, and LMA—is essential.
  • ECC areas must be assessed and addressed through specialized instruction.

Resource Access

Instructional articles on this site are open access and do not require an account. Free Members may access select free resources and goal banks.
Downloadable printable resources, lesson plans, recorded presentations, and ECC instructional units are available to Premium Subscribers.

Full Article List

Guide: Start Here
Tools (VI Basics)
Plan: Referrals & Eligibility
Referral & Eligibility​ ​Medical Vision Information 
FVLMALow Vision Evaluations
Other Evaluations
Plan: IEP Planning
Plan: Collaboration & Accessibility
​Collaboration Accessible Materials ​Classroom Access Instructional Access Technology Access ​Additional Supports Service Delivery Models  ​
Teach: Compensatory Skills
Compensatory Skills
Concept Development ​Alternative Communication ​Emergent Literacy ​Braille Code
​Beginning Braille ​ Braille Fluency & Comprehension  Writing Braille ​​​Nemeth Code Instruction 
​​​Tactile Graphics ​Print Concepts ​​Abacus  ​​Organization Skills​ ​​Study Skills ​​Time Management
Teach: Sensory Efficiency Skills
​Auditory & Listening Skills ​​Visual Efficiency Skills ​​Optical Device Use ​Tactile Readiness
Teach: Assistive Technology 
AT Overview ​AT Use & Maintenance Braille AT ​iOS Instruction Audio Access​ ​Video Magnifiers ​​​Basic Computer Use Computer Access ​Productivity
Teach: Social Skills
Social Skill Basics​
Non-Verbal Skills​​​​ Verbal Communication Skills Cooperative Skills Identity & Self-Awareness ​Interactions & Relationships Managing Challenges & Safety
Teach: Self Determination
Teach: Independent Living Skills
Personal Care ​Hygiene & Grooming ​Personal Health Mealtime Skills ​​​ Food Preparation
Household Skills Clothing Management ​Money & Budget Shopping & Consumerism Phone Use ​Safety & Emergency Preparedness ​​Services & Community Resources
Teach: Orientation & Mobility
Teach: Recreation & Leisure
Teach: Career & Vocational
Printables
Free Resources​ Premium Resource Library 
Teaching Strategy Printables 
​Premium Program Printables
​Premium FVLMA Printables
​ECC PrintablesCompensatory Skills Printables
Sensory Efficiency Printables
Assistive Technology Printables
Social Skills Printables
Self Determination Printables
Independent Living Printables
Recreation & Leisure Printables
Career & Vocational Printables
Evelyn Jane Stories 
Learn: Teaching Strategies & Planning
Learn: ​ECC Units
Beginning of the Year Units ​​Fall UnitsWinter Units ​​Winter Units ​​Spring UnitsAnytime Units
Learn: ​Interactive Activities
Learn: Recorded Presentations
Learn: Complete Set Bonus ​