Goal 1: Timely Referral

Ensure early identification and appropriate placement.
  • Refer students within 30 days of suspected visual impairment.
  • Provide referral materials to schools, early intervention coordinators, and healthcare providers.
  • Promote awareness of referral procedures and available services.

Goal 2: Parent Participation

Empower families as equal partners.
  • Create local mentoring programs connecting experienced and new parents.
  • Develop and share educational materials for families (e.g., IEP process, ECC, outcome standards).
  • Build strong partnerships between students, parents, and educators.

Goal 3: Personnel Preparation

Increase the number of trained professionals.
  • Support accurate student counts for federal and state tracking.
  • Assist university preparation programs through mentorship and collaboration.
  • Advocate for more university programs in visual impairment education.

​Goal 4: Caseload Determination

Base caseloads on student needs.
  • Implement caseload and population analysis systems.
  • Develop job descriptions for TVIs and O&Ms tailored to service models.
  • Share data to help LEAs determine appropriate staffing models.

​Goal 5: Array of Services

Ensure access to a full continuum of placement options.
  • Educate administrators about placement options and their benefits.
  • Advocate for individualized, appropriate placement decisions.
  • Offer training to those involved in program planning.

​Goal 6: Assessment

Use appropriate tools and personnel for evaluations.
  • Partner with specialists in visual impairments during assessments.
  • Provide guidelines and tools for accurate assessment, selection, and interpretation.
  • Identify and share exemplary models.

Goal 7: Access to Instructional Materials

Guarantee timely and appropriate materials.
  • Reduce reliance on scanning; advocate for publisher electronic files.
  • Learn and apply strategies for adapting educational materials.
  • Ensure digital tools and platforms are accessible.

​Goal 8: Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)

Provide instruction in both academic and ECC areas.
  • Educate stakeholders on the importance of ECC.
  • Develop ECC curriculum and embed ECC goals in IEPs.
  • Collaborate with universities and agencies to prepare students for adult life.

​Goal 9: Transition Planning

Support students through all developmental stages.
  • Use available resources to guide early and long-term transition planning.
  • Teach career and life skills from an early age.
  • Involve students and families actively in transition planning.

​Goal 10: Professional Development

Support continuous learning for educators.
  • Promote reflective practice and individual professional growth plans.
  • Offer ongoing, varied training (e.g., mentorship, collaborative learning).
  • Include families in joint training on tools such as braille and AT.
  • Align professional development with broader local and state goals.

​Learn More

​This agenda is a call to action for professionals, families, and agencies to collaborate and advocate for high-quality, equitable education for students with visual impairments. Visit organizations like AFB, APH, and your state’s vision services department for further resources.
"The National Agenda represents a broad consensus of how educational programs must change to meet the needs of students with visual impairments." - AFB

Printable Resources

The following supporting printables can be found on the Premium Resource Library page and Premium Program Printables page.
National Agenda Implementation Plan Handout
National Agenda Implementation Plan Handout

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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 ​