Optical Device Use

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated June 9, 2019

Many students who have visual impairments will be print readers and will use print as their primary mode of communication. Instruction in print reading and writing falls under the area of the general curriculum which means the student will receive their instruction within the general classroom setting. The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) will assess the student's functioning and determine what non-optical devices will assist a student in accessing print. The low vision specialist may prescribe optical devices that will help the student access print. The TVI will instruct the student in the proper use and care of the devices.

For those that are able, it is ideal and less restrictive to instruct a student in the use of optical and non-optical devices. Low vision devices will allow access to regular print materials both in and outside of the classroom, such as magazines, labels, price tags, game boards, time tables, and menus. This will prepare the student for adult life when most environmental, educational, and leisure reading materials will be available only in regular print.
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After the student has been prescribed low vision devices from the Clinical Low Vision Specialist, the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments will need to instruct the student in accurately and efficiently using the device(s). Some students will only require a short period of instruction, while other students will need longer to gain the skills needed to independently use the devices. As with all areas of instruction, the student's individual needs and skill levels will play a factor in determining the appropriate type and amount of instruction.

Prior to optical device practice, encourage the student to independently retrieve the device and clean the device if necessary. Throughout instruction encourage the student to use the dominant eye, grip the device correctly, stabilize the materials, determine the proper focal distance, and ensure the device is in focus. At the end of the practice, encourage the student to properly store the device.

​Near Optical Device Instruction

Students who have been prescribed a magnifier for near viewing need to learn to use the device properly. Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI's) instruct students on how to manipulate their devices, on how to focus them, and on how to use them to accomplish functional and academic tasks. Instruction also must center on identifying when it is appropriate to use the devices and on when to use them in conjunction with non-optical devices or techniques.  Skills the students will need to learn include:

1. Teach the student to use appropriate positioning for optimal viewing. The student will need to learn to use the correct posture and body positioning. Using the magnifier along with a book stand/wedge will alleviate neck strain.
2. Teach the student to stabilize reading materials/objects. This may come naturally, but the student may need some instruction, particularly when using the magnifier when they are not seated at their desk.
3. Teach the student to stabilize the hand using the magnifier. Stand magnifiers are designed to rest directly on the flat surface. Handheld magnifiers are designed to be held above the viewing surface. This can be challenging as the student will need to maintain the focal distance while using the magnifier. The student will need to be taught how to coordinate their hands and use their opposite hand or arm as a wedge to maintain the correct distance. They will also need to be taught how to adjust the focal length of the magnifier from the eye to the page.
4. Teach the student to read a variety of printed formats including those with graphics, maps, and charts. Provide the students with a variety of materials to practice their skills on. Be sure to include materials with various print sizes such as CD cases, DVD cases, dictionaries, labels on food packages, sales flyers, newspaper articles, recipes or magazines. Students may also be motivated to observe rocks, shells, fossils, feathers, money, fingerprints, leaves, flowers or any other materials related to the topic of study.
5. Teach the student to select the appropriate magnifier for the task. Students will frequently be prescribed several magnifiers of varying strength or different types (stand, handheld, pocket, etc). They will need to be instructed on not only how to use the various devices, but when they should use.
6. Teach the student to properly store and care for the magnifier (e.g. store and retrieve it, clean it).
7. Teach the student to independently initiate and use the magnifier in a variety of settings.

Monocular Instruction

​Students who have been prescribed a monocular for distance viewing need to learn to use the device properly in order to participate in activities across a variety of environments.

Skills the students will need to learn include:

1. Teach the student to determine and use the dominant eye. Most students will automatically look through the monocular with their preferred eye, but others will need instruction.
2. Teach the student to use the best positioning to stabilize the monocular and avoid physical fatigue as well as position to avoid glare and obstacles. It goes without saying that the student will also need to be instructed in which end of the monocular to look through.
3. Teach the student to scan the environment to find a stationary object prior to using magnification. This will help the student use their full visual field to locate the object before having to reduce the field with a telescope.
4. Teach the student to locate and verify pictures or signs from a distance. This can be taught using existing signs or by placing pictures/signs throughout the environment for the student to locate and identify.
5. Teach the student to use a systematic technique to spot the desired targets. This includes learning to scan from left to right, from top to bottom and/or using a reference point.
6. Teach the student to adjust the focus by having the student start by closing the monocular to its shortest length. Then have the student slowly open the monocular as they hold the monocular to their eye. Finally, as the image is clear, have them slowly turn past this point to blur again, and then turn back to the clearest image to self-check.
7. Teach the student to copy symbols, words, and sentences spotted at a distance. This is an important skill for the student to have, but they should not be expected to use this skill in the general education setting until they are able to complete the task with minimum errors or glances. Also, this skill should be used to copy short passages and not for copying lengthy notes.
8. Teach the student to scan to locate objects/pictures in a variety of planes. The student will need to use scanning and focusing skills they have previously learned. This skill can be used in a smaller environment and then transferred to a larger and more complex environment.
9. Teach the student to track moving targets. This will allow the student to access most environments and materials that are within viewing distance. The student will need to incorporate previously learned skills of locating, focusing and tracking to complete this skill.
10. Teach the student to properly store and care for the device.
11. Teach the student to independently initiate the use of the device.

The following are some possible activities the student can use the monocular for:

• Read street signs and house numbers
• Read menus on the wall at fast-food restaurants
• Watching assemblies and other performances
• Locating a seat in a theater, auditorium, cafeteria or another public place
• Observing sporting events and viewing the scoreboards
• Reading signs in the grocery store
• Observe wildlife (birds or squirrels, etc) or sights at amusement parks, zoos, and fairs
• Playing games such as "I Spy" to locate toys "hidden" around the room.
• Observe moving targets such as other students on the playground, kites, traffic or bubbles.
• Tape pictures along a wall and have the student locate and identify the pictures.

AFB's site, Family Connect, provides a list of fun activities for teaching magnifier use. The specific page can be found here.

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ENVISION Near Magnification Devices
This training program and kit, available from APH, teaches students to use near optical devices and practice the skills of tracing, tracking and scanning with near distance magnification devices.

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ENVISION Distance Magnification Devices
This training program and kit, available from APH, teaches students to use distance optical devices and practice the skills of tracing, tracking and scanning with distance magnification devices.

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   By providing a variety of tools to gain access to print materials, the teacher is applying the principle of filling a student's toolbox with a variety of tools."
Holbrook & Koenig, Foundations of Education 2nd Ed., Vol. II p. 181

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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


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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.  


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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.


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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


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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.


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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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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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