Key Responsibilities

To ensure clarity and effective collaboration, the responsibilities of the paraprofessional must be clearly defined in relation to the roles of the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) and the classroom teacher.
Physical and Instructional Support
  • Support the student's physical needs when appropriate.
  • Assist in guiding practice, reviewing lessons, and supporting new routines or activities until they are mastered.
  • Help students access materials and environments independently without becoming overly intrusive.
Material Preparation
  • Enlarge print materials for students with low vision.
  • Prepare tactile graphics, braille materials, or audio recordings as needed.
  • Learn braille if the student uses it and consider pursuing formal training (e.g., becoming a certified braille transcriber).
Access Facilitation
  • Read materials aloud when they are not yet accessible.
  • Narrate visual content (e.g., videos).
  • Translate print to braille and braille to print.
  • Assist in ordering and maintaining an inventory of specialized materials.
Social and Peer Interaction
  • Support positive peer interactions and social inclusion.
  • Avoid "hovering" or over-assisting in ways that may isolate the student or impede independence.

Important Considerations

  • Balance Support: Provide help when needed, but avoid doing things for the student that they can do independently.
  • Encourage Independence: The goal is always to build the student’s skills, confidence, and self-reliance.
  • Prevent Learned Dependency: Too much help can lead to passivity and reduced engagement in learning.
  • Avoid Being a Barrier: The paraprofessional should enhance—not limit—the student’s interactions with peers and engagement with the classroom community.

​Collaboration and Training

  • The TVI is typically responsible for training and supervising the paraprofessional in specialized skills related to visual impairments.
  • Paraprofessionals should meet regularly with the TVI and other team members to ensure services remain appropriate and effective.
  • Ongoing professional development is essential and may include:
    • Pre-service training
    • On-the-job coaching
    • Observation and feedback
  • Continuous collaboration and monitoring help prevent over-reliance and support the development of independent, confident learners.

Printable Resources

The following supporting printables can be found on the Premium Resource Library page and Premium Program Printables page.
Paraprofessional Quick Guide to Build Trust handout
Paraprofessional Quick Guide to Build Trust Handout
Paraprofessionals Supporting VI Students Handout
Paraprofessionals Supporting VI Students Handout

Resource Access

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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 ​