By Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Revised May 6, 2019

Having taught students with visual impairments in North Carolina, Ohio, and Georgia, I am aware that it is important to keep in mind that each state and/or agency may have different eligibility guidelines or criteria. The following is the typical sequence to follow when a student is going through the initial referral process. 

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STEP 1:

Parents/Caregivers, School Nurse, Teachers or Therapists have concerns about a child’s use of vision. Sometimes, the student may identify that they are having a difficult time seeing. Either way, identifying concerns is the starting point of the referral process.

STEP 2: 

In order to determine if the student meets the criteria for eligibility, the school or agency must receive a current (within one year) eye report from the child's optometrist or ophthalmologist. A school vision screening is not adequate information to determine eligibility as it must be obtained from an eye doctor. If the parents/caregivers have not already done so, they must schedule an appointment with an Optometrist or ophthalmologist to evaluate the child’s vision. It is critical to have current information as the student's vision can change as well as their cooperation with the evaluation. 

(For students with Cortical Visual Impairment, a report from a neurologist diagnosing the student with CVI is also permissible.) ​

STEP 3:

Once the eye report is obtained, the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) will review the Eye Report. The TVI will note the acuity, visual field loss if any, the diagnosis and also the prognosis. If the student does not meet the eligibility criteria set forth by the state in which they are served for school based vision services, the referral will stop. Keep in mind the eye report is just one piece of the eligibility determination. Part of determining eligibility is whether the visual impairment is having a negative impact on the educational performance.

In order to determine if the visual impairment is negatively impacting educational performance, it is best practice for the TVI to screen the student by observing the student and how the student is using his or her vision throughout the school setting. Whether or not the student is determined to be eligible for school based vision services, the TVI can provide a consultation to explain the eye report and identify accommodations that would minimize the negative impact of reduced visual functioning. If the student meets or is suspected to meet the eligibility criteria, the referral process will continue.

STEP 4:

​If the student meets the eligibility criteria, the Parents/Caregivers must sign permission for a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments to conduct a Functional Vision Evaluation and Learning Media Assessment.

STEP 5:

The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments conducts the Functional Vision Evaluation and Learning Media Assessment. The FVE/LMA will identify how the student's vision loss is negatively impacting their education and identify what strategies or accommodations could reduce the negative impact. The Learning Media Assessment will determine the student's primary mode of learning. This will also determine if the student will need instruction in braille. This evaluation will also determine the need for vision services and identify the need for any additional vision specific evaluations.

STEP 6: 

For infants, toddlers and preschoolers, the team will assess the developmental strengths and needs of the child (required) and the priorities, resources and needed supports for the family (optional). Services necessary to meet identified child and family needs are specified. Outcomes (goals) to be reached through participation in Early Intervention supports and services are also formulated. 

OR

For school age children, a Clinical Low Vision Evaluation is scheduled for students with low vision that are capable of participating in the evaluation for the purpose of determining the need of prescribed low vision devices for near and distance viewing. (It is unlawful for a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments to prescribe low vision devices. These MUST be prescribed by a certified low vision specialist.)

Note: It typically takes weeks to months to receive a Low Vision Evaluation. For this reason, the evaluation process may continue and the IEP will be amended as needed based on the results of this evaluation.

STEP 7:

For children who are birth through age 2, an IFSP meeting will be scheduled to discuss the outcome of the evaluation. An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a written plan that states child and family outcomes, as identified through the assessment process. It also spells out the services and supports necessary to reach intended outcomes. The initial IFSP is written by a team, including the child’s parents.

OR
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If the student is 3-21, and in need of school based services, these will be identified on an Individualized Educational Program (IEP).

Referral Process Overview Chart

I created this Referral Process Overview Chart, available for free download on the Printables page, as a visual for the referral process.

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TVI's Guide Complete Set Bundle + BONUS Resources

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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

BONUS!

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.

NEW! Access to TVI's Guide Bonus Membership Pages

Note:

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*Please contact me if you need to purchase using a purchase order. I am happy to help guide you in the process of adding Teaching Students with Visual Impairments as an approved vendor for your school or program or you can visit the product support page for information on using a PO.

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