SUPPORT NETWORKS

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com

The following is a list of support networks and organizations whose mission is to provide information, research and support to persons with specific visual impairments and diseases.

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American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

The goals of AAPOS are to advance the quality of children's eye care, support the training of pediatric ophthalmologists, support research activities in pediatric ophthalmology, and advance the care of adults with strabismus.

The Achromatopsia Network

This is an information network for individuals and families who are affected by achromatopsia and for professionals interested in achromatopsia.  ​

All About Vision:  Virtually Everything in Sight

All About Vision provides a wealth of information on many topics related to vision. It includes information on: contact lenses, LASIK & Vision surgeries, eyeglasses, sunglasses, eye exams, visual conditions, cataracts, low vision, computer vision, sports vision, eye safety, nutrition & eyes, children's vision, teens, vision over 40, vision over 60, cosmetic eye procedures, vision insurance, resources and videos.

American Nystagmus Network

American Nystagmus Network is a non-profit corporation seeking to improve the quality of life for all persons and families affected by nystagmus, through organized community support, education and public awareness.

Angelman Syndrome Foundation

The Angelman Syndrome Foundation provides information about Angelman syndrome and publishes a monthly newsletter, Voices of Angels. ​

Association for Macular Diseases ​​

The Association for Macular Diseases provides support, resources and assistance to individuals with macular disease, their caregivers, and the professional community.

BCM Families Foundation

BCM Families Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to eradicate Blue Cone Monochromacy, a rare genetic x-linked disorder, by supporting the most promising biomedical and scientific research that will lead to a cure.  ​

Canadian National Institute for the Blind

​The Canadian National Institute for the Blind rovides information regarding eye diseases and living with vision loss. CNIB includes information about eyes including eye conditions, eye care, eye safety as well as the opportunity to "ask the expert". The Living with Vision Loss section includes resources on independent living, learning and leisure, safe travel, how-to videos, braille, and guide dogs. Resources also include projects, research grants and awards, and funded projects.

Charge Syndrome foundation, Inc.

Charge Syndrome foundation, Inc. provides support to individuals with CHARGE syndrome and their families; to gather, develop, maintain and distribute information about CHARGE syndrome; and to promote awareness and research regarding its identification, cause and management.

Children's Glaucoma Foundation ​

Children's Glaucoma Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting programs for children with glaucoma.

FOCUS: For Our Children’s Unique Sight

FOCUS: For Our Children’s Unique Sight provides information, education and support to those affected by optic nerve hypoplasia and septo optic dysplasia world wide.

Foundation Fighting Blindness

The urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. For a $25.00 annual membership fee, FFB offers information and referral services for affected individuals and their families as well as for doctors and eye care professionals. Their national conference is usually held every year. ​​

Glaucoma Research Foundation

The Glaucoma Research Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for glaucoma. Funds glaucoma research world-wide.

ICAN ​​

ICAN a voluntary non-profit organization of families and professionals dedicated to lending support to individuals who want to learn more about microphthalmia and anophthalmia.

International Foundation for Optic Nerve Disease (IFOND)

The International Foundation for Optic Nerve Disease (IFOND) is a website dedicated to the promotion of research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of optic nerve disease, and to the dissemination of information about optic nerve disease.

Lions Clubs

The Lions Club is the world's largest service club organization. Their mission is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs. For nearly 100 years, their members have worked on projects designed to prevent blindness, restore eyesight and improve eye health and eye care for hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Low Vision Gateway

The Low Vision Gateway provides points to access information regarding low vision and blindness. The site offers information on low vision aides, professional and parent organizations and many other vision specific issues for both children and adults.

Macular Degeneration Foundation

The Macular Degeneration Foundation is dedicated to those who have and will develop macular degeneration. Offers the latest information, news, hope and encouragement. Includes links to resources such as Low Vision Centers, Therapists, Physicians and Support Group.

The National Eye Institute

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, leads the federal government's research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs that result in the development of sight -saving treatments.  Resources include a clinical studies database, publications, and materials list, photos, images and videos as well as statistics and data.

National Organization for Rare Disorders

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a nonprofit organization representing all Americans affected by rare diseases.  It provides information for patients and families (assistance programs, information center, online communities, NORD meetings, clinical trials, patient organizations), for medical professions (research grants and resources), for industry, and rare disease information.

NOAH

NOAH is a non-profit organization that offers information and support to people with albinism, their families and the professionals who work with them. Publishes a quarterly magazine, Albinism InSight.

Nystagmus Network

Nystagmus Network is a UK charity run by individuals and families affected by nystagmus. Provides patient information, support and scientific research charity for nystagmus in Europe.

Stargardt's Disease

Stargardt's Disease is a web resource that provides information, news and research specific to Stargardt's Disease.

Vision Research ROPARD Foundation

Vision Research ROPARD (Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases) is a website whose focus is on ROP, PFVS (persistent fetal vascular syndrome, retinoschisis, and FEVR (familial exudative vitreoretinopathy). They offer the most current information on all pediatric retinal diseases.

Free Membership

Sign up for free membership to access the FREE downloadable templates, handbooks and handouts on the Printables page. Simply click on the Log In | Register link in the navigation bar. If you haven't joined yet, you will be prompted to create a password. ​

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TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

$50.00

Written specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), this book 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.

The core activities listed in the Activity section can be adapted to each thematic unit. These include:

• Object Characteristic Activities
• Quantity & Number Concepts
• Time Concept Activities
• Environment & Job Awareness Activities
• Listening Skills Activities
• Reading Foundation Activities
• Reading Fluency Activities
• Braille Basics Activities
• Writing Activities
• Tactual Efficiency Activities
• Developing Skillful Hands Activities
• Visual Efficiency Activities
• Optical Device Instruction Activities
• Recipe Activities

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.

Unique Concepts within the Units include:

• Self Advocacy Activities (e.g. advocating for safe classroom, presenting to class on visual impairment, requesting help and more)
• Social Skills Activities (e.g. Being bullied or teased, giving and receiving compliments, body language, "I" messages when upset and more)
• Recreation & Leisure Activities (e.g. exploring interest areas, getting involved in clubs and sports, playing games, and more)
• O&M Support Activities (e.g. Suggestions for community based experiences, dog guide information, locations in the school, bioptics, ride sharing, traffic signs, and more)
• Independent Living Skill Activities (e.g. chores, being responsible, using tools, recipe suggestions, hygiene, staying healthy, labeling foods and products, and more)
• Sensory Efficiency Activities (e.g. unique sensory experiences related to the unit, unique optical device activities, and more)
• Compensatory Activities (e.g. organizing materials, study habits, and many unique concepts related to the unit)
• Career & Vocational Activities (e.g. job awareness, completing applications, job task suggestions, and more)

Although the intended audience of this resource is fellow Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, special education teachers may find these activities beneficial to the students in their classrooms as the activities are multisensory and include life skills and concepts needed by all students. This resource, however, is not intended to take the place of a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI). Readers are advised to consult their own TVI’s regarding instruction in the ECC and the unique visual needs of the student’s served in their programs.

Note: This curriculum is a digital pdf download. Once you make your purchase you will be directed to an order confirmation page where you will find the download link. This download will also be included on the receipt sent to the email address you provide. The pdf download can be found directly under the order number.

Each download is intended for single instructor use per copyright. Thank you for helping me preserve the content and not distributing copies to third parties.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 364 pages (11 pt font)

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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Visual Efficiency & Magnifier Fluency Grab & Go ECC Supplements

$20.00

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 supplement 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.  

Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:

Digital pdf download: 210 pages

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

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