By: Carmen Willings teachingvisuallyimpaired.com Updated March 11, 2018
As part of the Functional Vision Evaluation, it is necessary to assess the student's visual fields. The technique used will vary depending on the students cognitive abilities. It is important to assess the student's visual fields even if the eye report indicates that there are no limitations in visual fields.
The central visual field is the "what" system, while the peripheral visual field is the "where" system. The visual field is the entire area of vision that can be used without shifting the eyes or moving the head, encompassing 180 degree arcs. Assess the student's visual fields including the student's preferences or limitations. Observe the students response to materials presented in the central visual field and to the peripheral visual fields. Note where the student responds to materials. Estimate the number of degrees from the nose.
Note other signs of possible field loss including: over-scanning; eccentric viewing; holding object to the side, up, or down to inspect it; stumbling over low-lying objects; functional peripheral vision is often a source of distractibility. A student's scanning of an array of objects or looking for a missing object can demonstrate his functional visual field at near point. For example, a compensatory head turn suggests a peripheral field loss to the side of the head turn, since the student has learned to compensate by moving the usable visual field toward the side where information is missing.
The performance of activities, such as scanning a map or doing a word-search puzzle, can also suggest where scotomas (areas of absent vision) may be located, because if students are asked to keep their heads perfectly still while doing them, they may miss information in some areas of the tasks. Students who walk with their heads turned slightly to one side may be compensating for a difference in visual fields. Eye preference, evidenced in typical tasks, can also be evaluated.
Observe special visual behaviors and repetitive behaviors including eccentric viewing, stereotypical behaviors, and fluctuating visual abilities. Observe whether the student uses corrective lenses and tolerates them. Also indicate if the student has received Orientation and Mobility services. Note how the student currently travels indoors, outdoors, in familiar and in unfamiliar environments.
The absence of a full (180 degrees) peripheral field may cause difficulty in sports and social difficulty due to not seeing those in their visual field or by using an odd posture in order to see. They also may not see downward flight of stairs or a curb. It also may limit the amount of letters/words can see at a time.
Depending on the results of the Visual Fields Testing, the following strategies, recommendations, and accommodations may be necessary to meet the students unique visual needs:
Seat to left/center/right side of room depending on field of vision
Caution in PE or at recess with fast moving balls or objects
Train the student to scan the environment prior to entering a new area
Refer for O&M evaluation.
Strategies & Tips for Conducting a FVELMA Presentation
I have created a page covering items discussed during my presentation on conducting the FVELMA. Included is the PowerPoint, resources I use in conducting the FVELMA, and templates. Become a member for free to access this page as well as other presentation pages and printables.
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.
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
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
