VI PROGRAM HANDBOOK

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
October 31, 2017

When I was a TVI with the Wake County School System in North Carolina, a colleague, Tricia Noe, and I would work together over the summer creating a VI Program Handbook to provide to fellow TVI’s when they returned from summer break. I found it to be a great resource and I maintained and carried it with me at all times, modifying it to each new work environment, over the years. Of course, I use a variety of other methods to keep myself organized and on top of everything, but this has been my “go to” over the years. I thought I would share the framework of that handbook with you if you haven’t yet created a similar one of your own.

Printable handbook cover, spine, table of contents and tabs

I have revised the contents many times over the years, trying to consolidate the information and include only items I need to refer to on a regular basis. As schools have transitioned to storing information online, I have taken advantage of those systems (as well as storing information on my flash drive) and only include the items that I need to refer to on a regular basis in the handbook. I do make sure I have copies of important forms on hand for those inevitable times that the internet is down! I begin with a 1 ½" binder with a clear cover and at least two 8 tab dividers. As I stated, I used to carry around much more information, but for the sake of saving my back and shoulders, I’ve whittled my binder down to the following items that I find are “must haves”. You will want to include forms and information specific to your program, but many of the documents I use can be found on the Printable page and can be adapted to meet your needs. 

---

Section 1: Employee Information.

• Basic Employee Information: This includes how to access the internet on the work issued computer at home, purchasing guidelines, professional development and leave procedures, and other pertinent information specific to the program.
• School district calendar that indicates work days.
• School calendars if you work with students in different schools that are following year-round, modified or traditional calendars.
• School bell schedules.
• Map of schools in the district/county.
• Mileage Chart. Some programs will provide a mileage chart while others don’t. For those that don’t, I find it helpful to create my own chart for quick reference when I’m tallying up miles traveled in a day.

Section 2: Caseload

• Caseload Overview. See Printables page for a template you may download.
• Service Intensity Scale. I personally prefer the TSBVI VISSIT tool but there are other tools available for determining service intensity. 

Section 3: VI Program Forms ​

I keep a single copy of each form I regularly use in this section. By keeping a copy in my folder, I know I will always have access to it and can make a quick copy as needed.

• Eye Report Form
• Permission to Evaluate I have created a form on the Printables page for programs that do not have a form
• Low Vision Evaluation forms
• Orientation & Mobility referral forms
• Exchange/Release of Information Form
• Medical Release Form
• Notarized Consent for state materials (Due to recent litigation, some states, if not all, now require a notarized consent to access instructional educational material from the state.)

Section 4: Print Comparisons

• Near print comparisons with font size examples 
• Typometer pdf printed on clear acetate. This was a genius idea I picked up from a colleague (Thank you, Carson Cochran!). Print a copy on clear acetate, hole punch it and keep it in your binder for quick reference! By printing it on clear acetate, you can place the typometer over print to determine the font size. You can find a number of these available on Pinterest. Here is the site I found with the chart I have used. Scroll down the page to locate the "Typometer kostenlos!" What a great tool! ​

Section 5: Braille Reference

• UEB Braille Reference Chart.
• Braille Keyboard Reference. 
• Nemeth Code Reference. 

Section 6: Technology Reference

• Computer shortcut commands 
• iOS Guided Access instructions 
• Voice Over instructions
• Picture Tutorial on making large copies

Section 7: Professional Contacts

• VI Program Contacts
• SpEd Department Directory
• Other Professional Contacts

Section 8: Notes

Additional Sections

​I have additional tabbed dividers for each student that I serve directly and a separate tab for students I serve on a consult basis. Within each student tab I include data collection, a copy of the student's unique needs and corresponding school map. I keep a copy of my weekly schedule in the back sleeve of the binder for quick reference (Use only first names or abbreviations for confidentiality!). 

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. ​

Job Posting Service

Shop

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

Shop

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

Shop