VISUAL IMPAIRMENT SERVICE

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com 
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This Visual Impairment Services section provides information specific to referrals for VI services, components of vision exams, how to interpret the information in the medical eye report, conducting the FVE LMA and other vision specific evaluations and putting the information into the student’s IEP. 

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Referrals ​

Although each state and district may have their own process for referrals, the requirements for what is needed to make a referral are generally the same. This section provides information on referrals. ​

• Vision Concerns
• Vision Classifications
• Referral Process
• Eligibility Guidelines
• Vision Therapy Controversy
• When a Student Doesn't Qualify

Vision Exams

The first step in determining if the student is eligible and in need of school related vision services is to obtain a vision exam by an eye care specialist.  Evaluation and interpretation of the eye report has a direct bearing on how a Teacher of the Visually Impaired conducts assessments to determine areas of need and necessary accommodations.

• Medical Professionals
• Vision Tests & Tools
• Visual Acuity
• Lenses
• Visual Fields
• Structure & Function
• Common Vocabulary
• Common Visual Impairments
• Cortical Visual Impairment
• Convergence Insufficiency
• Deaf-Blind

FVE/LMA

In order to determine what services a student needs, a Functional Vision Evaluation and Learning Media Assessment must be conducted. This page provides information on conducting the functional vision evaluation.

• What is the FVE
• Interpret the Eye Report
• FVE Observations
• Interviews
• Assessment Kit Materials
• Oculomotor Skills
• Near Visual Acuity
• Print Comparison
• Distance Acuity
• Test Visual Fields
• Vision Skills
• Learning Media Assessment
• Reading Rates
• Writing the FVE Report

Other Evaluations

Additional vision specific evaluations include the Clinical Low Vision Evaluation, Assistive Technology Assessment, Orientation and Mobility Assessment and Educational Assessments that are adapted for students who are blind or visually impaired.

• Clinical Low Vision Evaluation
• Orientation & Mobility Evaluation
• Impact on Development
• Educational Assessment​

Psychological Impact of Vision Loss

​When a person who has previously had normal vision loses their vision, it is a major life event. The individual may go through stages of grief and acceptance. Each person adjust to vision loss differently. This page overviews the psychological impact.

IEP's

The planning of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) includes present level of performance, behavior, need for Assistive Technology, accommodations, and specific goals will be written that address deficits as well as projected needs in some or all areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum for students with visual impairments. ​​

• ECC Annual Needs
• Writing SMART Goals
• Blooms Taxonomy
• Accommodations & Modifications
• Service Delivery Models
• Least Restrictive Environment
• Student Led IEPs

Goal Bank

This section contains goals and objectives that will provide a starting point of possible goals and objectives for the student who is blind or visually impaired. Remember these are just a starting point. This section is accessible to members. 

• Compensatory Goals
• Sensory Efficiency Goals
• Assistive Technology Goals
• Social Skills Goals
• Independent Living Goals
• Recreation & Leisure Goals
• Self Determination Goals
• Career & Vocational Goals

Unique Visual Needs

Students who are blind or visually impaired will have unique visual needs that need to be communicated to all team members during eligibility, at the beginning of each school year, and when there is any change in the student's unique needs. 

504 Plans

A student who needs accommodations but is not in need of direct instruction can receive accommodations under what is called a 504 Plan. This page explains what a 504 plan is.

Transition Plans

As the student advances through high school, and particularly in the student's senior year, the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) will gradually expect the student to do more for themselves. At this point the student with low vision should be using their optical devices without difficulty and problem solving when to use them. The student should be able to advocate for their own visual needs and become increasingly independent to the extent possible. This includes expecting the student to be increasingly responsible for their own needs and solve problems independently.

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 Complete Set Bundle + BONUS Resources

$100.00

Buy together at a reduced price and get BONUS resources!


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:
All products are digital pdf downloads. 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. If you encounter any difficulty, please let me know and I can assist you.

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