Virtual Instruction

by: Carmen Willings
Originally posted March 15, 2020
Revised August 29, 2020

We are in the midst of extraordinary times when many schools are closing or moving to online instruction in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020 when many schools across the United States (and world!) closed, most of us were new to providing instruction online to students for extended periods of time. While my school district had provided online learning days during inclement weather, long term instruction was new to me. I put together this page as a way to support fellow TVI's as we transition into this new means of providing instruction. Here you will find strategies and resources I am using with my students. It is my hope that you will find this information helpful for virtual or distance instruction with the students you serve. As I discover and develop new resources, activities and instructional strategies I will continue to add them here for your reference.

Preparing Your Student

I had an advantage of having a week to prepare for the shift to online instruction. While I spent the week bringing home resources I thought I may need, I didn't bring everything home. It was difficult to determine what all to bring home as we didn't know how long this mode of instruction would need to last. If your schools have not yet closed, or if you are starting the school year with face to face instruction, here are my words of wisdom for you to prepare for any transition to virtual instruction. Spend time connecting with each and every student. Make sure each student is able to access educational platforms the classroom teachers will be using and familiar with how to access confernece calls. If any of your students will be due for a Functional Vision and Learning Media Assessment, begin the assessment as soon as possible focusing on classroom observations and items that require direct assessment and would be difficult to assess on a conference call. Talk with classroom teachers and teams. What instructional strategies will they be using? How can you best support the student? Remind teams to use information and platforms that are accessible. If students use assistive technology, the family will most likely need to complete an Extended Use Form to take materials home (If your program doesn't have a form, I have one you may use on the free printables page).

Planning for Instruction

Find out what platform will you be expected to use and how administrators want you to document your time spent with each student and account for your time. In my school system we use the ITS Learning platform. I have added a message to parents on my opening page as well as activities and resources specific to IEP goals. I have provided access to the page to students (restricting access to only areas that apply to their individual goals) and also provided access to my supervisor and administrators so they can see what activities are being provided. Additionally, when the schools were closed and teachers worked from home, I created a Google doc where I added my daily contacts with team members, activities, and additional projects I worked on to support my students, teams and VI colleagues. You can also share using Microsoft 365 if your school used that. This is a nice option as you can work on or offline - which is ideal if your internet service is affected.

During the first day of online learning, I experienced an internet outage. If possible, notify families that you are without internet and will be there to support them just as soon as possible. In the meantime, work to create activities with your students and document your time.

If you have purchased a copy of the instructional resource I developed, TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC, remember I have given you permission to use this with all of the students you serve on your caseload (I just ask that each teacher purchase their own copy). You are welcome to copy the activities within the book that align with the student's learning goals and send them to parents - or adapt them as appropriate for the student. This will provide a way to continue to support students and help them work toward meeting IEP goals while they are at home. The same is true for the other grab and go resources that support activities and themes in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC.

Preparation for Functional Braille Learners

There were speculations for a week that we would be transitioning to an online format. We were advised to send resources home with students. As I said, I met with each student and team. For students following a modified curriculum who are functional braille learners, I sent home the following items based on student interest and that would allow for the most flexibility in lesson creation using materials available at home.

An embossed braille book of jokes (My student loves jokes and laughter can certainly help in stressful times!). I searched online for kid friendly jokes. I created a print copy for the parents and embossed a copy for my student. I wrote the titles in print and page numbers across the top of embossed pages. I indicated on the print copy where there were new pages.
An embossed braille book of song lyrics. (I selected my student's favorite songs and provided a print copy for parents similar to the joke book).
Print/braille grocery cards. This was easy as we had already created these for community based instruction. I had the student list her favorite foods and those commonly purchased at the store so I knew these would be foods at her home.
Print/braille cards of rooms in her home. I had my student tell me all the rooms in her home (I used the terms she refers to in order to label them with words familiar to her).
Print/braille cards of her favorite objects/toys. I had my student tell me her favorite objects, activities and toys that are located in different parts of her home.

These provided me a solid foundation for activities I could create using those resources! I also used this method to have the student create job task activities using materials available at home and are outlined on the Job Tasks page in the ECC Bonus Section available for those who have purchased the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC Complete Set. Job task activities that can be used in school or at home can be found in the Job Tasks for Jobs, Career and Life Webinar.

Activities for Braille Learners

Ideally, you had advance notice that your schools would be closing and could send home alphabet tiles with braille and other manipulatives that support braille instruction. You may not have had time so if your student does not have braille reading resources at home or a notetaker, hopefully they have access to a braille writer. If they do, you can provide activities for the student to write, then build reading fluency by having the student read back their writing. If you have purchased a copy of the Keyboarding and Braille Fluency Sentences, you may copy and send passages for students to produce in braille. The pages include both print and simulated braille so caregivers who may not know braille, can still support the student. I ask that each teacher purchase their own copy of the book but you have my permission to send copies of passages and pages to students you serve on your caseload. If your student has a refreshable braille display, email to the student and encourage the student to access the file and read it. You may also want to send a braille reference chart home to families. I have a couple charts available on my Free Printables page that you are welcome to download and send home with families. Alternatively, you can screen share the page to the student. This is what I chose to do with my student. While she has no usable vision, her mom was with her during instruction and could see what the simulated braille so she knew what it was supposed to look like. If I wasn't using passages from the Keyboarding and Braille Fluency Sentences book, I would copy the print passage into duxbury I had on my work laptop and screenshare it.

Preparation for Students Using Switch Access

For students with severe and profound disabilities in addition to a visual impairment, I use switch activated activities. If possible, see if you can loan a switch interface and jellybean switch to the families. Also provide a Power Select if at all possible with a switch. I have created a number of interactive sensory stories and choice making activities for my students. If you have purchased The TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC complete set, you have access to the page entitled Interactive Sensory Stories. Here I provide PowerPoint shows I have created that are can be used with switch access (or a caregiver or sibling can advance the slides). Each of the 16 interactive stories consist of a story with suggestions for sensory activities and materials for each page. I also included directions to creating your own choice making activities if you would like to create your own. If the student has an iPad, or the school can loan an iPad, provide the families with suggestions of free or low cost apps that can support learning objectives. The Microsoft PowerPoint app can be downloaded on the iPad which will allow the student to access the PowerPoint stories on an iPad.

Students Developing Keyboarding Fluency & Learning Keyboard Commands

I have many word lists and passages in the Keyboarding and Braille Fluency Grab & Go Workbook. If you have the book, copy the passages into a Word doc or Google doc (Remember, I ask that each teacher purchase his or her own copy but you have my permission to copy passages and activities for every student on your own caseload.). Provide the student with a list of keyboard commands. Encourage the student to edit and format the passage.

Students Using Low Vision Devices and Visual Efficiency

If you have students practicing using low vision devices, hopefully they brought their devices home. You can continue to support students by providing suggestions on how the student can practice using his or her device. If the student is using a magnifier, have the student use the magnifier to read environmental print throughout the house. If the student is practicing using a monocular, provide activities that will encourage the student to use the monocular. Activity suggestions to encourage use of vision and use of low vision devices are included in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC and can be shared with parents. Activities are also discussed in the Strategies and Activities for Teaching Students Following the Standard Course of Study Webinar. I also identify how to adapt the goals in the free printable below entitled "Adapting Common ECC Goals for Virtual Instruction".

Communication Options

Thank you to the following companies that are working to support teachers and students during this global pandemic!

Zoom has temporarily extended the time of video calls on the free plan. You can use this to have video calls with students as well as screen share. My county doesn't allow us to use Zoom with students but it is definitely the most user friendly and accessible. I continue to use this for web
Microsoft has made their entire Office 365 available for FREE to students and teachers that qualify (live in area impacted by school closures due to coronavirus). You will want PowerPoints to create interactive PowerPoint activities for your students. You can also take advantage of Microsoft Teams to hold video calls and screen share.
Google has growing options of free platforms you can use. Google Meet is a way to hold video calls and screenshare with students.
email. Of course, I still plan to use email as a primary means of communicating with teams/families and ensuring the student is able to access instruction and knows how to access VI activities. My school uses the learning management system ItsLearning. We are encouraged to use this method to contact students directly.

Interactive Sensory Stories

The first resource that I put together when we first transitioned to virtual instruction in March 2020 was a series of Interactive Sensory Stories for my students who are blind or visually impaired with additional disabilities. I had used these types of stories with my students, but felt the need to create ones that were focused on activities that can take place at home and using materials that are commonly available in homes. I created a series of 16 Interactive Sensory Stories that are now available to purchase separately or are included in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC Complete Set. Each story was created using PowerPoint and available for download on the Interactive Sensory Stories page. In addition to the stories, I created a manual that includes a page for each story that lists material suggestions, passages from the story, and suggested sensory experiences for each page. At the end of the book I included a step-by-step picture tutorial on how you can create your own stories for your students!

In an effort to help teach students about using good hygiene, I am including a complimentary copy of one of the sensory stories for you to use with your student and decide if you would like the additional 15 books I've created. I hope you enjoy this resource and it supports you and your students!

Good Hygiene Sensory Story

Directions:

Bring the student to the sink and practice washing hands in soapy warm water. Alternatively, bring a pan of soapy water to the student to wash hands or wipe with a hand wipe.
Have the student count to 20 or sing a song that lasts 20 seconds (e.g. happy birthday or other fun song).
Provide the student with a tissue box. Encourage the student to obtain a tissue, place over his or her nose and blow nose or pretend to sneeze.
Using a tape measure, show the distance to stay away from others. (This is not always possible with students who are medically fragile or need assistance throughout the day.) Go to different distances from the student and let them hear how your voice sounds different from different distances.
Encourage the student to point to his or her mouth, nose and eyes without touching them.
Present a house model (e.g. APH Setting the Stage kit). Encourage the student to reach out and obtain the house. Alternatively, present a pillow and show how it is good to rest.
Present the student with a sanitary mask to explore and possibly wear.
Provide the student with a squirt bottle filled with water and lemon essential oil and encourage the student to spray and wipe with a cloth.

single stack of games on a slide with simple text

single seed packet on a slide with simple text

single picture of dustpan on slide with simple text

Good Hygiene Matching Activity

I created these interactive matching activities to support my students who are working on visual discrimination visual scanning and using a visually directed reach (eye hand coordination) with a touch screen or using a mouse with a computer. I am providing a complimentary copy of the Good Hygiene matching activity for you to try with your student(s). There are 16 interactive stories that are now available for free in the ECC Complete Set Bonus section on the Interactive Matching Activities page for those who have purchased the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC Complete Set. They can also be purchased on their own on the Interactive Matching item page.

simple phrase and key picture with dog, blanket, dog rope to select from

simple sentences with key picture of a stack of games and cards, trophy and stack of games to select from

example from springrime showing flower, seed packet, umbrella

example from home chores showing dustpan, door and shirt

Good Hygiene Visual Discrimination

I created these interactive visual efficiency activities to support students who are working on higher level visual discrimination skills. I am providing a complimentary copy of the Good Hygiene visual discrimination activity for you to try with your student(s). These 16 activities are available for free in the ECC Complete Set Bonus section on the Visual Discrimination Activities page for those who have purchased the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC Complete Set. They can also be purchased on their own on the Interactive Visual Discrimination Activity Product page.

page from Family Game Night showing 3 stacks of games

example from Springtime showing 3 seed packets

example from Help with Home Choes showing three dustpans

Keyboarding & Braille Sensory Stories

Good Hygiene keyboarding and braille practice sheet

I also put the sensory story passages in print and simulated braille (similar to the passages found in Keyboarding and Braille Practice Sentences). They are available for free if you have purchased the ECC Complete Set and are located on the ECC Bonus Printables page. You are welcome to send these pages to parents so they can help support braille instruction during distance learning. I send home a copy of the passage of the day via email to the parent and also screenshare it during instruction. We then set up a Google Meet where I talk my student through the steps of loading a piece of paper in the braillewriter, and brailling the passage as I read it to her. I then have her remove the page and read it back to me. This builds fluency and it adds to her collection of stories to read at home! I am attaching a complimentary copy of the Good Hygiene page as a sample and to use with your students.

Adapting Common ECC Goals for Virtual Instruction

If you are like me, you are providing instruction in both face to face instruction while socially distancing with some students, and providing virtual (or distance) instruction with other students, or you may be going back and forth between the two models with the students on your caseload. While it may initially seem challenging to think how to provide instruction virtually, it is possible to continue to provide instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum to all students...it just may take some thinking outside the box. As I was preparing for the 2020-2021 school year, I developed this resource of strategies and activities for providing instruction in common goal areas virtually. You can locate and use the Adapting Common ECC Goals for Virtual Instruction handout on the Free FVLMA & Service Printables page. Sign up for free membership to download this handout and other free printables.

Resources to Support You in Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

ECC Instructional Resources

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Braille Jewelry

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Free Membership

Sign up for free membership to access the FREE downloadable handbooks and handouts on the Free Printables page along with access to the Goal Bank pages. 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.

ECC Complete Set Bonus

Purchase the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC Complete Set and immediately unlock the pages within the ECC Complete Set Bonus including bonus printables, interactive sensory stories, interactive matching activities, interactive choice making activities, job task box activities and MORE! This is my way of continuing to support you and say "Thank you!" for choosing to purchase the Complete Set.

Foundations of Teaching the ECC in the Age of Virtual Instruction & Social Distancing Recorded Presentation

$25.00

We were all thrown a curve ball at the end of the 2019-2020 school year when schools around the country closed and moved to virtual instruction. We scrambled to figure out how to teach our students online. Unfortunately, COVID-19 did not go away over the summer and as schools prepare to open with social distancing guidelines, we now need to learn how to safely teach our students from a distance of six feet and wearing PPD. An added challenge is the uncertainties of toggling between face to face instruction and virtual instruction as buildings open and close. My objectives for this presentation are to discuss the impact but also discuss strategies for still successfully serving students whether you are using face to face instruction or providing virtual instruction. Either way, you will still want to review records to get to know the student and ensure you are meeting their current needs, collaborating with teams and providing instruction no matter the student’s placement.

Objectives:

Defining your role as a TVI
Implementing IDEA, the National Agenda & the ECC
Records Review & Interviews
Conducting Observations
Vision Specific Evaluations
Determining ECC Needs & Service Delivery
Instructional Strategies

Includes:

Recorded Video Presentation
Transcript
Presentation handout for note taking

Request a Certificate of Completion

To receive a certificate of completion for 1 contact hour, complete the short survey on Google Forms. If you have any accessibility issues with the form, please don't hesitate to let me know and we can make other arrangements.

System Requirements:

Presentations are recorded PowerPoint presentations in an MP4 file. Please note that the presentation pages are closed member pages available to individuals who have purchase access to the presentation.

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Strategies & Activities for Students with Severe & Profound Disabilities (SIDPID) Recorded Presentation

$25.00

This presentation provides instructional and communication strategies for working with students with severe and profound disabilities (SIDPID) who are functioning between a birth to two-year-old level. It also provides suggestions for setting up sensory environments and creating adapted materials, so the student has activities to interact with no matter what position or area of the room they are in. I share lightbox activities and how to use iPads and computers as instructional tools. Finally, I share functional literacy activities that embed sensory experiences that you can create with your students. The activities are appropriate for the classroom but can also be used during distance learning. This presentation is packed full of activities you can begin using immediately with your students!

Objectives:

Instructional & communication strategies for teaching SIDPID
How to create sensory stations and active learning spaces for students
Adapted materials for students with severe and profound disabilities
Lightbox activities for students
Using iPads as instructional tools
Using computers as instructional tools
Functional literacy activities

Includes:

Recorded Video Presentation
Transcript
Presentation handout for note taking

Request a Certificate of Completion

System Requirements:

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Strategies & Activities for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities (MIMO) Recorded Presentation

$25.00

In this presentation I discuss instructional strategies I find helpful when working with students with mild to moderate (MIMO) disabilities in addition to visual impairments as well as tips for dealing with challenging behaviors. The majority of the presentation will provide instructional activities and I share my favorite activities that I use with my students. Most of the activities can be found in my book a TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC or in the grab and go supplemental resources. It is common for students with mild to moderate delays in addition to visual impairments or blindness to need to spend longer working on concepts and skills, I’ll share how I keep activities fresh so the student doesn’t get bored and it keeps me from getting bored too. This presentation is packed full of activities you can begin using immediately with your students!

Objectives:

Instructional strategies for working with students with MIMO
Strategies for working with challenging behaviors
Concept development activities
Auditory efficiency activities
Foundational literacy activities
Visual efficiency activities
O&M concept support activities

Includes:

Recorded Video Presentation
Transcript
Presentation handout for note taking

Request a Certificate of Completion

System Requirements:

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Interactive Sensory Stories

$25.00

These 16 interactive sensory stories are designed specifically for students who are blind or visually impaired but are appropriate for all students who are at a developmental level of 0-5 years of age. Each story is a short rhyming narrative with simple text and images that include interactive sensory elements. Each story has suggestions on materials to use, a copy of the passages, and activities to incorporate and supports ECC concepts, but you can tailor the activities and materials to align with each student's visual, physical and learning needs. The stories are created with PowerPoint and pages can be turned with a mouse click, using a touch screen or using a switch with a computer interface. The end of the book includes a step-by-step picture tutorial on how you can create your own interactive sensory stories!

An Interactive Sensory Story Direction book will be embedded in your receipt and can also be found on the Interactive Sensory Story Page. The total files of all the stories are too large to attach to your receipt. For that reason, once you make your purchase, you will have immediate access to the Interactive Sensory Story page. All interactive stories can be found and downloaded from this page. The download link is embeded in the title of each interactive story.

All subject to copyright laws. Thank you for not distributing other than to students on your caseload.

Must have Microsoft PowerPoint to use these interactive stories.

NOTE: If you have a Microsoft account, you can download the Microsoft PowerPoint app. Once installed, you can open each activity and it will work like an app and therefore can be used on an iOS device.

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Interactive Matching Activities

$25.00

These 16 interactive matching activities are designed specifically for students who are visually impaired but are appropriate for all students who are working on visual scanning, visual discrimination, and eye-hand coordination. Each activity uses the same short rhyming narrative with simple text and images from the Interactive Sensory Stories but made into a matching activity. The stories are created with PowerPoint and pages can be turned with a mouse or touch screen.

An Interactive Matching Activities Direction book will be embedded in your receipt and can also be found on the Interactive Matching Activities Page. The total files of all the stories are too large to attach to your receipt. For that reason, once you make your purchase, you will have immediate access to the Interactive Matching Activities page. All interactive activities can be found and downloaded from this page. The download link is embedded in the title of each interactive story.

All subject to copyright laws. Thank you for not distributing other than to students on your caseload.

Must have Microsoft PowerPoint to use these interactive stories.

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Interactive Visual Discrimination Activities

$25.00

These 16 interactive visual discrimination activities are designed specifically for students who are visually impaired but are appropriate for all students who are working on visual scanning, visual discrimination, and eye-hand coordination. Each activity uses the same short rhyming narrative with simple text and images from the Interactive Sensory Stories but made into a higher-level visual discrimination matching activity. The stories are created with PowerPoint and the student can interact with it by using a mouse or touch screen.

An Interactive Visual Discrimination Direction book will be embedded in your receipt and can also be found on the Interactive Visual Discrimination Page. The total files of all the stories are too large to attach to your receipt. For that reason, once you make your purchase, you will have immediate access to the Interactive Visual Discrimination Story page. All interactive stories can be found and downloaded from this page. The download link is embedded in the title of each interactive story.

All subject to copyright laws. Thank you for not distributing other than to students on your caseload.

Must have Microsoft PowerPoint to use these interactive activities.

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ECC Task Boxes, Functional Braille Literacy Activities

$25.00

The ECC Task Boxes, Functional Braille Literacy Activities is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. I absolutely love using this with my students! It contains suggested everyday objects for each unit (objects that can be found for free in the school or community, around your house, or purchased at the dollar store), vocabulary cards, order cards and simple reading passages. Data collection charts provide print and simulated braille. Print the vocabulary and order cards on braille cardstock and add the embossed braille. Similarly, braille the short braille sentences or copy into a braille translation software program and emboss copies of braille for the student. Minimize spreading of germs and make as many copies as needed for the students on your caseload.

As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities and units presented in the curriculum guide. These fun activities will help the student refine their functional braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units and incorporating real objects and tools. Although these vocabulary cards, order cards and passages were specifically created to document and increase braille reading and writing fluency and task completion, they may be used to build magnifier fluency by producing passages in regular or smaller fonts for near magnifier use or enlarged for distance magnifier used, or entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency. Finally, these activities can be used by print readers (e.g. peers, caregivers, TVI's who need to maintain braille skills, ect.) who are wanting to learn or maintain braille skills. Simply fold the vocabulary card, order card, or worksheet in half to "decode" the braille, or read the print, produce it in braille, and check your accuracy.

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

*Single Instructor Use but may be copied for use with as many students on instructor's caseload.

*Does not include objects or embossed copies of materials.

Product details

Digital pdf download: 313-page print and simulated braille vocabulary cards, order cards and worksheets

Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

Author: Carmen Willings

Language: English

*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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The mission of Teaching Students with Visual Impairments is to provide all persons involved in education students who are blind or visually impaired with the necessary resources to help each student become successful members of their communities and to equip those in the visual impairment field with resources to meet the wide range of needs of the students they serve.

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