Fixation

Fixation is the ability to direct the eyes toward an object and maintain visual attention on that object for a period of time. This skill supports sustained attention, visual exploration, and reading. When teaching fixation, present motivating objects and allow students to use their preferred viewing position or eccentric viewing if needed. Objects can initially be presented at near distance and gradually moved to mid-range or distance depending on the student’s visual abilities. Expectations for fixation should always be developmentally appropriate.

Shift of Gaze

Shift of gaze refers to the ability to move visual attention from one object, location, or person to another. This skill is important for classroom participation, social interaction, and visual learning. Begin with highly motivating objects. For example, while the student is looking at one toy, introduce a second toy with movement or sound to encourage shifting attention. Provide positive reinforcement when the student successfully moves their gaze between objects.

Visual Pursuit

Visual pursuit is the ability to look for an object that has moved out of the student’s direct field of view. This skill relates to the development of object permanence and the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible. Activities may include dropping a ball and encouraging the student to look for it, rolling objects across the floor, or hiding a toy partially behind another object. Auditory cues such as tapping or rolling sounds can help guide visual attention for students with limited vision.

Visual Tracking

Visual tracking is the ability to follow a moving object smoothly with the eyes. This skill is important for reading fluency, copying information, and maintaining attention to visual movement. Practice tracking by moving objects slowly across the student’s visual field. Toys, flashlights, or light-up objects can be used to attract attention. Movement should occur across horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions, gradually increasing in speed as the student develops control.

Visual Scanning

Visual scanning is the ability to search systematically across a visual field to locate objects, symbols, or information. This skill is critical for reading, locating materials, navigating the environment, and completing classroom tasks. Teach students to scan in organized patterns such as left to right or top to bottom. Practice scanning across different areas of the environment including desks, walls, shelves, and mobility routes. Structured activities such as locating objects, finding words on a page, or searching for items in a room can strengthen scanning skills.

Visual Tracing

Visual tracing is the ability to follow the edge, border, or path of a stationary object. This skill supports orientation, spatial awareness, and early reading skills. Students may practice tracing edges of objects using their eyes or fingers. Examples include tracing along whiteboard edges, following hallway lines, outlining shapes, or exploring the borders of tactile graphics.

Visual Discrimination

Visual discrimination is the ability to recognize similarities and differences between shapes, letters, symbols, or objects. This skill is essential for letter recognition, reading readiness, pattern recognition, and sorting tasks. Activities may include matching pictures or symbols, sorting objects by attributes such as size or color, identifying differences between shapes, and sequencing pictures or tactile graphics.

Visual Closure

Visual closure is the ability to recognize an object or symbol when only part of it is visible. This skill supports reading, recognizing partially covered objects, and interpreting incomplete visual information. Practice activities may include identifying partially covered letters or pictures, completing visual patterns, or working with puzzles where some pieces are missing.

Figure-Ground Perception

Figure-ground perception is the ability to locate a visual item within a complex or cluttered background. This skill is important when searching for information on busy worksheets, locating materials on a desk, or identifying objects in crowded environments. When teaching this skill, reduce visual clutter and use high-contrast materials. Gradually increase background complexity as the student’s ability improves.

Visual Association

Visual association is the ability to connect new visual information with previously learned concepts. This allows students to recognize relationships between objects, symbols, and real-world experiences. Students use visual association when they recognize that a drawing represents a real object, match pictures to items used in daily routines, or connect print or braille labels with familiar objects. This skill supports concept development, communication systems, and academic learning.

Visual Memory

Visual memory is the ability to remember visual information after it is no longer visible. This includes recalling shapes, letters, numbers, patterns, or spatial layouts. Strong visual memory supports reading, copying information from the board, following diagrams, and recognizing familiar visual patterns. Students with visual impairments may benefit from combining visual information with tactile or auditory cues to strengthen memory.

Visual Imagery

Visual imagery is the ability to create mental representations of objects, scenes, or concepts even when they are not physically present. This skill supports reading comprehension, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving. For students with visual impairments, visual imagery may be developed through real-world experiences, tactile exploration, and detailed verbal descriptions. Multisensory instruction helps students build meaningful mental representations of objects and environments.

Eye-Hand Coordination

Also called visual-motor integration, eye-hand coordination is the ability to use vision to guide hand movements during tasks. Students who struggle with this skill may have difficulty with handwriting, drawing, manipulating objects, or using classroom tools. Instructional strategies may include stacking blocks, placing objects into containers, threading beads, tracing shapes, drawing, and engaging in braille readiness activities that strengthen hand control and coordination.
Developing visual efficiency helps students maximize the use of their functional vision, improve access to educational materials, and increase independence in daily activities. Through careful assessment and targeted instruction, TVIs can support the development of these important visual skills and help students use their vision as effectively as possible.

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