When a Student Doesn't Qualify

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated June 13, 2025
You may wonder what happens when a student's vision cannot be corrected to 20/20, yet they do not qualify for school-based vision services. In these cases, the student’s visual impairment may not be considered to have an adverse effect on educational performance, which is required to meet eligibility under IDEA. However, this does not mean the student’s needs should be overlooked. Other school personnel and specialists may be able to address the student’s unique visual and learning challenges. For example:
  • A reading specialist can address reading difficulties or suspected learning disabilities.
  • An occupational therapist (OT) or physical therapist (PT) may help with eye-hand coordination and visual perceptual issues.

What If the Student Is Receiving Vision Therapy?

Some students may be under the care of a developmental optometrist and participating in vision therapy or a patching program. These are medical interventions conducted in a clinical setting under the supervision of an optometrist. Homework assignments are usually provided for the family to complete at home. While this therapy is not school-based and not typically the responsibility of school staff, schools can still play a supportive role. ​

Supporting Students Who Don't Qualify for TVI Services

If a student’s visual impairment doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria for services from a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI), they may still benefit from other forms of support:
  • Related services (e.g., OT, PT, or reading interventions)
  • Classroom accommodations tailored to their visual needs
Accommodations should be based on:
  • The student’s visual evaluation by an optometrist or ophthalmologist
  • The specific classroom demands the student faces
It’s important that accommodations are reviewed for current effectiveness and not automatically viewed as permanent supports. Developmental optometrists often expect improvements in vision over time through therapy, which may reduce the need for accommodations as progress is made.
​
Many optometrists provide schools with a checklist of recommended accommodations—often with necessary items highlighted or circled. These can typically be implemented without the need for an IEP or 504 Plan, though data should be collected to evaluate their impact and necessity.

​Sample Accommodations for Students with Visual Challenges

The following accommodations were developed by Roswell Eye Clinic (a member of the American Optometric Association in Roswell, Georgia) and are commonly recommended for students with tracking, visual perception, or focusing difficulties:
  • ​Allow the use of a finger in following along the line of print when reading. A marker assists but direct tactual finger contact with movement will offer greater assistance to the student with eye tracking difficulties. 
  • Encourage eye contact with this child in all listening situations.
  • Minimize chalkboard-to-desk copying, and where possible substitute desk copy work.
  • Modify task demands to insure success at the child's present skill level.
  • Spoken instructions will be followed better if given singly, visualized and executed before the next instruction is issued.
  • Color coded tasks may confused rather than assist this student. 
  • Physical or line guides will help in space organization.
  • Vocalization or sub-vocalization of visually presented information will be helpful in building visual memory. 
  • Tasks requiring fine motor paper-pencil responses should be restructured to allow more gross motor involvement.
  • Direct chalkboard tracing of large well-written script may be helpful in improving handwriting.
  • Encourage the use of a pencil grip.
  • Promote a reading and writing distance equal to the length of the child's arm from elbow to middle knuckle.
  • Where possible use a sloping work surface for reading and writing. 
  • Discourage head tilting or lateral head shifting, which allows one-eyed seeing as the nose blocks the vision of one eye. 
  • Encourage proper paper placement and posture for writing.
  • If the front of the classroom is used for most teaching activities, this child's focusing difficulties will be alleviated by seating toward the front. (or back, left side, etc.)
  • Stress encountered during near point activities will be reduced with the use of "learning" or "counter-stress" lenses, which have been prescribed. 
  • Short visual work periods will tend to reduce visual stress and possible related fidgeting.
  • Reduce time on written homework.
  • Consider the use of cursive writing to help reduce reversals and directional inconsistencies present in manuscript.
  • Encourage egocentric and spatial right/left awareness with physical activities. 
  • Simplify physical activities to build confidence and success in gross motor skill and development.
  • Directional confusion and resultant reversals will be reduced by supplying orientation arrows with copy material. 
  • Large print books and material should be considered for this student.
  • Due to the visual difficulties of this child, timed tests might not be accurate measures of performance.
  • Scranton tests may be difficult. Please let someone bubble answers for this child.
  • Visualization of letter formation and spelling of short words will be assisted by "back tracing". Trace a letter or a short word on the student's back, say it aloud and have him "feel" and "see" the pattern with his eyes closed. 
  • Misreading of word beginnings and endings may be helped by slowing the student's responses and delaying inaccurate and premature "closure" (e.g. have the student vocalize at half speed or use a timing device such as a metronome to encourage "seeing" before saying).
  • Finger movement games will help develop fine-motor control for writing.
  • During testing, allow a teacher or other designated person mark the bubbles on any testing that requires the filling in of small answer bubbles, in order to facilitate an accurate measure of this student's academic ability.
  • During testing allow additional time on any timed testing, in order to facilitate an accurate measure of this student's academic ability.
  • During testing allow a teacher or other designated person read the test questions to this student. 

Subscribe today!

Subscribe today to unlock premium resources & printables. Choose the subscription level that best fits your needs and get immediate access to additional printable resources, ECC tools, and more. Subscription plans are individual and non-transferable. Your membership helps sustain and grow this resource for the vision community. ​​Thank you for your support!

Article Pages

VI Basics
History of VI ​Vision Professionals​ ​Professional Publications ​​Program Tools & Templates ​Policy & Advocacy ​​Professional Support AT Resources​
Service Planning
VI Referrals​ ​Medical Vision Exam ​Visual DiagnosisFVLMALow Vision EvaluationsOther Evaluations​Service PlansGoals & Objectives
Consultation
​Unique Visual Needs
​Collaboration​​Instructional Adaptations​Environmental Adaptations​​Material Adaptations​Access ClassesFamily Resources
Teaching Strategies
Compensatory Skills
Concept Development​Alternative Communication​Emergent Literacy​Beginning Braille​​Braille Code​Braille Fluency & Comprehension​Braillewriter​​​​​Slate & Stylus Basics *S
​​​Nemeth Code Instruction *S
​​​Tactile Graphics​Print Concepts​​Abacus ​​Organize​​​Study Skills​​Time Management
Sensory Efficiency
​Auditory Efficiency​​​​​Listening Skills​​Visual Efficiency Skills​​Optical Device Use​Tactile Readiness
Assistive Technology
AT Assessment ​AT Instruction​
AT Basic Use ​​AT Problem Solving ​Braille Notetaker ​iOS/Tablet Instruction Audio Skills ​Video Magnifiers ​​Basic Computer Use Access Productivity
Social Skills
​Non-Verbal Skills​​​​​CommunicateCooperativeIdentity & Self-Awareness​Interactions & RelationshipsManaging Challenges & Safety
Self-Determination
Independent Living Skills
Personal Care ​Hygiene  ​Personal Health Mealtime Skills ​​​ Food Preparation​Household SkillsClothing Management​Money & BudgetShopping & ConsumerismPhone Use​Safety & Emergency Preparedness​​Services & Community Resources
Orientation & Mobility
Recreation & Leisure Skills
Career & Vocational
Interactive Activities
Recorded Presentations
Lesson Planning 
Thematic Units
Beginning of the Year Units ​​Fall Units​​Winter Units​​Spring UnitsHoliday Units
Printable Resources
**Additionally, each Teach Subscription page and each Thematic Unit contains additional unique printables!
*M = free member pages
*S = Basic subscription pages
*CS = Complete set bonus
*A = All Access subscription pages