Roles of the TVI and the O & M Specialist in Collaborative Assessment Olaya Landa-Vialard and Lauralyn Randles, coms

Dr. Olaya Landa-Vialard Assistant Professor IN low vision and blindness Certified teacher of the visually impaired Educational diagnostician Nlcsd fellow

Lauralyn Randles COMS M.S. in Special Education for Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Orientation and Mobility from Northern Illinois University Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) Orientation and Mobility Subject Matter Expert Committee Member for ACVREP Early Intervention Vision Specialist for Vision and Orientation and Mobility (DT-V and DT-OM) Doctoral Student at Illinois State University National Leadership Consortium for Sensory Disabilities Scholar

Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) Who am I A licensed special education teacher Provide specialized instruction for areas of the expanded core Adapt classroom materials and lessons for common core Have lesson plans to meet students’ specific vision related IEP goals I am part of IEP teams for students with visual impairments I provide resources for families, students, and staff about visual impairments through in- services, materials, and collaborative time. I work with the department of rehabilitation to help students with visual impairments transition out of k-12. I am NOT a vision therapist, content area teacher, or orientation and mobility specialist.

Orientation and Mobility Specialist (OMS) Who am I? I am an orientation & mobility specialist who has received training in this specialized area. I provide instruction for students with visual impairments on how to travel independently and safely in a variety of environments. Have lesson plans to meet students’ specific orientation and mobility related IEP goals I consult with PE teachers and extra curricular sponsors to adapt environments, equipment, or physical tasks to fully include students with visual impairments. I can be a part of IEP teams for students with visual impairments as a related service. I provide resources for families, students, and staff about visual impairments and travel skills. I work with the department of rehabilitation to help students with visual impairments transition out of k-12. I am not a physical therapist, adaptive pe teacher, or a vision teacher.

TVI responsibilities In relation to O&M The teacher of students with visual impairments is responsible for doing the following in relation to O&M: Teaching skills that enable students to maximize the use of their remaining senses, such as through localization of sounds and tactile discrimination Incorporate basic O&M skills (the human guide technique, protective techniques, trailing, and familiarization with a room) Monitoring students’ safety when traveling independently within and around the school Collaborating with parents, students, the O&M specialist and general education teachers regarding O&M issues and concerns Promoting attitudes among school personnel and members of the community that foster independent travel by students with visual impairments.

Purpose of assessment “Assessment is the process of collecting data for the purpose of making appropriate [educational] decisions about students” (Salvia & Ysseldyke, 1995, p. 5).

Assessments Teachers of the Visually Impaired Functional Vision Assessment Learning Media Assessment Assistive Technology Assessment Help to adapt assessments for The classroom Written and Visual based for other specialists Orientation and Mobility Specialist Orientation and Mobility Assessment Help to adapt assessments for Physical Therapy Physical Education Functional/Vocational Travel Programs

Collaborative Assessment Educational Team School Psychologist/Educational Diagnostician Teachers (VI & Classroom) Support Services Personnel Orientation and Mobility Specialist(O&M) Occupational Therapist (OT) Physical Therapist (PT) Speech Therapist (SLP) Adaptive Physical Education Teacher (APE) School Nurse Parents/Guardians

Importance and benefits of collaboration TVI/O&M Collaboration between the TVI and O&M results in a creating a fuller picture of the student’s spatial concept development. When a TVI and the O&M work with a student at the same time, the net result is often more accurate information than either one would have garnered alone. This collaboration confirms that both disciplines are discovering similar patterns or will allow assessors to discover areas that warrant further assessment. Advantage of collaborative assessment is that while one of the assessors engages the student in an activity, the other can be recording how he/she responds to the directions.

Importance of TVI and O&M collaboration The O&M curriculum is varied and includes activities that are used throughout students’ lives. Teachers of the children with visual impairments play a critical role in the this area by promoting the development of concepts in young children and by teaching basic O&M skills and other essential travel skills.

Instruction in common areas of need Body image development Spatial concept development Fine and gross motor skills Basic O&M skills (may be taught by a TVI or an O&M Exposure to the community, available goods and services, and public transportation Communication with the public TVI O&M

Components of the O&M curriculum and TVI responsibility Example: Selected components of an O&M Curriculum Hierarchy of O&M Concepts and Skills Component of the O&M Curriculum Infants/Preschoolers Elementary School Students Secondary School Students Concept Development Sensory Training Names of body parts Names of areas or items in environments (home, neighborhood, park, stores, house of worship) Use of vision (shapes, sizes, color) Functions of body parts Generalization of concepts Familiar environments (school, home, and neighborhood, etc.) Ability to follow verbal/written directions Identification of visual references Body image Spatial concepts All environments (all areas of the school; home, workplace, airport, train, subway, and bus stops and stations; stores, bank, ; house of worship)

Let’s look at assessing: Instruction in common areas of need: Body image development Spatial concept development Fine and gross motor skills

criterion-referenced assessment measures performance of individual skills enables educators to find the performance level of a child who is visually impaired or blind select long and short term objectives record the acquisition of skills for children who are visually IMpaired Criterion-Referenced Assessment: means it is not standardized. It is looking for whether or not a student is meeting a certain criteria for their age and developmental stage. It is based on the individual’s needs.

Common Assessment in eight developmental areas: Cognitive Language Socialization Vision Compensatory Self- Help Fine-Motor Gross Motor

Assesses for all major skills needed by a student who is visually impaired or blind in preparation for school and Daily living. Skills such as: prerequisites for orientation and mobility Braille

Assessment time!!! Let’s look at some video clips of a collaborative assessment As you look at the clips be sure to take notes Make a list of those skills you see that are both O&M and VI skills Concentrate on the areas of: Body image development Spatial concept development Fine and gross motor skills Additional skill observations are also good to make note of. Video: 1= 1:38-2:10 (copying body movements) 1= 5:42-7:35 (copying shapes, motor skills, fine and gross) 1=5:42-7:00(copying shapes) 3= 0:00-1:20 (distance) 5= 0:00-0:45 (close range shape ID) 7= 2:12-4:41 (Identification of body parts) 7= 8:55-12:42 (color identification) 7= 13:23-15:04 (vocabulary, hand-eye coordination, money identification, one-to-one correspondence, low contrast) 7= 15:35-17:23 (kitchen, age, etc., color matching, sorting, looking at the size of bears and sorting them) 8= 0:01- (prepositions-under, above, next to) 9= 0:00-2:50 & 10= (jump up with both feet and jump down with both feet-good balance and motor skills)

IN pairs: Use your notes and write down skills that were assessed on a sticky notes. Have a representative from your group place the Sticky note under the provider who would assess that skill. If both providers assess that skill place it in the overlapping center of the Venn Diagram.