1. When you have a visually impaired student in your classroom
Summer institute – August 2, 2018
Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired
Kim stocks
Teacher of the visually impaired
Orientation and mobility specialist

2. Introductions – it takes a team!
TVI/OMS
General education teachers
Special education teachers
Paraprofessionals
IEP support staff: OT, PT, SLP, Social Workers, Psychologists
Administrators
Parents
Others?

3. Importance of being prepared:

4. Basic tips The student is more alike than different from peers
Always let the student know when you are approaching/leaving
Don’t play the game of “who is it?”
Describe the environment
Ask before touching or providing physical assistance
Learn human guide/sighted guide
Keep the environment simple and decluttered - only change when the student has been informed of the changes
The student is more alike: talk with the child about interests and experiences. Expect him to follow same expectations academically and behaviorally.
Always let the student know when you are approaching/leaving. Identify yourself by name. Never play the guessing game!
Describe the environment: tell him about things that he cannot see so he has the same information peers receive.
Ask before touching: they cannot see you approaching, this may startle. Use hand under hand
Use words like blind, look, see: as they appear in conversation. VI students will look and see, just differently
Learn guide, discourage hand holding

5. Dos and don’ts Do use words like blind and visually impaired
Do use words like see and look
Don’t use words like this or that, instead describe it
Don’t use words like here or there, instead describe the location
….Do any of these surprise you?

6. Activity: vision simulator goggles

7. Understanding visual acuity
Low Vision = 20/70-20/200
Legally Blind = 20/200 or greater
Totally Blind = no sight, may have light perception
Many students have a condition called CVI – Cortical Vision Impairment
Ask the student for details of what they see, don’t ask “can you see…”

8. Teacher of the visually impaired
Specialized instruction and services required to meet the unique educational needs of VI student
Assist student, parents and educators in
Identifying instructional areas that need assistance
Interpret the eye condition and educational implications
Help with obtaining texts, devices, and adaptive materials
Facilitate student’s full participation

9. Orientation and mobility instructor
Helps student develop skills to move safely and efficiently in their environment
Recommend ways to modify the classroom
Teach use of cane or distance ocular device
Instruction for independent travel skills in the community

10. Familiarize the student with:
Fire/Tornado/Lock Down drills
Auditorium
Lunchroom
All classrooms the student uses
Playground
Field trips

11. Examples of equipment
Cane - CCTV (aka near/far magnification device) - Braille writer - Abacus

12. FVA and Lma Functional Vision and Learning Media Assessment
Students who are completely blind will not have an FVA
REQUIRED
Why is it important and how does it help you?
This determines the student’s visual accommodations
Sample

13. Activity: accommodating activities

14. Considerations for classroom setup

15. Promoting independence
Avoid learned helplessness
Have high expectations
19 ways to step back

16. Questions?
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