1. The specialist VI curriculum and the role of the QTVI
NatSIP working day
5 February 2019
Rory Cobb and Sue Keil

2. Learning to Access: a new UK curriculum for Vision Impairment (VI) education
VIEW discussion paper putting forward the argument for a nationally recognised, UK specialist VI curriculum
Conceptual framework based on the concept of ‘access to learning/learning to access’ (McLinden et al, 2016)
Agreed set of outcomes and approaches to intervention that guides professional practice in teaching and habilitation from early years through to higher education and/or vocational training

3. Why is a UK specialist VI curriculum needed
Why is a UK specialist VI curriculum needed? - we’ve managed so far without one
Education policy and funding context – ‘postcode lottery’ of VI provision; SEN policies such as delegation of responsibilities and funding to schools inappropriate for high needs, low incidence groups such as VI
need ‘national offer’ that recognises specific learning needs of CYP with VI; entitlement to provision that meets these needs; adequate resources and funding
Better long term outcomes for young people with VI with independent learning, living and mobility skills; BUT
Demands of mainstream academic curriculum take priority – over-emphasis on ‘access to learning’ (TA training also a factor)
Poor outcomes for YP who lack these skills
Too many VI frameworks/curricula in the UK – lack of consistency and coherence
Lack of clarity about who does what – what is ‘specialist’ and what isn’t

4. Access to learning / learning to access model

5. Providing ‘Access to Learning’
Teaching ‘Learning to Access’

6. Specialist VI curricula and frameworks
Range of outcomes and frameworks for CYP with VI in the UK, but no consensus on which to use or how to use them
None have statutory status
Only 3 have strong research evidence base (ECC, DJVI and Quality Standards for Habilitation)
Some more widely recognised than others

7. Comparison of specialist VI curricula and outcomes frameworks
US ECC
UK specialist/
additional curriculum
Learner outcomes
(NatSIP)
DJVI
Quality standards for habilitation
NatSIP VI independence outcomes
NatSIP eligibility framework for scoring support levels
NatSIP habilitation
eligibility framework

8. Comparison of NatSIP Learner Outcomes Framework with the US Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)
US Expanded Core Curriculum
Learning to access
Compensatory or access skills
Sensory efficiency skills (tactile, listening skills)
Use of equipment
Use of assistive technology
Independence and negotiation skills
Self-determination skills (includes self advocacy)
Participation
Social interaction skills
Meeting others
Recreational and leisure skills
Getting around
O&M skills and concepts
Looking after him/herself
Independent living skills
Life after school
Careers education

9. A new model for specialist intervention
Single, unifying framework provided by the 8 Learner Outcomes?
2 further outcomes have been suggested:
Emotional wellbeing
Transition (into new settings across all age phases)
Incorporating the habilitation and early years outcomes from the Hab Quality Standards and DJVI
‘Access to learning / learning to access’ to provide the conceptual framework
‘Progressive mutual accommodations’
Inter-dependence – roles and responsibilities of VI professionals and non-VI education providers and staff to be clarified

10. Operationalising the model
VI specialist curriculum content
Developing further content
Gaps in some content, e.g. self advocacy and negotiation skills, social interaction skills
Breaking outcomes into smaller steps
Integrating the standard academic and VI specialist curricula
Who does what?
QTVI
Habilitation specialist TA
Allocation/deployment of staff
Specialist staff training and CPD
TAs a particular problem under current model
Need for a career structure?
Training to be on a par with other professional support staff, e.g. in Health?

11. Much of this work is being done already!
Gwent sensory service
‘Intervention tool’ uses Learner Outcomes for allocation of staff
Integrating the VI and standard academic curricula - e.g. how the outcomes relate to the Wales Foundation Phase Framework and the Digital Competence Framework
Doncaster
‘Enhanced core curriculum’ based on the ECC
Sheffield
‘Small steps assessment’ - basis of a curriculum framework for specialist skills?
Norfolk
‘Learning skills ladders’ – planning targets for students in specific curriculum subjects
Developing a mental health and resilience intervention package
Birmingham
Careers curriculum materials
Others????

12. Next steps
Discussion paper to be submitted to BJVI – if published will be online open access (free for all to download)
Agree a framework for the VI specialist curriculum, with key elements such as ‘who does what’, workload and content drawn from examples of good practice throughout the country and provided as a set resources for all practitioners to use
How? Joint VIEW/VICTAR/Voluntary org project to identify, categorise, and evaluate these various initiatives
Plus changes to policy and practice:
TA career structure and training
VI specialist curriculum to be given statutory status

13. What are your thoughts?

14. References
Hatlen, P. (1996). ‘The core curriculum for blind and visually impaired students, including those with additional disabilities’. RE: View, 28, 25–32.
McLinden M, Douglas G, Cobb R, Hewett R and Ravenscroft J (2016) ‘Access to learning’ and ‘learning to access’: Analysing the distinctive role of specialist teachers of children and young people with vision impairments in facilitating curriculum access through an ecological systems theory’. British Journal of Visual Impairment 2016, Vol. 34(2) 179–197
NatSIP Learner Outcomes
framework-for-vi-children-and-young-people

15. Our contact details