By: Brandi Pietila, Kristine Roman, Shelley By: Brandi Pietila, Kristine Roman, Shelley Ruiz and Lauren SchminkyRuiz and Lauren Schminky

                                     

• A visual impairment is a visual limitation that interferes with A visual impairment is a visual limitation that interferes with a student's educational progress. Eligible students receive a student's educational progress. Eligible students receive special services, materials, and/or individual instruction. special services, materials, and/or individual instruction.

• Visually impaired studentsVisually impaired students include both include both functionally blindfunctionally blind and and low visionlow vision individuals individuals. . A A functionally blind studentfunctionally blind student is a student who relies basically on is a student who relies basically on

sense other than vision as major channels of learning. sense other than vision as major channels of learning. A A low vision studentlow vision student is a student who uses vision as a major is a student who uses vision as a major

channel of learning.channel of learning.•Partially Sighted:Partially Sighted: A visual impairment that adversely affects a A visual impairment that adversely affects a student's educational performance even when corrected to the student's educational performance even when corrected to the extent possible.extent possible.•Low Vision:Low Vision: If someone's vision is between 20/70-20/160 and If someone's vision is between 20/70-20/160 and cannot be corrected, the student has moderate to low vision. cannot be corrected, the student has moderate to low vision.•Legally Blind:Legally Blind: From 20/200-20/400 is legally blind with From 20/200-20/400 is legally blind with severe low vision. From 20/400-20/1000 is profound visual severe low vision. From 20/400-20/1000 is profound visual impairment, and is very close to total blindness.impairment, and is very close to total blindness.•Totally Blind:Totally Blind: The lack of light perception is known as The lack of light perception is known as total blindness or total visual impairment. total blindness or total visual impairment.

• Subtle problems with semantic Subtle problems with semantic and pragmatic development.and pragmatic development.

• Tend to confuse personal Tend to confuse personal pronouns due to the delayed pronouns due to the delayed sense of self.sense of self.

• Blind child may jabber and imitate Blind child may jabber and imitate sooner than a sighted child, sooner than a sighted child, however may be delayed when it however may be delayed when it comes to combining words to comes to combining words to making wants known.making wants known.

• Children with visual impairments Children with visual impairments or deaf/blindness have difficulty or deaf/blindness have difficulty compensating for the limited or compensating for the limited or distorted information received distorted information received through their visual and auditory through their visual and auditory systems. They often cannot use systems. They often cannot use touch, smell, taste, or movement touch, smell, taste, or movement to learn abstract concepts that are to learn abstract concepts that are taught visually and auditorially. taught visually and auditorially. Therefore they must rely upon Therefore they must rely upon prior knowledge to understand prior knowledge to understand what they are hearing and seeing. what they are hearing and seeing.

Michael, a Spanish-speaking student with a visual and auditory Michael, a Spanish-speaking student with a visual and auditory impairment, is in a class that's beginning a study of oceans. The impairment, is in a class that's beginning a study of oceans. The

teacher shows a slide of the beach. (Michael sees a light and dark teacher shows a slide of the beach. (Michael sees a light and dark blur, but doesn't recognize the picture.) The teacher says, "We are blur, but doesn't recognize the picture.) The teacher says, "We are

going to study oceans." (Michael hears "oin." Due to his hearing going to study oceans." (Michael hears "oin." Due to his hearing loss, he can't hear /s/ or /sh/. He's not sure what an "oin" is, and loss, he can't hear /s/ or /sh/. He's not sure what an "oin" is, and

can't see the slide well enough to figure it out.) Next, the teacher can't see the slide well enough to figure it out.) Next, the teacher shows a slide of a fish and says, "We are going to study saltwater shows a slide of a fish and says, "We are going to study saltwater fish." (Michael doesn't know what a "altwatei" is and, again, can't fish." (Michael doesn't know what a "altwatei" is and, again, can't see the picture. With his limited English proficiency and hearing see the picture. With his limited English proficiency and hearing

impairment, he doesn't realize that two different words were impairment, he doesn't realize that two different words were spoken.) The teacher then asks the class to write a short paragraph spoken.) The teacher then asks the class to write a short paragraph

about oceans. (Michael looks around and sees the other children about oceans. (Michael looks around and sees the other children writing, but is confused and does not understand the topic.) writing, but is confused and does not understand the topic.)

• Michael cannot clearly hearMichael cannot clearly hear• Michael’s ability to learn English is limited by the highly visual and Michael’s ability to learn English is limited by the highly visual and

auditory demands that are emphasized in his classroom setting. auditory demands that are emphasized in his classroom setting.

Second Language Acquisition with the Visually Impaired

I N T E R V E N T I O N S :I N T E R V E N T I O N S :• Teacher for students with visual Teacher for students with visual

impairmentsimpairments• Accessing the Visual Enviroment: Accessing the Visual Enviroment: Magnifiers, Magnifiers,

microscopes, etc.microscopes, etc.• Access to Information: Access to Information: Braille, software, Braille, software,

computer assignments transferred to speechcomputer assignments transferred to speech• Access to Core CurriculumAccess to Core Curriculum• Expanded Core Curriculum: Expanded Core Curriculum: Social Interaction Social Interaction

Skills, Orientation and Mobility, Independent Skills, Orientation and Mobility, Independent Living Skills, Use of Assistive Technology, etc.Living Skills, Use of Assistive Technology, etc.

• Psychosocial Issues: Psychosocial Issues: feeling like they look feeling like they look different, either because they cannot visually different, either because they cannot visually verify how others look or because they wear verify how others look or because they wear glasses or use optical devices, glasses or use optical devices,

• feeling like an outsider because they cannot take feeling like an outsider because they cannot take part fully in activities, part fully in activities,

• feeling less than capable because they do not feeling less than capable because they do not understand visual concepts fully, understand visual concepts fully,

• feeling clumsy because they drop things or feeling clumsy because they drop things or bump into objects.bump into objects.

• Provide various types of Provide various types of magnifying devices for handouts magnifying devices for handouts and computer screens.and computer screens.

• Visual materials should be Visual materials should be accompanied by verbal description.accompanied by verbal description.

• Handouts should be available in Handouts should be available in large print, accompanied with large print, accompanied with audio, or in braille, according to the audio, or in braille, according to the child’s individual needs.child’s individual needs.

• Provide raised line paper and Provide raised line paper and designs for students, and tactile 3D designs for students, and tactile 3D models.models.

Resources:Resources:Adapted PE for Visually Impaired StudentsMath Strategies for Students with Visual ImpairmentsAmerican Council for the Blind

• Asessment and EvaluationAsessment and Evaluation

• Functional vision Functional vision • Concept development/academic needs Concept development/academic needs • Communication Communication • Sensory/motor Sensory/motor • Social/emotiona; Social/emotiona; • Orientation and mobility (travel training) Orientation and mobility (travel training) • Daily living Daily living • Career and vocationalCareer and vocational• Specialized Instruction Specialized Instruction • As prescribed by the Individualized Education Program As prescribed by the Individualized Education Program

(IEP), individual or small group instruction is provided (IEP), individual or small group instruction is provided in the above assessed areas. This instruction may in the above assessed areas. This instruction may include Braille, academic support, keyboarding, include Braille, academic support, keyboarding, listening, visual efficiency, living skills, technology, and listening, visual efficiency, living skills, technology, and other adaptive skills.other adaptive skills.

• Consultation Consultation • The teachers of the Visually Impaired assist in planning The teachers of the Visually Impaired assist in planning

and implementation of the student's program in and implementation of the student's program in cooperation with parents, educators, physicians, and cooperation with parents, educators, physicians, and agencies.agencies.

• Transcription Transcription • Materials are transcribed into the appropriate media: Materials are transcribed into the appropriate media:

large print, Braille/tactile, and recorded tapes.large print, Braille/tactile, and recorded tapes.• Low Vision Aids Low Vision Aids • Instruction in the use of magnifiers, monoculars, video Instruction in the use of magnifiers, monoculars, video

magnifiers, computer screen magnification software, magnifiers, computer screen magnification software, and other enlargers of print is available.and other enlargers of print is available.

• AgencyAgency

V i s u a l I m p a i r m e n t V i s u a l I m p a i r m e n t ss

E x a m p l e C h e c k l i s E x a m p l e C h e c k l i s t:t:

• http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/corticalassess.htmlcorticalassess.html