1. Vision Services and Resources for Young Children who are Visually Impaired
Dr. Dean Stenehjem, Superintendent
Washington State School for the Blind
Jake Koch, Student
Eastern Washington University
Emily Coleman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired

2. Professional Development
Washington State School for the Blind
Statewide Service Delivery Model
Thousands served
through Effective
Partnerships
H.R. Services
To Local School Dist.
Outreach Direct
& Consultative
Services
Professional Development
Specialized School Programs
University & Private Partners
Research &
Development
Resource
Center Hub
Intensive
On-campus Programs
Accessible Online
Learning
5th Year Transition Program
Digital Research Curriculum Dev.
Statewide Assist. Tech. Services
Braille Production Center
Instructional Resource Center – Regional Lib.
Birth to Three Services in Communities
Partner – Braille Prison Programs
Statewide Coordination

3. Jake Koch
Blog Information: “Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness in a Sighted World”

4. What is a “Teacher of the Visually Impaired?”
Trained in Special Education with an emphasis in visual impairments
Work with providers serving children who have significant vision deficits
Provide support and education to families with a child who is visually impaired
Provide direct instruction and consult services

5. Misconception #1: Only children who are totally blind need vision services.

6. When else might a student need vision services?
When they run into obstacles frequently while crawling and/ or walking
When they keep their head turned to one side or the other, or at another unique angle
When they don’t seek out favorite items visually
When they startle easily

7. When they don’t make eye contact
When they aren’t tracking objects or people
When they hold toys and objects extremely close
When they have multiple impairments

9. ***Images are from the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Normal Vision

10. Perception of Blindness
Only an estimated 15% of those who are legally blind have absolutely no vision.

11. Central Vision Loss

12. Peripheral Vision Loss

13. Right Visual Field Loss

14. Lower Visual Field Loss

15. Misconception #2: Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI’s) only teach braille.

16. Who are my students? (Ages 0-16)
48% are blind (vision isn’t used as primary means of gathering information)
46% are low vision
6% are deaf-blind
21% are braille readers or pre-braille
18% are at grade-level
61% have a Cortical Visual Impairment

17. What does Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) mean?
Eyes often appear normal, but visual processing has been compromised
Requires specialized adaptations and accommodations
Intervention can lead to improved use of vision!!!

18. Characteristics include:
Color preference
Need for movement
Light-gazing
Difficulty with visual complexity
Visual field deficit
Visual latency
Lack of distance vision
Atypical vision reflexes
Difficulty with novelty
Lack of visually-guided reach
(Roman-Lantzy, 2007)

19. Services for a Child who is Visually Impaired (Bishop, 2000)
Assess functional vision and learning media
Make educational recommendations – Assist with IFSP/ IEP
Collaborate with families and staff
Recommend additional assessments
Provide additional resources
Assist with transitions
Help teach the Expanded Core Curriculum…

20. What is the “Expanded Core” curriculum?

21. Social/ Emotional Needs
Compensatory or Functional Academic Skills/ Including Communication
Recreation and Leisure
Sensory Efficiency Skills
Self-Determination
Orientation and Mobility
Assistive Technology
Independent Living Needs
Career Education
(AFB, 2014)

22. Social/ Emotional Needs

23. Compensatory/ Functional Academic Skills

24. Recreation and Leisure AND Sensory Efficiency

25. Orientation and Mobility

26. Independent Living Needs and…
Career
Education

27. WSSB Specifically:
VISION: Independence for blind and visually impaired children.
MISSION: To provide specialized quality educational services for visually impaired and blind youth ages birth-21 within the state of Washington.
PURPOSE: To serve as a statewide demonstration and resource center and provide direct and indirect services to students both on campus and in the children’s local communities.

28. Additional Resources American Foundation for the Blind (www.afb.org)
National Federation of the Blind (
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (
Washington State School for the Blind (
Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (
Washington Sensory Disabilities Services (
Family Connect (
Hadley School for the Blind (

29. References
AFB. (2014). The expanded core curriculum for blind and visually impaired children and youths. Retrieved from
Bishop, V. (2000). Early childhood. In A. Koenig & M. Holbrook (Eds.), Foundations of Education (2 ed., Vol. II, pp ). New York, NY: AFB Press.
Chen, D. (2014). Essential elements in early intervention: Visual impairment and multiple disabilities. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: AFB Press.
Pogrund, R., & Fazzi, D. (2002). Early focus: Working with young children who are blind or visually impaired and their families. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: AFB Press.
Roman-Lantzy, C. (2007). Cortical visual impairment: An approach to assessment and intervention. New York, NY: AFB Press.

30. Dr. Dean Stenehjem dean. stenehjem@wssb. wa. gov Emily Coleman emily
Dr. Dean Stenehjem Emily Coleman Jake Koch