1. Vision Services and Support Emily Coleman, Teacher of the Visually Impaired Washington State School for the Blind

2. What is a “Teacher of the Visually Impaired?”  Trained in Special Education with an emphasis in visual impairments  Provides support to districts with students that have significant vision deficits  Provides direct instruction and consult services

3. Misconception #1: Only students who read braille need vision services.

4. When else might a student need vision services?  When they run into obstacles frequently  When they keep their head turned to one side or the other  When they can’t read the whiteboard in class  When they write with their nose on the paper  When they struggle with reading and are behind their peers  When they cannot read “regular” print as they get older  When they confuse colors  When they have multiple impairments

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

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

8. Central Vision Loss

9. Peripheral Vision Loss

10. Diabetic Retinopathy

11. Left Visual Field Loss

12. Right Visual Field Loss

13. Lower Visual Field Loss

14. Upper Visual Field Loss

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

16. Who are my students?  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 within the classroom  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, and lack of visually-guided reach

18. Services for a Student with CVI  Make educational recommendations  Help adapt classroom and activities for current visual functioning  Create activities to potentially increase visual functioning  Assess functional vision and learning media  Education for families, schools staff, peers, and administrators  Assist in technology use and recommendations

19. Services for a Student who is Blind  Assess functional vision and learning media  Make educational recommendations  Help determine technology needs  Provide access to braille materials  Create tactile materials to provide educational access  Provide braille instruction if appropriate  Educate families, school staff, peers, and administrators about blindness  Recommend additional assessments (Orientation and Mobility)  Help teach the Expanded Core Curriculum…

20. Services for a Student who has Low Vision  Provide access to technology  Set-up and teach how to use magnification devices  Assess functional vision and learning media  Make educational recommendations  Help access large print materials  Assist classroom teachers to adapt their room for a visually impaired child  Educate families, school staff, peers, and administrators  Help teach the Expanded Core Curriculum…

21. We know what the “Core” curriculum is but what is the “Expanded Core” curriculum?

22.  Social/ Emotional Needs  Recreation  Sensory/ Motor Needs  Self-Determination  Orientation and Mobility  Assistive Technology  Travel Skills and Related Skills  Independent Living Needs  Vocational Needs

23. 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.

24. Additional Resources  American Foundation for the Blind (www.afb.org)www.afb.org  National Federation of the Blind (www.nfb.org)www.nfb.org  Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (www.tsbvi.org)www.tsbvi.org  Washington State School for the Blind (www.wssb.org)www.wssb.org  Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (www.dsb.wa.gov)www.dsb.wa.gov  Washington Sensory Disabilities Services (www.wsdsonline.org)www.wsdsonline.org  Family Connect (www.familyconnect.org)www.familyconnect.org

25. Emily Coleman (509) 994-6008 emily.coleman@wssb.wa.gov