Understanding Students with Visual Impairments

1. Understanding Students with Visual Impairments Chapter 15

2. Defining Visual Impairments • Legal definition based on clinical measurement of acuity • IDEA definition “an impairment in vision that even with correction adversely affects a child’s educational performance.”

3. Describing the Characteristics • Incidental learning is problematic • Limitations in range and variety of experiences • - knowledge of world is different • - potential for inadequate development of social skills • Limitation in ability to get around • Limitation in interactions with environment

4. Causes • Congenital- occurs at birth • Adventitious- hereditary, trauma

5. Evaluating Students with visual impairments • Functional vision assessment – assess how a student uses vision in the natural environment • Learning media assessment- used to determine appropriate reading media

6. Special education and related services • Provisions of instruction to support the child’s success in general education curriculum: slate and stylus, abacus, braille • Nonacademic priorities • Location of special education and services • Ways in which partners will communicate to meet student’s needs

7. Supplementary aids and services • Adapted materials: braille, large print, magnifying lens • Assistive technology: braille note taker, braille translation software, optical character reader

8. Other educational needs • Daily living skills • Orientation and mobility • Self determination

9. Assessing progress • General education progress is measured the same as peers: take the same math, social studies, language arts, and science tests • Expanded core curriculum progress is measured through informal teacher observations, evaluation of needed prompt levels

10. Accommodations for assessment • Additional time • Reader, scribe, or computer • Quiet testing area • Frequent breaks