Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and GuidelinesE. Special Needs Categories E.9 Visual Impairments Definition For educational purposes, a student with visual impairment is one whose visual acuity is not sufficient for the student to participate with ease in everyday activities. The impairment interferes with optimal learning and achievement and can result in a substantial educational disadvantage, unless adaptations are made in the methods of presenting learning opportunities, the nature of the materials used and/or the learning environment. It is not intended to include students described as having visual perceptual difficulties unless they also have a vision loss as described below. For information pertaining to students who are deafblind, refer to Special Needs Categories - DeafBlind. To be eligible for supplemental funding as a student with a visual impairment, the following conditions must be met: In the opinion of an ophthalmologist, optometrist, orthoptist or the Visually Impaired Program at British Columbia's Children's Hospital, the student's functioning may be described by one of the following:
Identification and Assessment General health information about school-age children and their eyes is available at BCHealthFiles. Health Authorities vary in the services they provide in communities to identify vision problems in young children. A case finding approach that identifies children who may be at risk is preferable to annual screenings. School districts should develop and implement referral procedures to ensure that every visually impaired student is identified, and receives an appropriate educational program. In order to plan the educational program the teacher of the visually impaired should conduct a functional vision assessment to identify the educational implications of the student's vision loss. In the case of students with a severe visual impairment, a qualified orientation and mobility instructor should also assess the students' skills in orientation and mobility. Planning and Implementation With appropriate support services, many students can follow the curriculum with adaptation of learning resources or instructional methods. When necessary, however, the curriculum should be modified to reflect individual needs. The student's educational requirements and any special measures that are to be taken in order to help meet those requirements should be documented in a formal Individual Education Plan. When an IEP is developed, the following needs should be considered:
Orientation and mobility (O&M) is an essential component of the curriculum for students with severe visual impairments. It provides students with the skills necessary to know where they are in the school or community, where they want to go and how to get there in a safe and efficient manner with as much independence as possible. Orientation and mobility training should not be restricted to the school environment but should include other environments in which the student is required to function at different times of the day. At the secondary level, school districts may develop and approve orientation and mobility programs or Brailling programs for visually impaired students as locally developed or independent study courses for credit toward graduation. A working or instructional area for instruction in specific skill development by the itinerant or resource teacher should also be provided. This instructional area should be conducive to effective instruction (i.e., in compliance with health and safety codes, quiet, adequately lit, ventilated and free from distractions). Evaluation and Reporting Due to factors such as visual fatigue, slow reading and writing speed, and the visual components of evaluation tools such as video or maps the student may require adaptations to the usual classroom testing situation. Such adaptations could involve additional time, the use of a reader or scribe, the use of specialized equipment, reduction in the volume of work to be completed while retaining the same learning outcomes, the provision of a description of the visual components, such as a video, and the use of an alternate setting for completing the work. These adaptations should be documented in the student's IEP and monitored for their appropriateness and effectiveness. For students writing provincial examinations, Braille, large print, computer disk and audiotape copies of the examinations can be provided if applied for well in advance. See Appendix H.3 Adjudication: Provincial Examinations for more information on procedures for adapting provincial examinations to accommodate students with visual impairment. Personnel A qualified teacher of the visually impaired should have:
Where a district is unable to employ a teacher of the visually impaired, this requirement may be met by providing regular services through sharing arrangements with other districts or through a fee-for-service arrangement with qualified specialist teachers of the visually impaired. Orientation and mobility instructor
They should have a solid foundation and expertise in the areas of education of students with visual impairment and child growth and development. They should also demonstrate skills in human relations and communication. Many teachers of the visually impaired have taken additional training and are also qualified as orientation and mobility instructors. In other cases, school districts may find it necessary to contract for specialized orientation and mobility instructors to provide this training. Teachers’ assistants Teachers’ assistants working with Braille-using students should either have, or be working in a timely manner toward completion of, a Braille transcribing course (see Appendix H.2.4 Braille Instructional Program (PRCVI)). Braillists Information about personnel training for Braille is available through the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI). Resources |
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