Once a student is admitted into the Program for the Visually Impaired, it is time to utilize all of the assessments to create an Individualized Education Plan. The vision goals for this plan must be measurable and specific to the educational needs of the student. For example, student A is a second grader diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity. Her diagnosis is supported by a medical eye report, and the school TVI has completed her Functional Vision Assessment and Learning Media Assessment, which has determined that A will need instruction in Braille. An example goal would be: student A will increase her stamina to read braille with 90% accuracy for 10-minute intervals.
Now that the goal is established, the TVI will plan instructional activities that will help A reach that specific braille reading goal. Books in braille that are relevant to the student's classroom requirements will be utilized in order to assist A in keeping up with classroom demands. This will also provide A with the opportunity to utilize her braille reading skills in a real-world setting. Daily student A will spend one hour with her resource TVI to receive specific instruction in braille and weekly the TVI will informally assess student A's accuracy. A's classroom teacher will assess comprehension skills displayed by A after she reads a passage in braille by asking questions specific to the reading passage. A's progress will be charted by her TVI, but her classroom teacher will be consulted weekly to assure that A is keeping up with the reading demands in her class.
At the end of the 6th week of instruction, the TVI will assess student A's braille literacy skills in order to determine if the goal was appropriate and relevant to A's classroom needs. If student A displays consistent progress that also has improved her classroom performance, instruction will continue as planned. If student A is showing no sign of improvement in her reading stamina and accuracy in braille, then the TVI will need to adjust her instruction according to what student A's needs appear to be from the assessment. Student A's IEP goal remains the same, but how that goal is to be reached will need to be modified so that Student A will start to make progress towards it. The TVI will need to change her instructional activities so that Student A will gain the braille skills she needs in order to improve her accuracy and increase her braille-reading stamina.
This pattern of assess, plan, teach, and assess will continue throughout the school year so that the TVI can keep record of how Student A is progressing towards her IEP goal. At the end of the school year, during the yearly IEP meeting, the goal will be reviewed and determined to have been met or not met. Then the goal will be modified to reflect what the next step in the student's plan should be. Student A's assessment performance will determine the new IEP goals for the following school year.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Week #8 - VI Assessments
Admittance into the Program for the Visually Impaired requires specific assessments to be completed in order to determine if a student qualifies for the program. Once the student is in the program, these evaluations must be updated at least every three years. In the following post, I will list individually each necessary assessment that is used to guide professionals in VI in establishing evidence for those decisions.
1.) The Medical Eye Exam: Must be completed by an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. A formal, medical account of what the student's diagnosis is and what treatment,(i.e. surgery, or medications) course has been taken ; acuity with best correction; field of vision (central or peripheral loss); and whether or not the condition is going to result in a progressive loss of vision.
2.) Functional Vision Assessment, (FVA): Completed by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI), sometimes with assistance from O&M specialist and vision rehabilitation specialists. This assessment is done via observation, interviews, and individual testing. It helps to determine how the student utilizes his/her residual vision to perform tasks required for him/her to function in the classroom environment and in his/her daily living environment as well as in other real-life situations. A great deal of data is collected over time for this assessment. Observations require the student to be in both indoor and outdoor settings; various types of lighting; various times of the day on different days, and the data must be collected over time to get an accurate idea of how the student responds.
3.) Learning Media Assessment (LMA): Completed by a TVI. Assesses what media the student requires to function in the classroom involving reading and writing skills. Some examples are Braille, large print, and audio books as well as high and low tech assistive devices. This also involves anything needed for writing skills such as note-taking and handwritten classroom assignment needs. Media needs may change for the student depending upon the task, his/her eye condition, skill needs, and stamina to process the stimuli. Data taken in this assessment also must be done in a variety of settings and over time.
4.) Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC): Completed by a TVI. Assessment that collects data on what level of functioning the student has in nine components that make up the ECC. The domains are: compensatory access ( including communication skills), sensory efficiency ( how student utilizes all of his senses to compensate for lack of visual stimuli), assistive technology ( either high or low tech), orientation and mobility ( O&M specialist completes this part), independent living skills, social interaction skills, recreation and leisure; career education, and self- determination.
5.) Orientation and Mobility Screening: Completed by an Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O&M). Screening determines if the vision student requires instruction for orientation and mobility. The assessment covers skills that a student must have to navigate safely and efficiently through his/her environment.
6.) Orientation and Mobility Evaluation: Completed by an O&M specialist. This assessment determines what skills the student needs to acquire to safely navigate and orient him/herself to his surroundings. This evaluation looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the student's ability in order to establish goals for O&M on the IEP.
7.) Clinical Low Vision Screening: Completed by an Optometrist with additional training as a Low Vision Specialist. This assessment is a combination of both medical and functional vision diagnostics. Patient history, visual acuity testing, visual field testing, prescription of optical or electronic devices, and training in how to use devices are part of this assessment. This is done when all medical and functional vision bases have been covered, but the patient continues to have trouble performing tasks visually.
8.) Vision Screening: Usually completed by an eye care professional or a general medical practitioner such as a pediatrician. This is an initial assessment done to discover if an individual has a need for more intensive visual assessment. It notes the appearance of eyes, pupillary response, general fix and follow skills, near and distance visual acuity with an eye chart, ocular muscle balance, color vision depth perception, and compensatory behaviors.
9.) Assistive Technology Assessment: Completed by specialty members of the IEP team. This assessment takes into account all of the data collected by previous assessments of the student to determine what assistive technology should be utilized. This also takes into account the training needed to help the student maintain the device, as well as utilize it.
1.) The Medical Eye Exam: Must be completed by an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. A formal, medical account of what the student's diagnosis is and what treatment,(i.e. surgery, or medications) course has been taken ; acuity with best correction; field of vision (central or peripheral loss); and whether or not the condition is going to result in a progressive loss of vision.
2.) Functional Vision Assessment, (FVA): Completed by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI), sometimes with assistance from O&M specialist and vision rehabilitation specialists. This assessment is done via observation, interviews, and individual testing. It helps to determine how the student utilizes his/her residual vision to perform tasks required for him/her to function in the classroom environment and in his/her daily living environment as well as in other real-life situations. A great deal of data is collected over time for this assessment. Observations require the student to be in both indoor and outdoor settings; various types of lighting; various times of the day on different days, and the data must be collected over time to get an accurate idea of how the student responds.
3.) Learning Media Assessment (LMA): Completed by a TVI. Assesses what media the student requires to function in the classroom involving reading and writing skills. Some examples are Braille, large print, and audio books as well as high and low tech assistive devices. This also involves anything needed for writing skills such as note-taking and handwritten classroom assignment needs. Media needs may change for the student depending upon the task, his/her eye condition, skill needs, and stamina to process the stimuli. Data taken in this assessment also must be done in a variety of settings and over time.
4.) Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC): Completed by a TVI. Assessment that collects data on what level of functioning the student has in nine components that make up the ECC. The domains are: compensatory access ( including communication skills), sensory efficiency ( how student utilizes all of his senses to compensate for lack of visual stimuli), assistive technology ( either high or low tech), orientation and mobility ( O&M specialist completes this part), independent living skills, social interaction skills, recreation and leisure; career education, and self- determination.
5.) Orientation and Mobility Screening: Completed by an Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O&M). Screening determines if the vision student requires instruction for orientation and mobility. The assessment covers skills that a student must have to navigate safely and efficiently through his/her environment.
6.) Orientation and Mobility Evaluation: Completed by an O&M specialist. This assessment determines what skills the student needs to acquire to safely navigate and orient him/herself to his surroundings. This evaluation looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the student's ability in order to establish goals for O&M on the IEP.
7.) Clinical Low Vision Screening: Completed by an Optometrist with additional training as a Low Vision Specialist. This assessment is a combination of both medical and functional vision diagnostics. Patient history, visual acuity testing, visual field testing, prescription of optical or electronic devices, and training in how to use devices are part of this assessment. This is done when all medical and functional vision bases have been covered, but the patient continues to have trouble performing tasks visually.
8.) Vision Screening: Usually completed by an eye care professional or a general medical practitioner such as a pediatrician. This is an initial assessment done to discover if an individual has a need for more intensive visual assessment. It notes the appearance of eyes, pupillary response, general fix and follow skills, near and distance visual acuity with an eye chart, ocular muscle balance, color vision depth perception, and compensatory behaviors.
9.) Assistive Technology Assessment: Completed by specialty members of the IEP team. This assessment takes into account all of the data collected by previous assessments of the student to determine what assistive technology should be utilized. This also takes into account the training needed to help the student maintain the device, as well as utilize it.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Week #7: Guidelines that a student in Florida is eligible for VI services
The guidelines and definitions that determine a student's eligibility for the Program for the Visually Impaired in Florida have broadened since I originally became a TVI in 1993. Back then it was strictly dictated by best visual acuity after best correction or a specific amount of loss of field of vision. Due to the changes in Federal Law through IDEA, the state of Florida has had to expand its definition to include students that have enough lack of ability to learn through sight in educational settings that they require assistance from the Program for the Visually Impaired.
Consequently, this new definition now allows students that were once ignored by the Program for the Visually Impaired to receive services. For students struggling with cortical blindness, or visual issues where the problem is in the brain processing of visual stimuli, not the physical eye itself, this is great news! What didn't change is the need for parental consent, a Medical Eye Report and the need for completed assessments in functional vision, learning media (print, Braille, or audiobooks), and Orientation and Mobility assessment of functional vision. These reports and assessments are the basis for developing an appropriate IEP for students with exceptional needs in visual impairment. The assessments provide evidence that a student is not able to process visual stimuli to the point that it affects his/her ability to perform educationally within the classroom.
Finally, this change in the definition for eligibility for VI services also includes students that have been diagnosed with eye conditions that will progressively hinder their ability to learn visually, (i.e. - retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, or any disease affecting vision loss). Again, parental consent, a medical eye report, and the aforementioned assessments are necessary to keep the students in this case scenario eligible for services from the Program for the Visually Impaired. This change helps students dealing with a progressive loss of vision access to receive the appropriate assistance needed to prepare them to perform in their educational setting.
Consequently, this new definition now allows students that were once ignored by the Program for the Visually Impaired to receive services. For students struggling with cortical blindness, or visual issues where the problem is in the brain processing of visual stimuli, not the physical eye itself, this is great news! What didn't change is the need for parental consent, a Medical Eye Report and the need for completed assessments in functional vision, learning media (print, Braille, or audiobooks), and Orientation and Mobility assessment of functional vision. These reports and assessments are the basis for developing an appropriate IEP for students with exceptional needs in visual impairment. The assessments provide evidence that a student is not able to process visual stimuli to the point that it affects his/her ability to perform educationally within the classroom.
Finally, this change in the definition for eligibility for VI services also includes students that have been diagnosed with eye conditions that will progressively hinder their ability to learn visually, (i.e. - retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, or any disease affecting vision loss). Again, parental consent, a medical eye report, and the aforementioned assessments are necessary to keep the students in this case scenario eligible for services from the Program for the Visually Impaired. This change helps students dealing with a progressive loss of vision access to receive the appropriate assistance needed to prepare them to perform in their educational setting.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Weekly Blog #6 - Effective VI Teaching Strategy
This week we discussed effective teaching strategies for teaching ECC concepts to students with visual impairments. I am not currently in a classroom, therefore I will have to draw from memory a lesson that I worked on with several of my students with multiple impairments when I taught in a center school for students with exceptional needs.
Yearly our school participated in a county-wide economics fair. This fair was open to students of all ages and abilities throughout our district. I teamed with other teachers of special needs students in our school, occupational therapists, and speech therapists to help our students with multiple special needs including VI to understand the concept of basic economics. This activity included creating a product, introducing basic money skills, social interactions (selling product) and organization skills, as well as helped to reinforce the skills we were teaching that correlated to our specific subjects.
The classroom teacher presented the basic economics lesson of what it is to create a product, supply and demand, and money skills. As a professional team, we decided to help the students to create Christmas Ornaments from cinnamon dough. Similar to a cooking project, we helped students gather ingredients, create the dough, roll out the dough, use cookie cutters to make shapes, and then bake them. The texture and the smell of the dough was enticing for my students that were reluctant to do tactile tasks. It was a malleable dough that lent itself to allowing my low vision and blind students to have time to explore it while creating it.
We then worked on understanding money skills such as identifying coins and paper money, organizing it, and counting change (if applicable). Another skill we worked on was basic advertising in which we created posters to sell the products. My students with VI worked on texture posters that the O&M specialist utilized in her lessons with them. Placed at various points around the school: the gym, the cafeteria, the front office, the therapy room; the students would locate them and then go into those areas with the product and attempt to sell them. This lead to practicing social skills: greetings, conversations, presenting the product, and gratitude for time with those they interacted with. The VI students had the added element of practicing facing who they were speaking to and practicing proper social skills.
Participation in the economics fair project became very popular in our school for students with special needs. We placed every year in the three years I taught at that school. It was wonderful because it helped students with various ages, exceptionalities, and abilities work towards many of their IEP goals in a cooperative environment. My students with VI looked forward to this activity with anticipation every year.
Yearly our school participated in a county-wide economics fair. This fair was open to students of all ages and abilities throughout our district. I teamed with other teachers of special needs students in our school, occupational therapists, and speech therapists to help our students with multiple special needs including VI to understand the concept of basic economics. This activity included creating a product, introducing basic money skills, social interactions (selling product) and organization skills, as well as helped to reinforce the skills we were teaching that correlated to our specific subjects.
The classroom teacher presented the basic economics lesson of what it is to create a product, supply and demand, and money skills. As a professional team, we decided to help the students to create Christmas Ornaments from cinnamon dough. Similar to a cooking project, we helped students gather ingredients, create the dough, roll out the dough, use cookie cutters to make shapes, and then bake them. The texture and the smell of the dough was enticing for my students that were reluctant to do tactile tasks. It was a malleable dough that lent itself to allowing my low vision and blind students to have time to explore it while creating it.
We then worked on understanding money skills such as identifying coins and paper money, organizing it, and counting change (if applicable). Another skill we worked on was basic advertising in which we created posters to sell the products. My students with VI worked on texture posters that the O&M specialist utilized in her lessons with them. Placed at various points around the school: the gym, the cafeteria, the front office, the therapy room; the students would locate them and then go into those areas with the product and attempt to sell them. This lead to practicing social skills: greetings, conversations, presenting the product, and gratitude for time with those they interacted with. The VI students had the added element of practicing facing who they were speaking to and practicing proper social skills.
Participation in the economics fair project became very popular in our school for students with special needs. We placed every year in the three years I taught at that school. It was wonderful because it helped students with various ages, exceptionalities, and abilities work towards many of their IEP goals in a cooperative environment. My students with VI looked forward to this activity with anticipation every year.
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