Module 3: Vision
Vision Professionals and the Educational Team
Students with visual impairments, including those with complex disabilities, will receive services from several different professionals in the field of visual impairment.
A teacher of students with visual impairments (or TSVI):
- Works to help the educational team understand how vision impacts a student’s access to educational resources by conducting a functional vision assessment
- Consults with the educational team to ensure that programming in the inclusive classroom is accessible and meaningful to the student with a visual impairment
- Provides direct instruction to the student in disability-specific content areas referred to as the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC). The content areas of the ECC include access technology, self-determination, and sensory efficiency skills
An Orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist teaches the knowledge, skills, and techniques for safer and more effective travel for students with visual impairments, including those with complex needs and deafblindness.
A Deafblind intervenor is a paraprofessional with specialized training in intervention. The intervenor facilitates access to information for a student with deafblindness. Their primary role is to ensure that the student is an informed and active participant in their learning community.