CCPS

Services for Students Who Are Blind and Visually

Impaired

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Dr. Harry Fogle

Overview of IDEA/COMAR Regulations

Dr. Harry Fogle

Team Building Activity

Organize by Region with recorder/reporter

Study the Image Prepare descriptive

sentences Report best sentence Region with Most

Unduplicated Sentences Wins via Round Robin

Who is eligible to receive Vision Services?

Any child, birth through age 21, who resides in Carroll County (51%) and

With a Visual Acuity less than 20/70 with correction in the better eye or has a visual field of less than 20 degrees

A determination by the IEP team of an adverse educational impact

Vision Roles

Itinerant Vision Staff Two Teachers of the Visually

Impaired One Orientation & Mobility

Specialist

CCPS Itinerant StaffTeacher of the Visually Impaired

Acts as liaison in acquiring textbooks in appropriate media (e.g. Braille, Large Print, Audio Tapes, etc.)

Provides consultative support to parents, caregivers, and all staff in these areas:

• Understanding the visual loss• How to adapt and modify the learning environment • How to adapt, modify and implement instruction

Provides educational support in:• Listening Skills Touch Typing• Orientation and Mobility Word Processing• Basic Concepts Daily Living Skills• Braille Skills Auditory Memory• Tracking Skills Visual Memory

CCPS Itinerant Staff

Orientation and Mobility Specialist Orientation and Mobility (O&M) are

disability specific needs that extend beyond academic learning

The O&M Specialist provides careful, systematic instruction of concepts and skills needed to travel safely and independently

Non-CCPS Vision ServicesOutreach Services

a free service (tax supported) available at the Maryland School for the Blind that provides on-campus:

Low Vision Clinic Assistive Technology Infant and Toddler Services

a free (tax supported) service available through the Maryland School for the Blind that provides on-site:

Initial and Triennial Assessment Consultative Assistance A resource to parents In-home infant and toddler services

Initiating Vision Services

Assessment Documentation of clinical visual acuity

from an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist Carroll County Functional Vision Exam Educational assessment, formal or

informal, by special and general educators• Evaluation by additional staff if other areas of

educational impact and/or disability are suspected, such as OT, PT, Speech, Mobility, etc.

Vision Services

Expanded Core Curriculum– Academic Skills

– Communication Skills

– Sensorimotor Skills

– Orientation and Mobility Skills

– Daily Living Skills

– Career and Vocational Skills

– Social and Emotional Skills

Academic Skills

Vision Teacher provides consultation and/or co-teaching in support of the classroom teacher’s efforts to comply with the CCPS Curriculum

Communication Skills

Vision Teacher consults with the Speech Pathologist to develop strategies and interventions to meet the communication/language needs of students with vision impairments

Vision Teacher provides instruction in compensatory skills, such as Braille, Keyboarding, and use of Assistive Technologies (Low Vision Aids)

SensoriMotor SkillsVision Teacher assists &/or collaborates

with the OT and PT to meet the sensorimotor needs of students with visual impairments including – keyboarding, – tracking, eye-hand coordination, – activities of daily living, movement, and – use of Assistive Technology Devices

Orientation & Mobility Skills

Vision Teacher and the Orientation and Mobility Specialist collaborate to instruct students in the development of concepts and skills needed to safely and independently travel within the school building and campus.

The Orientation and Mobility Specialist provides individualized instruction in a variety of educational and community settings

Daily Living Skills

The Vision Teacher adapts the CCPS Curriculum for Daily Living Skills to meet the needs of the visually impaired student.

Career & Vocational Skills

The services provided by Vision staff in teaching compensatory skills provide the student with the prerequisites needed to reach their career and vocational goals in life.

The Vision Staff works in conjunction with other CCPS staff to define and provide opportunities for career awareness and development

Social and Emotional Skills

The Vision Teacher works in conjunction with school staff and families to assist the student in the development of age/developmentally appropriate social skills. Support is also provided to families, students, and schools to find and access community services

Vision Services Assistive Technology

Low Technology• Bold lined paper

• Bold markers

• Slant board

• Etc.

High Technology• BrailleWriter

• CCTV (closed circuit Television) Reading System

• Specialized computer hardware

• Specialized computer software

• Etc.

Vision Services

Providing Accessible Materials– Commercially available Braille, large print and

audio tape

– Provide instruction to school staff to make appropriate materials

– Sources for Accessible Instructional Materials:• IRC (Instructional Resource Center at Maryland

School for the Blind)

• School or site produced materials

Statewide Assessments

CTBS – county contacts state for Braille and Large Print

MSPAP – county contacts state for Braille and Large Print; for Braille student, Vision Teacher may need to proctor.

High School Assessments - county contacts state for Braille and Large Print

CCPS VISION SERVICES

Where does CCPS go from here? Dr. Harry Fogle

The End

The Vision Services presentation was made possible by:Dr. Harry FogleMrs. Stephany SavarMr. Raymond PeloquinMr. Robert J. Esposito

Special Thank You to NASDE.