1. Visual Impairment
By: Mauro Garcia

2. Contents
1. Types of Visual Impairment
2. Signs of Visual Impairment
3. Help Under IDEA
4. Tips for Parents
5. Tips for Teachers

3. IDEA Definition of Visual Impairment
• An impairment in vision that, even with correction,
adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
• This definition includes both partial sight and blindness

4. Help Under IDEA
• Early Intervention- A system of services to support infants
and toddlers with disabilities (before 3 years old) and their
families.
• Special Education and Related Services- Services available
though the public school system for school-aged children,
including preschoolers. (ages 3-21)
• If a child meets the definition of visual impairment under
IDEA as well as the state’s criteria, then they are eligible to
receive the service they qualify for.

5. Signs of Visual Impairment
• Eyes that don’t move together when
following an object or a face
• Crossed eyes, eyes that turn our or in,
eyes that flutter from side to side or
up and down, or eyes that don’t seem
to focus
• Eyes that bulge, or bounce in rapid
movements
• Pupils that are unequal in size

6. Signs of Visual Impairment cont.
• Repeated shutting or covering of one eye
• Unusual degree of bumping into things or
knocking things over
• Frequent squinting, blinking, eye rubbing
• Sitting too close to toys, books or TV.

7. Types of Visual Impairment
Strabismus- Where the eyes look in different direction and do not
focus simultaneously on a single point.
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia- Which is caused by underdeveloped fibers
in the optic nerve and which affects depth perception, sensitivity
to light, and acuity of vision.
Cortical Visual Impairment- Which is caused by damage to the
part of the brain related to vision, not to the eyes itself.

8. Types of Visual Impairment cont.
Coloboma- Where a portion of the structure of the eye is missing.
Congenital Cataracts- Where the lens of the eye is cloudy.
Retinopathy of Prematurity- Which may occur in premature
babies when the light-sensitive retina hasn’t developed sufficiently
before birth.
Retinitis Pigmentosa- A rare inherited disease that slowly
destroys the retina.

9. Children Affected & Types of Impairment
• Vision difficulty refers to children
who have serious difficulty seeing
even when wearing corrective
lenses and those who are blind
• Severe Vision Impairment refers to
children who are unable to see
words and letters in ordinary
print.
• Legally blind refers to children who
have 20/200 vision or worse and
that the vision can not be
corrected with corrective lenses.
Severity Children Affected
Vision Difficulty 490,420
Severe Vision
Impairment
42,000
Legally Blind 59,341

10. Tips for Parents
• Learn as much as possible about the specific visual
impairment
• Encourage curiosity and help your child explore
• Work with school staff
• Talk to other parents

11. Tips for Teachers
• Ask to be a part of the IEP team
• Talk to special education teachers about
learning strategies
• Find the materials or resources needed to
support the student
• Talk to the student’s parents

12. Differentiated
Instruction
Ideas for Students with
Visual Impairments

13. Contents
1.Academic Needs
2.Social Needs
3.Daily Living Needs
4.Support Sensorial Learning
5.Classroom Accommodations

14. Academic Needs
• Find out if school has technology needed to help
student succeed in the classroom
• Practice auditory skills since hearing will be primary
learning tool
• Keep information on braille books available
• Practice analytic touch to get a sense of object

15. Social Needs
• Help distinguish between behaviors that are socially
unacceptable in public, yet acceptable in private.
• Understanding social distance for various
communication situations.
• Make student comfortable when asking for help
when appropriate
• Showing acceptable social behavior in a multitude of
group situations.

16. Daily Living Needs
• Help understand importance of:
• Basic personal hygiene
• Dressing skills
• Preparing meals
• Practice eating skills
• Managing money
• Using technology like cellphones, computers etc.
• Basic understanding of time and keeping schedules

17. Supporting Sensorial
Learning
• Requires uses of other
senses to make up for
lack of vision
• Ask questions like:
• “Do you smell dinner?”
• “Can you hear the bird
singing outside?”
• “Isn’t the dog’s fur soft?”
• Allow them to hold
objects in their hands to
get a complete picture.

18. Making Classroom Accommodations
• Keep aisles clear of debris
• Notify students if any changes in the classroom are
made
• Make extra space for equipment like books in braille,
enlarged print materials or other hardware
• Be clear when giving instructions
• Allow for extra time to finish assignments
• Assign a peer to help in case of emergency

19. Texas School for the
Blind and Visually
Impaired

20. Contents
1. Educational
Programs
2. Comprehensive
Programs
3. School
Information

21. Educational Programs
• Academics- Designed for students who are functioning within
two years of their grade level. This is the regular, public school
curriculum for grades K-12, including the Texas Essential
Knowledge & Skills adopted by the state.
• Elementary concepts- Designed for students ages 6-12 years of
age who are blind or visually impaired and may have additional
impairments. This approach is for students who are at the
readiness level for academic learning, but are not yet reading,
writing or doing math on a first grade level.

22. Educational Programs cont.
• Practical Academics- Designed for students 12 years of age or
older who are functioning more than two years below their
chronological age, with at least kindergarten equivalent reading
and writing skills. Practical Academics courses focus on teaching
students to use their academics skills in a variety of meaningful,
functional tasks in preparation for adult life.
• Basic Skills- Designed for students aged 6-22 who have visual
impairments combined with other disabilities who learn best with
the support of consistent routines and meaningful functional
activities.

23. Comprehensive Programs
• These programs focus on a more expanded core curriculum.
• These skills include:
• braille and other modes to access the general curriculum
• orientation and mobility
• assistive technology
• career education
• independent living skills
• recreation and leisure
• sensory efficiency
• social interaction skills

24. School Website
• Admission Process
• Visiting the school
• Connecting with other parents
• More information

25. Works Cited
• www.tsbvi.edu
• www.nichy.org
• www.education.com
• The Inclusive Classroom M. Mastropieri Pearson Lynch 4th ed.