Foothill SELPA

The services for the visually impaired students are coordinated through the SELPA office. There are specially trained teachers and educational assistants who work with students with a vision impairment from birth to age 21. Each of these students has at least a vision loss of approximately 20/70 or less in the better eye after correction. Students with only visual perceptual disabilities are not eligible for services from the program for the visually impaired (VI Program).

The VI Program assists local school districts in identifying the education and support services required to meet the unique needs of each student with a severe visual impairment. Students are taught on an itinerant basis by teachers of the visually impaired. Vision services encompasses many domains and can include: skills specific to access curricular education; compensatory skills (skills otherwise acquired visually); concept development; communication needs; social/emotional needs/ sensory/motor needs; orientation and mobility; daily living skills; and career/vocational needs.

The Vision Teacher -- AKA: Vision Specialist, VS or Teacher of the Visually Impaired, TVI-- is a certified teacher, most with a graduate degree, in Special Education: Visually Impaired. The vision teacher is licensed to serve students ages birth to 21. They are responsible for assisting in: determining eligibility; assessment; development of IEP goals; development of educational programming; implementation of programming; reporting of progress, and overall communication between school staff, parents and other specialists.

The vision teacher provides direct instructional in: Braille; compensatory skills; equipment specific to the visually impaired; and/or assistive technology for the visually impaired. In addition, vision teachers also: provide large print textbooks, equipment and materials; make recommendations regarding adaptations needed within the school and classroom; consult with school staff; present inservices to school staff regarding vision impairments; collaborate with other service providers to meet vestibular and sensory integrations needs; share the progression of development for students with visual impairments; and coordinate vocational transitions to Department of Rehabilitation and secondary education, disability services.

It is the role of the vision teacher to teach the unique skills to facilitate their adaptation to a sighted world. The unique equipment, strategies and materials make it possible for students with a vision impairment to learn in the same environment as their sighted peers.