What is Visual Impariment & Blindness?

Visual impairment and blindness describe “an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance” (IDEA, 2020).

Characteristics of Hearing Impariment & Deafness

Social

Difficulty with reading due to poor eyesight
Many have joining in physical activities due to limited sight
May feel excluded because of disability

Physical

Sensitivity to light
Eyes may tire easily
May need assistance with navigation

Strengths

Affective

Tentative in a new environment
Hesitation to lead group discussion

Academic

Difficulty writing and typing without assistive aids depending on level of impairment
May be delayed in language acquisition and literacy skills due to impairment
May have poor organizational skills depending on level of impairment

Cognitive

Issues with cognition due to comorbid diagnoses

Good at multitasking
Adaptable
Resourceful
Acute auditory sense

Levels of Severity

People with visual impairment can have mild, moderate or severe/profound vision problems.
People with profound visual impairment are blind.

Incidence

Approximately 0.1% of K-12 students have a visual impairment.

Educational

Implications

Most students with visual impairment are taught in a mainstream classroom.
Schools for the blind serve a small portion of the visually impaired population.
Teachers should be aware of the severity of the vision impairment their student(s) have and prepare to have assistive technology available.
Differentiation and a buddy system for navigation should be offered to students with visual impairment

Student Questions

Grades K-4:

Did you know I can hear really well?
Can I play on the playground?
Will someone help me find the bathroom?

Grades 5-8:

Will someone help me to and from the bus?
Will I be allowed extra time to get to each class?
Can someone walk with me to lunch?

Grades 9-12:

Will someone be reading tests to me?
Can I have text-to-speech for all of my notes?
Who can I talk to if I’m having difficulty finding my classrooms?

Parent Questions

Who do I talk to about getting an Individualized Education Plan for my child?
Are the schools, classrooms, and recess areas accessible to my child?
Will my child be paired with someone to show them around the school?
Should I plan to come along to all field trips?
Will my child have extra time to get to and from their classes?
Are there extra safety measures taken to insure my child gets to and from the bus safely?

Teacher Questions

Where do I get additional training for working with students with a visual impairment?
What assistive technology do I have available to help me differentiate instruction for students with a visual impairment impairment?
How can I make my classroom accessible to students with visual impairment impairment?
What administrative and additional support do I have to help me support my students with a visual impairment?
How can I model tolerance and inclusion in my classroom?