New Teacher 201

New VI Professional Series Overview

Day 2 Agenda

  • Focus on understanding roles, expectations, and responsibilities as Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS) and Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI).

Purpose

  • Explore the roles of COMS and TVI in supporting students with visual impairments.

Objectives

  • Resource Utilization: Build and use relevant resources for effective service delivery.

  • Role Understanding: Comprehend specific responsibilities within the team.

  • Vocabulary Development: Familiarize with new terminology and acronyms related to the field.

  • Legal Frameworks: Understand laws and regulations affecting services for visually impaired students.

  • Specialized Meetings: Prepare for specialized meetings integral to service provision.

  • Special Education Processes: Be knowledgeable about referral, evaluation, and reevaluation processes.

Vision Team Roles

Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI)

  • Data Provision: Assist committees in determining eligibility for vision services.

  • Collaboration: Work alongside parents, educators, and other stakeholders.

  • Instructional Services: Provide specialized instruction as per individual educational needs.

Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)

  • Eligibility Determination: Contribute data for eligibility regarding orientation and mobility services.

  • Collaboration: Engage with the vision team and stakeholders for comprehensive support.

  • Skill Development: Offer specialized instruction to help students navigate various environments proficiently.

Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist

  • Material Production: Produce braille, large print, and graphic materials per student IExpertise and Support: Assess, model, and train on assistive technology usage.

Braillist

  • EP requirements.

Visual Impairment Vocabulary

  • Familiarize with essential acronyms: COMS, O&M, TSBVI, ECC, PLAAFP, IEP, IFSP, ARD, FVE, FIE, VI, etc.

Legal Frameworks

Section 504

  • Civil Rights Law: Mandates accommodations for students with disabilities.

  • Lifelong Protections: Extends rights and accommodations into adulthood.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

  • Part B & C: Addresses special education services for children ages 3-21 and early intervention for infants.

  • Meeting Requirements: Mandates ARD meetings for eligibility determinations and services planning.

Eligibility Criteria for Visual Impairment

Under Age 3

  • Child may qualify if experiencing developmental delays due to vision loss or has conditions likely to affect development.

  • Initial eligibility requires participation from a certified COMS.

Ages 3 through 21

  • Evaluations involve eye reports, functional vision assessments, orientation and mobility reports, and learning media assessments.

  • Regular reevaluations are mandated every three years (or sooner if necessary).

Key Considerations for Early Childhood Services

  1. Year-round service provision for ages birth through 2.

  2. Prompt evaluations following consent (within 45 school days).

  3. Annual assessments and biannual reviews of IFSP required.

  4. Transition plans formulated by third birthday encompassing both educational environments.

Expanded Core Curriculum Requirements

  • Adherence to Texas law mandating instruction in 9 critical areas to support students with visual impairments.

Additional Resources

  • Refer to 2024 Guidelines and Standards for educating visually impaired students, including support networks and educational frameworks.