Education of Individuals with Visual Impairments

The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) refers to unique needs and skills that
students with visual impairments will need to be successful in school and postgraduation.
Compensatory Skills refers to those techniques and materials that the
students with visual impairments need in order to access to the core curriculum.
Some of the skills that are included in this area are: Abacus, Nemeth, Braille, and
instruction on Large Print. If the student does not receive instruction in this area
since the early years, he will have difficulties in learning, reading, listening,
organization and study skills, which will impact his development through the years
in the regular classroom. It is important to remember that we are in charge of
providing as many skills as possible to students who are visually impaired succeed
finding a job or when going to college.
Orientation and Mobility refers to the ability to know where we are in the
environment and how we are going to travel safely from one place to another. It is
important to focus the instruction depending on the age of the student. In the case
of a young student, he will need the confidence to explore his natural contexts such
as school and home. Our final goal is that the student becomes an independent
traveler in the community, by knowing and using efficiently mobility devices and
techniques, as well as protective and sensory skills. It is also our goal to enhance
the students confidence when traveling independently so that they do not feel
afraid of failure or to ask for help when necessary.
Students with visual impairments require direct instruction in social skills to
learn how others interact. Communication among people can involve facial

expressions and body language, which students may not be able to perceive. It is
through interaction with others that we develop our self-concept and self-esteem.
Encouraging social skills since the students are young will determine the way they
will interact in a job with their peers, boss and others. Also, this area is linked with
self-determination in which they will have to interact with others and let them know
about their rights and needs.
Independent Living pertains to the independence in personal care, clothing,
food preparation, money management, as well as household management.
Children with visual impairments need specific instruction in these areas, due to
the lack of incidental learning. They cannot imitate how their parents or others
perform this activity. As TVIs we should look beyond the academic and professional
goals for the student, because this area will demonstrate to others how capable
and independent they are. For instance, adults with visual impairments not only
need to know how to perform professionally, but also how dress and follow
etiquette rules at a business dinner. As a TVI I will try to teach in natural contexts
by allowing the student to go to a restaurant, cook his own meals, clean and
demonstrate proper eating behaviors. It is important to include the parents in the
instruction of this area so that the skill that they learn with the teacher they can
apply it and practice it at home.
Recreation and Leisure involves those activities that people can practice in their
free time, including artistic, mental and physical activities. During these activities all
the ECC areas can be embedded. In a leisure activity such as goal ball, the
student might have to read the rules in braille or print, he will have to travel around
the field, wear the proper clothes, interact with peers and follow rules. Students

with visual impairments do not easily participate in these activities because they
might not be taught on how to perform. The TVI will need to pre-teach some of the
concepts, rules and activities that he will have to do. Also, she will have to exposed
the student to those adapted games and materials that he will be able to use to be
fully included in them. As a TVI I will support this area because self-esteem of the
student play a very important role when they see or feel that they accomplished a
fun activity. Additionally, their social group may be expanded because the student
will be able to share his interests with others.
When the students are not exposed to different careers beginning in
childhood they will not know what other professions are out there except for
teachers and doctors who are the ones with whom they interact the most.
Unfortunately, even though they know that these career exists they will probably do
not know the requirements to be a professional and what other duties are involved.
Therefore, it is important to let the student explore and interact with different
professionals so that they can decide what they want do when they grow up, based
on real experiences. In the case of older students the exploration of the careers will
help them to be aware of what other skills from the ECC are needed to in order to
succeed in the desired career.
Students with visual impairments will need Assistive Technology to access
the environment. There is technology for students with low vision and for students
who are blind. Nowadays, interaction with others and access to information is
through technology, thus the importance of teaching the students a variety of
products that will enable them to interact with the environment. Technology such as
JAWS, CCTVs, Braille notes, are just a few products that may be useful for school

and work. As a TVI I would introduce different technologies so that they can
eventually choose the one that fits their needs and likes. If the students succeed on
the use of technology, they will be able to compete demonstrate efficient skills
when looking for a desire job.
Students with visual impairments need to be able to know their own abilities
and limitations, as well as their needs so that they can establish realistic goals for
their life. With self-determination the students will be able to make decisions
knowing what they really need and want. This area involves self-esteem, selfconcept and self-confidence in order to interact with others and explain the
characteristics and implications of their visual impairment. Students should be
taught how to be assertive when communicating their ideas, rights and needs. It is
important to teach students that some of the elements of being assertive involve
body language, thus they will need to have adequate posture, eye contact, tone of
voice, and orient body to the person who is talking.
Sensory Efficiency refers to use other senses in order to interpret their
environment. In the case of students with low vision, they will need instruction on
how to use their residual vision to access to materials in the school and to travel in
the community. Also, auditory and tactual information will help students with visual
impairments to identify what it is around them. It is important to let the students be
active explorers of their surroundings since they are young so that they can
increase the skills to move around and be able to detect those cues that will
provide accurate information of the environment.
Education for students with visual impairments requires instruction in the
previous areas with the collaboration of other professionals. High expectations will

bring positive results such as, success in the students educational, professional
and personal growth. It is my responsibility to provide meaningful opportunities so
that student with visual impairments can achieve their full potential