Job Description

Teacher for the Visually Impaired

The Teacher of the Visually Impaired is an itinerant teacher who travels to students’ assigned schools to provide direct and/or consultative services relating to vision loss.  The position requires a thorough knowledge of visual impairments & blindness and its implication for early development growth & learning; thorough knowledge of the braille code & strategies for teaching Braille; strong skills in assistive technology and teaching the expanded core curriculum; experience in assessing students’ functional vision as well as knowledge of cortical visual impairment; effective interpersonal and communication skills to provide ongoing support and consultation to school staff.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Appropriate Learning Environment:

• Assists in determining and procuring necessary equipment and materials in the students’ classroom for student’s with visual impairments to learn (brailler, low vision devices, assistive technology, computers, ). Assist in ensuring necessary room modifications and lighting changes.
• Provides the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach a student with visual impairment
• Consults with other instructional staff to provide information in incorporate the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) into the entire instructional
• Provides adapted materials to the classroom teacher
• Provide Braille, recorded/enlarged materials, and/or tactual symbols as appropriate for each child

2. Direct Instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum designed for students who are blind or visually impaired:

• Monitors the students’ progress in academic subjects and provide instruction in compensatory skills as needed in the areas the student may have difficulty with as a result of the visual (This does not include tutoring in subject areas once materials and methods have been adapted to accommodate the vision loss)
• Braille reading and writing
• Low vision devices
• Abacus
• Typing/keyboarding
• Adaptive devices (e.g., computers, Braille note takers, screen readers)
• Listening skills
• Visual efficiency
• Concept development (especially for early childhood students)
• Daily living/self-help skills
• Career readiness
• Leisure and recreation skills
• Social skills
• Organizational and study skills
• Self-advocacy skills

3. Assessment and Evaluation of students who are blind or visually impaired:

• Performs Functional Vision and Learning Media Assessments on new referrals and three-year
• Interprets eye-medical reports as they relate to educational
• Contributes to the development of the IEP with goals, accommodations, modifications, learning styles.
• Recommends appropriate specialized evaluations as needed, such as low vision, Orientation and Mobility, and psycho-social.
• Consults with diagnosticians, classroom teachers, students, and parents concerning appropriate evaluations, modification, and test administration
• Obtains modified standardized testing materials and assist in the administration or administer the test as
• Works as liaison with other agencies in the vocational assessment process
• Participates in team assessments for students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities
• Provides screening and referral procedures to appropriate personnel

4. Support Services:

• Provides assistance to students with visual impairments in understanding their attitudes and those of others concerning their visual impairment
• Facilitates social integration and interaction with peers
• Provides training and support to parents of students with visual impairments to enhance their children’s independence
• Provides the teachers, staff, and family of students with visual impairments with information regarding their individual needs, methodology and strategies

5. Participates with other school personnel and agencies in transition planning and to secure job-related experiences for students Administrative/Record Keeping Duties:

• Provides updated student information (VI registration, deaf blind census, textbook projections)
• Submits requests for instructional materials, conferences, field trips, and personnel needs
• Informs various special education and campus personnel of progress and needs of the students with visual impairment on a regular basis
• Identifies and sets up a work and storage space at each school to be used by the Teacher of the Visually Impaired to instruct students as necessary
• Provides input into students’ schedules, planning for all special services, such as direct instruction and Orientation & Mobility
• Maintains adequate record of all assessments, IEPs, progress reports and signed parental release forms for things such as photographs and registration with various agencies, as necessary
• Provides progress reports as indicated by school policy on students with visual impairment in regular education classes and follow up with teacher and/or parent conferences as appropriate
• Registers students with visual impairments with appropriate agencies such as Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, and the American Printing house for the Blind
• Prepares paperwork as appropriate and attend IEP meetings on students with visual impairments

6. Liaison Between Community and School

• Provide information about district and/or regional vision programs to the schools and community
• Provides information concerning recreational and summer programs to parents and students and assist with application forms and procedures

7. Professional Standards

• Maintains a reference library
• Acquires information about current research, development, and technology by attending conferences, workshops, and area meetings and by reading journals in the field of visual impairment.