A Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) is a teacher who specializes in teaching students who are blind/visually impaired. If your child is blind or has a visual impairment, a TVI may do some or all of the following:
- Teach skills your child needs to learn because of his/her visual impairment by adapting ways of doing everyday activities and methods to participate in the school curriculum. This may include reading and writing in braille, NEMETH Code, using an abacus, using a low vision device, and/or teaching independent living skills.
- Assessments are conducted by a TVI to determine your child’s abilities and needs as well as to prepare or obtain learning materials, examinations, and textbooks, in the appropriate accessible format for your child (such as braille, large print, audio, or electronic format)
- Advising other members of the team about how to best organize the classroom and materials to make materials accessible
- Providing consultation and training for teachers and team members on effective strategies for teaching students with visual impairments
- Providing information to team pertaining to the specific needs of the student’s visual impairment
- Providing on-going support to you and your child.
A vision rehabilitation teacher is a specialist in teaching independent living skills to students and adults who are blind or have a visual impairment. If your child is blind or visually impaired, a vision rehabilitation teacher (VRT) may do some or all of the following:
- Rehabilitation teachers help children who are blind/visually impaired learn adaptive ways to complete chores, and other age appropriate skills within the home.
- They teach children with blind/visual impairments daily living skills centered around clothing management, dressing, preparing simple meals, organizing food during meals, general organizational skills, recreation and leisure activities, and communication skills that incorporate the use of Braille and assistive technology.
- VRT’s are trained to modify the environment in the home or school to meet the individualized needs of children who are blind/visually impaired.
Vision services provide children who are blind or visually impaired with the concepts, skills and techniques needed to establish and maintain orientation (understanding one’s position) within an environment and mobility (move through any environment) independently, safely and efficiently.
