Visions of the Blind

The ECC (Expanded Core Curriculum) for students with visual impairment includes social interaction skills and independent living skills. My caseload this year consisted of several middle school students at the same middle school who had IEP goals related these aspects of the ECC. Social interaction skills can be a challenge when considering each student's needs and how they best communicate. Some students are boisterous and outspoken, while others have processing delays and other disabilities such as autism. Conversations may take longer as I lead by example and prompt students with appropriate questions and responses to share fun information about the past weekend or upcoming summer break. For one student, it is important to structure the conversation and the way the answers are provided in the same format each time. For another, it teaches patience, as she waits for her friend to respond to the question. Both students also have daily living skills goals. On one partic...

Am I seeing a pattern??? Rolling marshmallow tip, after rolling marshmallow tip, after rolling marshmallow tip! As an Orientation and Mobility Specialist who works with children, I started to see a pattern. I would say about 95% of the students that I was working with had the standard aluminum cane with a rolling marshmallow tip. Rolling marshmallow tips are all well and fine, and definitely have their place, but sometimes we need to try something new, or our students require different tools to increase their efficiency and independence. So, I did a little self-reflecting and decided to get myself out of my own rolling marshmallow rut and challenged myself and my students to try something new. I asked my students to forgo the rolling marshmallow tip for a trial period and try out a new cane tip for a few weeks. I brought in several tips and allowed them to choose which one they wanted to start with and we went from there. With a littl...

"But Sarah, if you work yourself out of a job, what will you do?", is a question I have been asked repeatedly. My answer, "Sit back and watch my students fulfill his/her dreams with confidence and independence, for when I have done my job appropriately as a CTVI/CVRT/COMS, I can push them out and they will soar!" Now that the school year has officially come to a close, I have been reflecting on the progress of my students from how they were functioning at the beginning of the school year as compared to now. The goals and objectives I write for my students are written from motivation of helping my students meet the highest level of independence possible. For some of my students, simply requesting help when needed is his/her highest level of independence, while other students are orchestrating team members and independently obtaining materials needed to access the curriculum. Upon receiving a new student, I immediately begin looking at every facet of the child ...