The Role of the State Program Guidelines in the Education of Students with Visual Impairments

1. The Role of the State Program Guidelines in the Education of Students with Visual Impairments

2. Legal Mandate • 30 EC 56136 - Guidelines for Low IncidenceDisability Areas56136. The superintendent shall develop guidelines for each low incidence disability area and provide technical assistance to parents, teachers, and administrators regarding the implementation of the guidelines. The guidelines shall clarify the identification, assessment, planning of, and the provision of, specialized services to pupils with low incidence disabilities.

3. Legal Mandate (cont’d) • The superintendent shall consider the guidelines when monitoring programs serving pupils with low incidence disabilities pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 56836.04. The adopted guidelines shall be promulgated for the purpose of establishing recommended guidelines and shall not operate to impose minimum state requirements.

4. Purpose of Guidelines • Clarify the processes for the identification, assessment, planning, and provision of instruction and services to meet the unique needs of students with visual impairments • Provide information that will assist parents, staff, and administrators in evaluating, improving, and maintaining quality programs

5. Purpose of Guidelines(cont’d) • Provide criteria for the self-review and monitoring of programs serving students with visual impairments

6. Scope of the Guidelines • Focus on the unique educational needs of students with visual impairments

7. Key Considerations What should be added as a result of IDEA 2004? What should be added as a result of changes in the California Education Code? What should be changed as a result in student population shifts?

8. Top Priority Issues • Caseload sizes • Role of the TVI • Expanded Core Curriculum • Distinctions between resource, itinerant and consultation models • Multiple Disabilities • Possible role of Response to Instruction and Intervention

9. Caseload Sizes Current Guideline Language Discusses Two Options on which to base Caseloads: Option One-Base caseload size on time needed to provide instruction, consultation with others, travel, securing and preparing specialized materials, attending meetings, preparing reports and paperwork.

10. Caseload Sizes Option Two-Base caseload sizes on age of children and severity of the needs of the students. Resource Room 8 – 12 St Students Special classroom Infants or Preschool 4 – 8 St Kindergarten - 3rd grades 6 – 10 St 4th – 12th grades 8 – 12 St Multiple disabilities 3 – 7 St

11. Caseload Sizes (cont’d) Itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired 8 – 12 St Orientation and Mobility 8 – 12 St Home-based infants or preschool children 13 – 17 Children

12. Role of the TVI Role of the TVI - Handout (Taken from the current VI Guidelines) How has the role of the TVI changed in the last five to ten years? How do the classroom models impact the role of the TVI?

13. Expanded Core Curriculum Nine Areas: Compensatory Education (includes academics) Orientation and mobility Social Interaction Skills Independent Living Skills Recreation and Leisure Skills

14. Expanded Core Curriculum (cont’d) Career Education Use of Assistive Technology Sensory Efficiency Skills Self-Determination

15. Expanded Core Curriculum (cont’d) Current Guidelines use phrase “Unique Education Needs” Use of Assistive Technology and Self-Determination are not included in the current guidelines How many are teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum? Is it being taught to all VI students

16. Resource, Itinerant and Consultation Models What are the determining factors for placement in any of the models? How has this changed the roles of the TVI and the paraprofessional? What other models are being used?

17. Other Considerations Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI(2) Multiple Disabilities

18. Contact Information Linda Wyatt, Ed.D. Special Education Consultant California Department of Education 916-322-3254 lwyatt@cde.ca.gov