Week 1: July 1-6

Core Curriculum Unlocking the Foundations of Reading
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Instructions: Participants are expected to respond to one of the questions posted in a manner that reflects an appropriate level of analysis and engagement in the discussion; applying the knowledge and insights from the readings to practical applications; drawing conclusions based on the content, raising new questions, presenting a counter argument, etc. Each response should include the question number, be stated in complete sentences, and apply the knowledge from the readings and sessions to practical applications.

In addition, each participant is expected to comment on at least two participants’ responses. The responses should be reflective and thoughtful, not simple short answers like “I agree” or “Me too.” A thoughtful response integrates readings, may provide examples, add new information, or present a counter argument.

Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)

  1. What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?

  2. Which author’s (Blankenship, Swenson, Farrenkopf, or Holbrook) response is most influential to you? Why?

Eligibility Determinations for Children Suspected of Having a Visual Impairment Including Blindness Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (OSERS, 2017)

  1. How did The Eye’s Role in Learning to Read shape or alter your opinion of serving students with Convergence Insufficiency?

  2. How does the OSERS 2017 memorandum contribute to your understanding of eligibility for students with visual impairments, including blindness? Evaluate the implications of removing modifiers from state level definitions of visual impairment, including blindness.

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Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)

  1. What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?

Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is It?

As a TVI I play some part in literacy instruction for all my cases. I do believe literacy for blind/ low vision students occurs as a full team from the TVI, to the general educator, parents and paras! For a low vision elementary student my role in literacy ranges from adapting the general education reading program to meet the needs of a learner with CVI to, providing instruction in use of a CCTV and magnifier use for access to standard print. I provide instruction in applications and programs that allow for access to standard print texts through use of tech such as bookshare/voice dream.

I feel there are and will always be limitations! I find the most consistent limitation is in releasing the role of the TVI onto the classroom teachers and parents. Impairing wisdom, providing training and in services is the answer but even that sometimes is not enough !

When working with other teachers and therapists, the limitations exist in releasing roles or getting everyone on the same page in implementing use of AT, and other strategies, transitioning from print to braille in efforts to help the student generalize the information. We spend so much time convincing other teachers to maintain high expectations, to push our students the same way they push others and to simply follow the individualized plan laid out for our students. I find it challenging to release the role of “follow through” or role release when I’m not present in the classroom. (itinerant TVI/o&M here).

What works one year with one classroom teacher may not work the following year with the student’s next classroom teacher due to their professional limitations, beliefs or simply being overworked and under a lot of stress in a classroom. Changing such factors lies in professional buy- in, teacher interest and making all attempts as TVI’s to streamline certain material adaptation processes needed for whole teams to meet the needs of one student. Slow and positive change does occur with continued education and training for all educators. My beliefs definitely align with Holbrook in that literacy is definitely the responsibility of all players on a child’s team.

Eligibility Determinations for Children Suspected of Having a Visual Impairment Including Blindness Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (OSERS, 2017)

How does the OSERS 2017 memorandum contribute to your understanding of eligibility for students with visual impairments, including blindness? Evaluate the implications of removing modifiers from state level definitions of visual impairment, including blindness.
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The OSERS 2017 memorandum demonstrates how the lack of modifiers in the eligibility definitions for students with visual impairments allows for greater numbers of students to qualify for vision services. The implications of this on the field result in some TVI’s being tasked with working with students who have typical visual acuity and typical visual fields but carry diagnoses such as convergence insufficiency or oculomotor dysfunction. Such diagnoses impact the muscles of the eyes and therefore ocular motility skills such as tracking, scanning, use of saccadic eye movement, etc. On the plus side, there are students who exist at the very cusp of visual impairment eligibility, such as those with acuities of 20/150 or limited vision in one eye. Such students now receive a level of service that is appropriate- in the past, this student of such a vision profile would be denied educational vision services by the strict eligibility requirements.

Negatively, removing the modifiers from state level definitions of visual impairments has resulted in a greater influx of student numbers, continued TVI shortages, students with legal blindness being put on wait lists for services, and certified TVI’s who have not received proper training in working with such students. After working and assessing such students in my own state, there could be a place for them in our field if definitions will remain very broad. If this is the case, university programing, professional development and more need to be offered.

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  1. Which author’s (Blankenship, Swenson, Farrenkopf, or Holbrook) response is most influential to you? Why?

K. Holbrook’s perspective is most influential to me. I agree that reading instruction should be provided by someone with all the characteristics that she provides in her article. Unfortunately, in my 19 years as a teacher of the blind and visually impaired, I have seen students who may know the braille code and can state each contraction verbally, but have poor hand skills and struggle with reading. I have also seen teachers shy away from teaching the Nemeth code because they do not have a fluent knowledge of it. Both of these scenarios hinder the students’ learning and both could be avoided if teachers of the blind and visually impaired possessed the characteristics Holbrook has outlined. I also agree that the consultant model does not work. When a teacher of the blind and visually impaired develops a lesson, he/she knows the goals/objectives of the lesson and the possible student outcomes. He/she knows the student and their capabilities at the time of writing the lesson and would be able to assist the student with any difficulties they may have. If someone is only writing the lesson while someone else implements it, there will definitely be a breakdown when executing the lesson.

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Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)

  1. What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvment in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?

For some context, I am a certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired who acts as an itinerant provider. I hold a B.S. in psychological sciences, and an M.A. in Special Education with an emphasis on teaching the Visually Impaired. I am only certified in the area of Teaching the Visually Impaired. I hold no other teaching credentials.

Regarding my student’s literacy skills, I am responsible for teaching them Braille code and I rely on other team members to address the literacy/fluency component. I am not educated in the area of reading/writing education. For my Braille readers, I am limited to a maximum of an hour a day, 4/5 days a week. This is to ensure the student is receiving the most appropriate level of service in the least restrictive environment. I am expected to teach the students UEB Braille code (uncontracted or contracted), Nemeth Braille Code, and Assistive Technology (screen reader, Braille displays, abacus, etc.) all within the 300 minutes I get with them a week. Fitting all of the expected instruction into this time is a challenge. Typically, to support the classroom teachers or reading interventionists I have inservices to teach them the bare bones of Braille when working with the student. They are responsible for getting me the curriculum and lessons they will be using with the students to me so they can be transcribed. I keep transcriptions to the students’ Braille level. If working in contracted Braille I only include contractions they know. If working in uncontracted I only include punctuation they know.

The factor that has limited my involvement in literacy instruction the most is my lack of education in literacy instruction. I do not feel comfortable providing instruction in an area I am not certified in. To me, it feels dishonest to pretend to be an expert in an area I have no knowledge of. If I had education in literacy instruction I would have no issue applying it to my Braille instruction but I currently refer to the guidance of the reading interventionists I collaborate with.

As an itinerant provider, I also see time as a limiting factor. The fact that I only see students for a maximum of one hour a day, if not less, does not leave time to go into the lessons these students need to achieve literacy. The other factor that goes hand in hand with this is that in our city, there is no program that we can refer students to for full-day instruction with a TVI even if we wanted to. For students who are considered typical learners outside of their Vision Impairments, there is not a day school option to receive intensive instruction at the current time.

I believe many of these factors can be changed, but it would be a widespread change that would need buy-in from many entities, and truly the nation. In “Reading Is Rocket Science” by Karen Blankenship, I do agree that it should be a requirement for Teachers of the Visually Impaired to obtain dual certification in both general education and VI. I do not believe it is fair or just to expect TVI’s to become reading interventionists without proper training.

I also agree with Anna M. Swenson in “Reflections on Teaching Reading in Braille” that we cannot let inclusion overpower our students’ needs in core subjects. If we shifted to providing a day school model for students with intensive Braille and literacy instruction I think we would have more students who are at grade level in the districts.

I think there are many flaws with the system we currently rely on for our Visually Impaired students’ education and literacy. I think asking a cTVI with no certification or training is not the correct choice. I also think expecting general education classroom teachers to learn Braille and be the only professional supporting the student is the correct choice. I think it takes extreme collaboration that goes outside the scope of responsibility for all parties most of the time. Or, it takes higher education entities realizing that this is a key component missing from cTVI education and certification. I think it also takes us to acknowledge that our students may be missing out on essential instruction for the sake of inclusion. This honestly just further drives the wedge between them and their classmates when they are in a typical setting but they can’t keep up with the rigor and expectations of lessons they are not at grade level in.

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  1. Which author’s (Blankenship, Swenson, Farrenkopf, or Holbrook) response is most influential to you? Why?

As an Occupational Therapist and Low Vision Therapist reading these perspectives has been very enlightening. I have difficulty in picking just one author, as I never realized all the demands and expectations placed on the TVI .

When I worked in the schools here in Montana, most of them are very rural and there is only one main school for the Deaf and Blind in the whole state. So the TVIs are often traveling long distances to these students, which in turn limits the teaching time available to the students that qualified for services.

Holbrook discusses the consultant model and what popped out to me was her statement, “Teachable moments happen frequently, and if the person planning lessons is not present and engaged during instruction then there is a danger of creating fragmented learning experiences that will likely not encourage smooth, comfortable, connections that encourage a love of and confidence in reading.” So although a lesson plan is provided to the classroom teacher, paraeducator, therapist or other support staff, those individuals may not be attuned to the nuances the TVI looks for in the student to determine if comprehension of the task and material are being attained. When does the TVI have the opportunity to train these various staff, while also teaching the student? Working as an OT consultant in many of these small schools, I often felt the general education teachers did not want to take on another task and were hesitant to incorporate strategies provided to them. So the task for the TVI can be even harder.

Which leads me to Swenson stating, “…because of one-on-one instruction, they may miss inclusion in some mainstream language arts activities, literacy needs to be the first priority of teachers of visually impaired students.” Working with the TVIs in many of the smaller schools they were very effective at incorporating strategies in to most activities as they may not get back to work with the student for some time. However, many of these students were not yet at the point of reading, but learning about background knowledge. Working with these young students made me realize my lack of language skills in describing items, the environment, and what I wanted the student to do. I still chuckle when one very young student corrected me on my description of a task. The team needs to work together to help achieve the TVI’s goals for reading instruction, but when many support staff are also itinerant, meeting for additional training can be challenging.

As I reflect back on working with that student, I would agree with Holbrook’s response regarding “the development of reading (and writing) skills takes a team…The parents of the child with visual impairment play an early and ongoing role in teaching their child about books, and reading and loving reading.” This student’s parents and grandparents were very actively involved in teaching this young girl as her background knowledge was amazing and she enjoyed the books her family read to her. The grandmother would share experiences of the student when out in the community, describing the environments and what was happening in those places. So she is learning background knowledge and vocabulary which are components in the foundations of reading from what I’m learning.

Blankenship reported that “some teachers report that they learned the braille code but not how to teach braille or how to infuse it into literacy instruction.” Recalling the student I mentioned above, a paraeducator was hired to work with the student and was learning braille along with the student. As I reflect on these readings and that statement, is the paraeducator only teaching basic braille? I don’t recall that the paraeducator was taught how to incorporate that into literacy that was taught in the kindergarten classes. As Swenson notes, “teaching braille to a young child means teaching reading” and how does that happen when there may only be the paraeducator or special education teacher to help the student on a daily basis. These individuals don’t have the same skills as a TVI?

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Blankenship notes, “Most states allow a paraeducator or braillist to reinforce instruction provided by a certified teacher, but not to provide direct instruction.” As you stated the teacher developing the lesson knows the goals/objectives of the lesson and the possible outcomes, however there may be times when the student may grasp the concepts much quicker and is now limited because the lesson plan may have no contingency for advancing the lesson. Since no direct instruction can be provided by the paraeducator or braillist, the student may end up in a holding pattern until the teacher comes again. Plus, a TVI looks beyond the lesson plan to different nuances of the student’s learning abilities and knows how to adapt a lesson in the moment. Working in rural Montana the TVI was very limited in her visits due to excessive travel and availability. A paraeducator or braillist does not have these skills, which increases the probability of a breakdown when executing the lesson as you mention.

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You stated “however there may be times when the student may grasp the concepts much quicker and is now limited because the lesson plan may have no contingency for advancing the lesson. Since no direct instruction can be provided by the paraeducator or braillist, the student may end up in a holding pattern until the teacher comes again.” This is true, but, in my opinion, The TVI should develop the lesson plan and teach the lesson. Maybe the answer would be using practice worksheets developed by TVI. This way, paraeducator and/or braillist can reinforce concepts already taught by the TVI while the student is maintaining their skills. It would be a perfect world if TVI’s had smaller caseloads, less travel time, and an itinerant model that allows for TVI instruction every day. In New Jersey, we have an itinerant model that allows new students learning braille to be seen four days a week for an hour a day. While not perfect, it does allow for the student to have consistent instruction four of the five days.

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Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)

Which author’s (Blankenship, Swenson, Farrenkopf, or Holbrook) response is most influential to you? Why?

When I began my career in education as an itinerant TVI in a large Georgia public school district six years ago, I was shocked by how many of the students who were “VI-only” were reading far below grade level. (None of these students used braille as their learning media.) It was even more perplexing that these students were promoted each year without receiving the intensive interventions needed to address their literacy deficits. From this experience, it became clear to me that reading and literacy are basic human rights crucial for learning and life success! Consequently, I found Anna Swenson’s response engaging and meaningful. As I read her article, I kept nodding in agreement with her assertion that reading is crucial for educational and vocational success, and that “children (with visual impairments) without additional disabilities should be expected to read braille on grade level, provided they have the necessary foundation in literacy skills." Swenson’s expectations resonated with me because I share the same perspective. Conversely, other members of educational teams sometimes use visual impairments as a rationale for why Johnny and Jane could not read. Swenson states that we, as TVIs, “have the responsibility to advocate for our students with reading problems” and that “literacy needs to be the first priority of teachers of students with visual impairments.” YES! YES! YES! The responsibility also involves collaborating with school psychologists to assess the possibility of a learning disability. This collaborative effort is especially critical in cases like that of one of my students with albinism (who is legally blind) and in the fourth grade. He spells “with” as “wif” and recently wrote the following: "I wis THAT I CAn not Be AT iTs PLAse Be cos is no fun we MOSTLe Never Go OUTSid And PLAY I wis we hAD a Longr ruese (recess)."This year, I struggled with the school psychologist’s evaluation of this student. After concerns about the student’s progress and struggle with reading were brought to the table, the school psychologist advised the educational team that the student should not be found eligible for SLD, but rather suggested using his visual impairment eligibility to place him in a resource setting for extra reading instruction during the school day. My intuition told me that this student’s struggles with reading and literacy were not solely due to his visual impairment (nystagmus/albinism). Anna Swenson’s article reaffirmed those beliefs but also reminded me that I need to continue to advocate for him to receive reading support while also educating the educational team about the impact of visual impairment on a student’s literacy. Furthermore, it’s important to me as a TVI that school psychologists and other educators have high expectations for students with visual impairments and do not use VI as the reason Johnny cannot read. It’s evident that students’ literacy struggles are often complex and require multifaceted solutions beyond their visual impairment alone!
Moving forward, I remain committed to fostering high expectations within educational teams for students with visual impairments while also advocating to ensure students with VI receive the necessary support to thrive in literacy and beyond…

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How did The Eye’s Role in Learning to Read shape or alter your opinion of serving students with Convergence Insufficiency?

Serving students with Convergence Insufficiency has been a huge topic in our area recently. We had a new vision therapy eye doctor open up a practice a few years ago. Right after he opened, we received so many new referrals for vision assessments at the recommendation of this doctor. After assessing these students, none of them qualified for services under our guidelines.

The TVI’s and I were questioning what our role with these students is. If we need to serve students who qualify for vision therapy, how would we have time to work with our other students? And what would we do to help these students? We could put strategies into place to help with convergence insufficiency, but if these students qualified for services, what kind of goal would we write? We had so many questions and no answers.

We were lucky enough that this eye doctor was willing to work with us. The eye doctor just wanted to make sure that his patients received accommodations in school and didn’t really understand our role as TVIs. Since then we have worked closely with this eye doctor. He has given us some trainings and has allowed us to come into his clinic to observe what he does. He is like us, very passionate about helping his patients, just does it differently than what we do. After he learned our role, he started referring only patients that he felt really did need us. And shared with us, that if he does refer to please help those students. The referrals have been cut drastically!

This topic still has so many unanswered questions though. Whose role is it to be helping students with convergence insufficiency. Typically students who have an IEP are those with permanent disabilities, not those that should be ‘fixed’ within 6-12 weeks. And we are not trained. Other than putting accommodations in place, I do not know how to specifically help these students.

Before receiving training and watching this video, vision therapy seemed controversial. It worked great for some individuals and did nothing for other individuals. And since students are always identified in a for-profit business, I used to question if these students really do have a need or if the doctor is trying to make money. I still think some students are over identified, but also now know that students with convergence insufficiency have a huge need, especially in the area of reading.

After watching the video, I do know these students need assistance. It would be so frustrating to read when it takes so much work to read! If there is something we can do to help them, I’m happy to help. Just need time and specific training.

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#2) Which author’s (Blankenship, Swenson, Farrenkopf, or Holbrook) response is most influential to you? Why?

I found all the articles extremely interesting and forced me to think critically about who is truly responsible to teach students with visual impairments to read/write. However, Swenson’s article, “Reflections on Teaching Reading in Braille,” resonated with me due to the alarming study shown from the ABC Braille Study. The preliminary study showed that 50% of students using braille (followed from Kindergarten up to 4th grade) remained on grade level in reading. Although there are many unknowns left out of this article, I feel this is an alarming high percentage of students. I had more questions than answers: Were any students included in the study considered to have a learning disability? What was the model used to teach these particular students to read (collaboration? time devoted to learning to read braille each week, etc)? What reading methods were used between the students who were successful in reading versus those who were not successful? These unknown variables could highly skew ABC’s Braille study data. It is important that students with visual impairments need to be held to the same expectations with regards to literacy as their same-sighted peers regardless of their modality choice of print or braille.

Swenson mentions that beginning braille readers require significant time in the first years of learning literacy and that the students would benefit from that one on one instruction which may cause them to miss time in their language arts classroom. I also believe that there needs to be a lot of time devoted to students in those early years of learning to read braille. I personally have not had any braille readers on my caseload as I just finished my second year as an itinerant teacher of students with visual impairments. However, I previously spent 20 years in the classroom as an intervention specialist and I know that the majority of classroom teachers want students in their classroom at all times as much as possible. I’m wondering in the future if this will be a problem with classroom teachers allowing me, as a TVI, to pull students away from the classroom 3-5 hours each week to teach braille?

Swenson believes there is not one program or approach to teach braille students to read. She feels that literacy should be individualized and that students need to be motivated to learn by incorporating the student’s interests into their literacy instruction. I recall that one of my instructors during my teacher preparation program also expressed the same attitude toward literacy by incorporating the student’s interest and not focusing solely on a specific braille program. I also feel strongly that it is important to motivate students and that there is not just one approach to teaching braille while incorporating all the components and qualities of a good reader. We as TVI’s need to be an important part of our student’s literacy development at all stages while collaborating and working alongside all members of the IEP team.

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This is a good point. Realistically, the only specialized instruction cannot be with the TVI. Although it’s never perfect, there must be role release for the time we are not directly with the student. I agree that the consult model alone leaves space for many gaps but when paired with direct instruction, modeling and team training it could improve

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Hi! Thank you for sharing this. We get the same requests and do service such students. We often find certain doctors make more requests than others. Its a great idea to get in touch as a department with such doctors to learn from them about servicing this population but also helping the eye medical providers recognize what we do at our core. There may be no choice but to service students with such diagnoses but to what level of impact of functional vision is eligible?

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  1. How did The Eye’s Role in Learning to Read shape or alter your opinion of serving students with Convergence Insufficiency?

Opening a Window into Reading Development: Eye Movements’ Role Within a Broader Literacy Research Framework was fascinating. It was interesting to note that students with ocular disorders or irregular eye movement comprehension of the material they read is diminished, and that critical information was gathered during times of fixation. This explains a lot as well as the critical need for visual efficiency training for my students and myself as well. Additionally, it was good to know that I was unknowingly, conducting visual efficiency exercises out of some of the short falls of some of my students and the complaints of the teacher. Some students are not able to find or keep their place when using the CCTV. Some are having problems writing on the worksheets while it is placed under the CCTV screen. As mentioned in some of our readings, (Farrenkoph, 2008) more is needed to be done with the students in an already strained workforce. Visual Efficiency training is needed in most of the caseloads with ocular disorders. Similarly, visual efficiency activities would be appropriate for these students.

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You mentioned “I know that the majority of classroom teachers want students in their classroom at all times as much as possible. I’m wondering in the future if this will be a problem with classroom teachers allowing me, as a TVI, to pull students away from the classroom 3-5 hours each week to teach braille?” This has always been a tricky give and take. I try not to pull students from their academic classes unless the Child Study Team wishes for me to do so. I have some schools who would prefer me to pull from a core class rather than physical education due to the school’s requirement. I typically look at the students’ schedules and offer a few suggestions when mapping out a schedule to see all my braille students. This is not always easy and I have been known to alternate (seeing students at different times) so that they are not pulled from the same classes. each week. Keep in mind to schedule drive time in the mix that way you are not racing from school to school. Sometimes easier said than done.

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Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)

  1. What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?

My involvement with literacy instruction has looked differently depending on the needs, investment and value and understanding of the unique these needs, and modifications and accommodations utilized and or provided. All of the key influencers in the outcome include but are not limited to the student, the student’s families, the classroom teacher, the support staff, the school administrator investment and understanding and myself as the TVI. Each situation has been unique and varies from one learning environment to the next.
Before I became a TVI I had been a classroom teacher, reading teacher and a special education teacher working in classrooms and 1:1. I have often thought that if I hadn’t had this background experience and knowledge I would have been not equipped to teach students braille after completing my masters program in TVI. As the article states you need the knowledge on best practices to teach reading and a true understanding of the process. I am very fortunate to have a special education and literacy certification prior to becoming a TVI. The factors that have limited my involvement in literacy instruction have not been the logistics but the model in which the student is learning and the lack of participation from other professionals in implementing reading instruction (also discussed in the article).
Some of the factors that I believe that have limited my involvement in the literacy instruction for my braille learners have included the lack of collaboration with key players and the investment into inclusive practices and braille readers being part of the reading environments with his/her sight readers. At times where there has been inclusion with sight reader and braille readers in small group reading groups I believe all of the students benefited and the braille readers were more motivated to read and participate with their peers, opposed to the situations where the braille literacy instruction is provided in isolation (1:1 setting) without peer interaction. I have been using the APH Building on Patterns braille reading curriculum with my braille readers, and I do find that it does includes the 5 Pillars of Reading: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension (also known as the Daily Five) although I find that the students I have worked with tend to do better when braille literacy is not just 1:1 with a TVI but a team approach to the students literacy education. There needs to be a balance of individual instruction, small group instruction and whole class instruction for all our learners. All of the classroom teachers I have worked with so far have never had a student with a visually impaired in their classroom before and unfortunately few have embraced the experience and modified their instruction to meet the visually impaired students needs. In these cases the student’s ELA instruction has been pushed into the hands of myself as a TVI or the Teaching Assistants who do braille but do not teach braille reading or writing. Literacy is the foundation of all learning and once a child falls behind in their reading skills it has a direct effect on all academic areas. I see first hand the data presented by the ABC Braille Study, where the data showed a large number of students who are braille readers are not proficient in reading. I am an itinerant TVI moving from one school to the next throughout my day. I am not given enough time to be the sole literacy instructor for my students who are visually impaired but this is the role some schools see as my responsibility. As the article states this approach needs to reexamine the itinerant model as a predominant service delivery system and determine whether such a model provides enough instructional time and intensity to provide research-based instruction in literacy. I do not think it does and it is time to change this model, too many braille readers are falling behind.
I continue to advocate for my students and stress the importance of a more inclusive approach to all the learners in the classroom. I continue to offer support to teachers and staff members on the braille learners needs, modifications and accommodations. With some of my students we present to the class at the beginning of the school year, the student often takes center stage and explains that they have a visual impairment, how they read differently than the rest of the them, demonstrates on the perkins brailler and explains the function of their white cane and often gives each student a card with their name on. I have found knowledge is power, in this case it is the power of understanding a student with visual impairments unique learning modes and how in many ways they learn the same way as their peers just with different tools.
I do believe that when appropriate the braille reader should experience literacy instruction with the TVI and in the classroom from their classroom teacher and/or from reading teachers with their sighted peers. Key players need to be collaborating. Trying to teach literacy in isolation is not the best approach and oftentimes the child falls behind which has a direct effect on other areas of academics and social emotional well being. Reading instruction most certainly needs to be a team approach. In the classrooms/schools where that occurs the academic and social emotional outcomes are positively greater.

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I am unable to access the OneDrive where I believe the readings are housed. Can they be sent as attachments? Thanks, Virginia

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Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job, is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)

What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?

I am currently in my 29th year of teaching students with Visual Impairments. The role of TVI has changed many times over the years. The gap in reading as evidenced by the the article Reading Is Rocket Science by Karen Blankenship has improved in the last several years, but much more work needs to be done. Reading should not be a job dedicated to the reading teacher, but to all people working with the student. This includes the student, parents, teachers, TVI, O&M, and all other persons working with the student. The role of reading should be incorporated in everyday activities, in and outside of the classroom.

This past year, one of my students enrolled in kindergarten started a new phonics reading program. UFLI Foundations. It is a fabulous program, but requires the student to participate while visually watching, and responding to the whiteboard. Together, the teacher and I made materials that would be hands on for my student to feel what was being presented on the board. In addition, he responded in real time on his braille display while the other students wrote on dry erase boards. While I was teaching him Braille from Patterns for one hour a day, his braille trained Para was able to use all the tools in place to ensure braille was included in the reading instruction as well.

While in the past the TVI had a specific role, and the Reading Teacher had a specific role, it is clear in the research that they must overlap. I include in my Braille lesson the UFI words of the day, 10, and the blends of the week. While I am not a reading specialist, I can prepare him to be able to access the instruction and the materials provided to be fluent. The extra practice is also required, and this is where the home environment plays a huge role. We provide extra practice for the parent to review and apply to the home and community. All of these pieces must come into play for the student to value reading, and understand its importance.

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My favorite phrase you wrote is that our students may be missing out on essential instruction for the sake of inclusion. I am 100% about inclusion and love having students included as much as possible. But when inclusion isn’t helping our students, then it is a waste of time. And I hate wasting people’s time even more!

I know of a student that will be heading to college next year. He passed all of his classes with good grades, and para support (lots of prompts). But he does not have any life skills or independent work skills. I am fearful he will not do well at college as he is so used to having so much help. I do wish his school and home would have spent more time on his essential skills rather than having him do what his peers are doing!

I also appreciated your honesty about not feeling trained to teach reading to your students. With all that you do have to teach you students in the hour, you wouldn’t have time to focus specifically on reading. Do you touch on reading skills though when you are teaching the code? I always have found that while teaching the braille code, we usually incorporate it into a reading lesson. I also love that you work on teaching staff basic braille, every little bit helps!

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Wow, I love how you made the UFLI foundations curriculum work for your student! And you are right, that even if you aren’t the one teaching the curriculum, you can make it accessible for your student! I agree that all who would with the student should incorporate reading into their activities. I love that you provide extra practice for the parent to review. This well rounded education approach should help the students grow significantly with their reading skills!!

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I found the video enlightening and reading your post I was surprised to learn about an eye doctor that was savvy in referring patients for services. I was impressed on your collaborative relationship with this eye doctor on education and training on each other’s jobs and end goals. My experience in Montana is that not many of the eye doctors are familiar with services, but that may have changed since I worked in the schools.

Learning how the eyes work when reading, such as the fixation, saccades, return sweep and when these seemingly simple tasks are not coordinated the reading efficiency and speed decrease which then impacts reading fluency and comprehension. I found working (as an OT and LVT) with many younger children that did not always have a visual impairment that they often needed some training and education on using their eyes when engaging in tasks.

I cannot imagine how TVIs already stretched thin can now incorporate students with convergence insufficiency into their caseloads. Yet reflecting back on “Reading is Rocket Science” by Karen Blankenship, she indicated, “A literacy instructor at the school building level is typically a general education teacher who is held accountable for the reading levels of students in his or her class.” How might one of these teachers recognize that a student’s struggle in reading is related to convergence insufficiency? Once these students may be identified is there training that can be provided to this teacher or other support staff to help implement the goals of the TVI, since I’m guessing the TVI is now held accountable for following this student?