Vision Impairment

A student who has a visual impairment is one who has been determined by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist to have no vision, a serious vision loss after correction, or a progressive medical condition that will result in no vision or a serious visual loss after correction.

The visual loss should be stated in exact measures of visual field and corrected visual acuity at distance and near in each eye. The report should include prognosis, if possible, and exact eye measures of acuities, if possible. If acuities are unable to be measured, the eye specialist must state best estimates.

1. A Functional Vision Evaluation must be performed by a Certified Teacher for Students with Visual Impairments. The evaluation must include performance of tasks in a variety of settings utilizing both near and distance vision; and

2. A Learning Media Assessment must be performed by a Certified Teacher for Students with Visual Impairments. This assessment must include recommendations of specific learning medias: visual, auditory, and tactual. The determination will be made for ongoing evaluations in these areas.

• A Student with a visual impairment who is functionally blind, based on the Functional Vision Evaluation/Learning Media Assessment may use tactual media, including Braille, as a primary tool for learning. This may allow for communication in both reading/writing at the same level of proficiency as other students of comparable ability.

3. An Orientation and Mobility Evaluation must be completed as part of the Functional Vision Evaluation by a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist.