Teacher of Visually Impaired - Special Education (2024-2025) - Prosper School District

Primary Purpose:

The itinerant teacher for students with visual impairments travels to the students' assigned schools to provide direct and/or consultative special education services relating to vision loss. Services for infants may be provided in the infants' homes or child care settings. The students range in age from birth through 21 and may have only a visual impairment or additional disabilities. The cognitive levels of the students range from severely impaired to gifted and talented.

Qualifications:

Education/Certification:

Bachelor's degree from a college or university

Texas certification for teachers of students with visual impairments.

Special Knowledge/Skills:

Knowledge and skills required to administer and interpret appropriate screening, assessment and evaluation instruments

Skill in interpersonal communication with peers, students, parents, and teachers

Braille

Ability to work with a wide range of students with visual impairments

Leadership qualities

Ability to maintain a level of respect from peers

Understand human behavior dynamics and an ability to interact effectively with educational personnel

Drive self in own vehicle to multiple school sites in the district to provide services

Experience:

Classroom teaching or related experience in providing direct services to a wide range of students with visual impairments

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

Assessment and Evaluation

1. Perform functional vision and learning media assessments on new referrals and three-year re-evaluations

2. Interpret eye medical reports as they relate to educational environments

3. Contribute to the development of the IEP/IFSP with goals, modifications, learning styles.

4. Recommend appropriate specialized evaluations as needed, such as low vision, orientation and mobility, psycho-social, and adaptive physical education

5. Consult with diagnosticians, classroom teachers, students, and parents concerning appropriate evaluations, modification, and test administration

6. Obtain modified standardized testing materials (NAPT, ITBS, TAKS, SAT, ACT, etc.) and administer or assist in the administration of the test as needed

7. Work as liaison with other agencies in the vocational assessment process

8. Administer various other tests as appropriate (Oregon Project, Insite, Hawaii, Boehme, LAP, E-LAP, etc.)

9. Participate in team assessments for students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities

10. Provide screening and referral procedures to appropriate personnel.

Appropriate Learning Environment

11. Assist in determining and procuring classroom equipment and materials necessary for the student with visual impairments to learn (brailler, low vision devices, assistive technology, computer) including ensuring necessary room modifications and lighting changes

12. Provide the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach a VI student

13. Consult with other instructional staff to provide information to incorporate the Expanded Core Curriculum into the entire instructional setting

14. Provide modified materials to the classroom teacher

15. Provide Braille, recorded/enlarged materials, and tactual symbols as appropriate for each child.

Direct Instruction in the Unique Curriculum

16. Monitor the students' progress in academic subjects and provide instruction in compensatory skills as needed in the areas the students may have difficulty with as a result of the visual impairment (This does not include tutoring in subject areas once materials and methods have been modified to accommodate the vision loss).

a.  Braille reading and writing

b.  Low vision devices

c.  Abacus

d.  Typing/keyboarding

e.  Adaptive devices (e.g., computers, note takers, tape recorders)

f.   Listening skills

g.  Visual efficiency

h.  Concept development (especially for infants and early childhood students)

i.   Daily living/self-help skills

j.   Career readiness

k.   Leisure and recreation skills

l.    Social skills

m.  Organizational and study skills

n.   Self-advocacy

Support Services

17. Provide assistance to students with visual impairments in understanding their attitudes and those of others concerning their visual impairment

18. Facilitate social integration and interaction with peers

19. Facilitate and schedule, when appropriate, students’ attendance at regional Expanded Core Curriculum events, and provide support at events as needed.

20. Provide training and support to parents of students with visual impairments to enhance their children's independence

21. Provide the teachers, staff, and family of students with visual impairments with information regarding their individual needs, methodology, and strategies

22. Participate with other school personnel and agencies to secure job-related experiences for students

23. Participate in transition planning.

Administrative/Record Keeping Duties

24. Provide updated pupil information (VI registration, deafblind census, textbook projections)

25. Submit requests for instructional materials, conferences, and personnel needs

26. Inform various special education and campus personnel of progress and needs of the students with visual impairment on a regular basis

27. Identify and set up a work and storage space at each school to be used by the VI teacher to instruct students as necessary

28. Provide input into students' schedules, planning for all special services, such as direct instruction and orientation and mobility

29. Maintain adequate record of all assessments, IEPs, ARD papers, progress reports and signed parental release forms for things such as photographs and registration with various agencies

30. Provide progress reports as indicated by school policy on students with visual impairment and follow up with teacher and/or parent conferences as appropriate

31. Register students with visual impairments with appropriate agencies such as Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, and the Texas State Library, and assist with referral to the Texas State Commission for the Blind

32. Prepare paperwork as appropriate and attend ARDs and IFSP meetings on students with visual impairments

33. Distribute information to parents concerning workshops, conferences, and equipment acquisition

34. Communicate with low-vision specialists, ophthalmologists, and optometrists concerning exams, and attend exams when appropriate

35. Supervise material preparation and acquisition.

Liaison Between Community and School

36. Provide information about district and/or regional vision programs to the schools and community.

37. Provide information concerning recreational and summer programs to parents and students and assist with application forms and procedures. Such activities might include Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired summer school, Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (formerly known as Texas Commission for the Blind) summer work programs, or Lion's Club Summer Camp.

Professional Standards

38. Maintain a reference library.

39. Acquire information about current research, development, and technology by attending conferences, workshops, and area meetings and by reading journals in the field of visual impairment.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None.

Working Conditions:

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

Maintain emotional control under stress. Regular districtwide travel to multiple work locations as assigned; moderate lifting and carrying. May be required to lift and transfer students to and from wheelchair or assist with positioning students with physical disabilities