Visual Impairment

The Special Education Component for Visually Impaired (VI) is designed to provide technical assistance, training, and other related support services to regional programs serving identified students with visual impairment ages birth to 22 years. Assistance can be provided in program planning, assessment and implementation related to students with visual impairments. This includes facilitation of regional planning, TEA VI and deafblind registration, textbook and APH materials acquisition, instructional strategies, materials modifications, and staff development.

Staff Development 

Opportunities related to visual impairments are provided to school districts, parents, university students, paraprofessionals, Braille transcribers, orientation and mobility specialists, diagnosticians, supervisors, administrators, and other personnel working with students with visual impairments are listed in the ESC 3 catalog which can be found here.

Statewide Resources:

• Texas Education Agency - Visual Impairments
• Texas School for the Blind: Resources for Teachers and Families
• TSBVI Outreach Program
• Texas DeafBlind Resources
• TSBVI- APH Materials Access
• Texas Sensory Support Network
• Interagency Eye Report Form

Federal Resources:

• American Foundation for the Blind
• Blind Childrens Center
• National Federation for the Blind
• National Library Service

Braille Resources:

National Professional Associations:

• Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of Visually Impaired
• Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation Education Professionals

You can be an orientation and mobility specialist or teacher of the visually impaired in Texas:

University Training Programs for Teachers of the Visually Impaired:

• Texas Tech University
• Stephen F. Austin University

Dog Guide Schools:

• Guiding Eyes
• Leader Dogs
• The Seeing Eye