(b) To receive approval,
a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider shall offer a preparation
program described in program planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi addressing
the following standards adapted from the standards published by the Council for
Exceptional Children (2020):
4.
Using Assessment to Understand the Learner and the Learning
Environment for Databased Decision Making. Candidates assess
students' learning, behavior, and the classroom environment in order to
evaluate and support classroom and school-based problem-solving systems of
intervention and instruction. Candidates evaluate students to determine their
strengths and needs, contribute to students' eligibility determination,
communicate students' progress, inform short and long-term instructional
planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction using technology as
appropriate.
(i) Candidates collaboratively
develop, select, administer, analyze, and interpret multiple measures of
student learning, behavior, and the classroom environment to evaluate and
support classroom and school-based systems of intervention for students with
and without exceptionalities;
(ii)
Candidates develop, select, administer, and interpret multiple, formal and
informal, culturally and linguistically appropriate measures and procedures
that are valid and reliable to contribute to eligibility determination for
special education services; and
(iii) Candidates assess, collaboratively
analyze, interpret, and communicate students' progress toward measurable
outcomes using technology as appropriate, to inform both short- and long-term
planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction.
5.
Supporting Learning Using
Effective Instruction. Candidates use knowledge of individuals'
development, learning needs, and assessment data to inform decisions about
effective instruction. Candidates use explicit instructional strategies and
employ strategies to promote active engagement and increased motivation to
individualize instruction to support each individual. Candidates use whole
group instruction, flexible grouping, small group instruction, and individual
instruction. Candidates teach individuals to use meta-/cognitive strategies to
support and self-regulate learning.
(i)
Candidates use findings from multiple assessments, including student
self-assessment, that are responsive to cultural and linguistic differences and
specialized as needed, to identify what students know and are able to do. They
then interpret the assessment data to appropriately plan and guide instruction
to meet rigorous academic and non-academic content and goals for each
individual;
(ii) Candidates use
effective strategies to promote active student engagement, increase student
motivation, increase opportunities to respond, and enhance self-regulation of
student learning;
(iii) Candidates
use explicit, systematic instruction to teach content, strategies, and skills
to make clear what a learner needs to do or think about while learning.
Candidates use flexible grouping to support the use of instruction that is
adapted to meet the needs of each individual and group; and
(iv) Candidates organize and manage focused,
intensive small group instruction to meet the learning needs of each
individual. Candidates plan and deliver specialized, individualized instruction
that is used to meet the learning needs of each individual.
7.
Collaborating with
Team Members. Candidates apply team processes and communication
strategies to collaborate in a culturally responsive manner with families,
paraprofessionals, and other professionals within the school, other educational
settings, and the community to plan programs and access services for
individuals with exceptionalities and their families.
(i) Candidates utilize communication, group
facilitation, and problem-solving strategies in a culturally responsive manner
to lead effective meetings and share expertise and knowledge to build team
capacity and jointly address students' instructional and behavioral
needs;
(ii) Candidates collaborate,
communicate, and coordinate with families, paraprofessionals, and other
professionals within the educational setting to assess, plan, and implement
effective programs and services that promote progress toward measurable
outcomes for individuals with and without exceptionalities and their
families;
(iii) Candidates
collaborate, communicate, and coordinate with professionals and agencies within
the community to identify and access services, resources, and supports to meet
the identified needs of individuals with exceptionalities and their families;
and
(iv) Candidates work with and
mentor paraprofessionals in the paraprofessionals' role of supporting the
education of individuals with exceptionalities and their families.
8. Candidates are prepared to
demonstrate understanding of the Specialty Standards for Special Education
Visual Impairment published by the Council for Exception Children (2012).
(i)
Learner Development and
Individual Learning Differences.
(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the development of the human visual system and areas of the
brain involved in processing visual images;
(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the most prevalent causes of severe, uncorrectable visual
impairment in children and youth ages birth to 22;
(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of terminology related to diseases and disorder of the human
visual system, including cerebral/cortical visual impairment;
(IV) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of implications of prevalent visual conditions;
(V) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of sensory development and its impact on development and learning
when vision is impaired;
(VI)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the impact and
implications of sociocultural/psychosocial factors on social-emotional
development;
(VII) Candidates are
prepared to accurately read, interpret, and summarize eye reports and serve as
liaison to families and other members of the education team to individual
services;
(VIII) Candidates are
prepared to select and develop assessment and teaching strategies,
accommodations and modifications that address age, visual impairment, family
values and priorities, visual prognosis, and other individual
characteristics;
(IX) Candidates
are prepared to use nonvisual/alternate strategies to promote attachment, early
communication/literacy, orientation and mobility, and independence to address
the effects of visual impairment on families and the reciprocal impact on
individuals' self-esteem; and
(X)
Candidates are prepared to select, adapt, and use nonvisual/alternate
instructional strategies to address co-occurring disabilities and other
individual characteristics.
(ii)
Learning
Environments.
(I) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of physical and virtual environmental
factors that impact the acquisition of spatial and positional concepts, access
to and synthesis of data visualizations, and other concepts typically acquired
through vision;
(II) Candidates are
prepared to identify and implement physical and virtual environmental
accommodations and modifications to facilitate optimal sensory use and
multisensory access to, and active participation in, individual and group
activities in general and expanded core curriculum environments;
(III) Candidates are prepared to collaborate
with team members to design and implement environments that promote optimal
sensory use, foundational orientation and mobility skills, independence, social
engagement, and efficient storage of specialized materials;
(IV) Candidates are prepared to identify
unique issues specific to visual impairment for accessing digital multimedia
and virtually built environments;
(V) Candidates are prepared to use ergonomics
and appropriate technology settings aligned with students' preferred learning
media and low tech strategies to support ubiquitous computing to promote access
to the general and expanded core curriculum;
(VI) Candidates are prepared to facilitate
incidental learning experiences to address nonvisual access to physical and
virtual environments;
(VII)
Candidates are prepared to evaluate social skills and design behavior
strategies for learners with visual impairments to maximize positive social
engagement and interaction across environments;
(VIII) Candidates are prepared to teach
developmentally appropriate human guide, self-familiarization with new
environments, protective, and alignment techniques for independent travel to
promote safety across environments;
(IX) Candidates are prepared to teach
orientation skills using environmental features, self-advocacy for optimal
environmental accommodations and modifications, including requesting and
refusing assistance as needed; and
(X) Candidates are prepared to teach
nonvisual and alternate strategies for promoting digital citizenship and secure
online practices.
(iii)
Curricular Content Knowledge.
(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the relationship of individualized assessment, intervention
planning/implementation, development of individualized education
programs/individualized family service plans, progress monitoring, and
placement specific to unique needs of students with visual impairment including
cerebral/cortical visual impairment, and co-occurring disabilities;
(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of a wide range of
instructional and assistive technologies specific to visual
impairment;
(III) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, proofreading, and
interlining alphabetic and fully contracted Unified English Braille;
(IV) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
basic proficiency in reading and writing braille for mathematic and scientific
notation and in using the abacus;
(V) Candidates are prepared to produce
braille with brailler, slate and stylus, computer (including use of braille
translation software), and braille production methods;
(VI) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
basic proficiency in human guide, protective, alignment, and search techniques
in orientation and mobility with developmentally appropriate
modifications;
(VII) Candidates are
prepared to identify specialized resources unique to visual impairment to
address the specific communication needs of students with varied communication
abilities, reading levels, and language proficiency;
(VIII) Candidates are prepared to develop,
implement, and continuously monitor learning objectives and goals for
optimizing sensory efficiency, developing concepts, and accessing the general
and expanded core curriculum across settings; and
(IX) Candidates are prepared to identify and
adapt general education and visual impairment specific curricula for
instruction of literacy, other academic areas, and the expanded core
curriculum.
(iv)
Assessment.
(I)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the challenges of
assessing students with visual impairments, including cerebra/cortical visual
impairment, and co-occurring disabilities;
(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the options for specialized assessment materials and equipment
for unique sensory needs;
(III)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the role of
specialized, individualized assessment data unique to visual impairment for
pre-referral, referral, annual, and tri-annual processes;
(IV) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the implications of short and long terms use of accommodations
and modifications unique to students with visual impairments, including
cerebral/cortical visual impairment, and co-occurring disabilities;
(V) Candidates are prepared to interpret
medical reports and multiple sources of data, including background information
and family history, to plan and implement nondiscriminatory
assessments;
(VI) Candidates are
prepared to use multiple sources of valid information/data, including data from
formal/informal assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention,
instruction, specialized media, materials, equipment, and the physical
environment;
(VII) Candidates are
prepared to use valid assessment results and medical reports to determine
eligibility for vision specific services, for students with and without
specific visual diagnoses;
(VIII)
Candidates are prepared to use valid assessment data and knowledge of the
potential impact of visual impairment on psychosocial functioning to identify
when referral for services is needed;
(IX) Candidates are prepared to adapt
assessments when tests are not validated on individuals with visual impairments
to determine baseline performance;
(X) Candidates are prepared to identify
assessment items and measures that are biased and make recommendations for
non-visual or alternate accommodations and modifications;
(XI) Candidates are prepared to collaborate
with team members and families to plan and implement assessment and interpret
assessment results on issues specific to visual impairment;
(XII) Candidates are prepared to conduct
individualized functional vision, learning media, assistive technology and
other expanded core curriculum-related assessments;
(XIII) Candidates are prepared to interpret
and/or assess cognitive, motor, social, and language concepts unique to
individuals with visual impairments;
(XIV) Candidates are prepared to use multiple
sources of data to determine appropriate learning and literacy media (braille,
print, or dual) and assistive technology;
(XV) Candidates are prepared to interpret
assessment results to determine individual needs to support acquisition of
skills in the general and expanded core curriculum;
(XVI) Candidates are prepared to advocate for
reasonable nonvisual and alternate accommodations and modifications on
standardized assessments;
(XVII)
Candidates are prepared to address limitations of standard scores and
non-standard data when communicating visual impairment specific assessment data
to educational teams and families;
(XVIII) Candidates are prepared to assess
accessibility needs of individuals who are visually impaired who are English
learners or from diverse backgrounds; and
(XIX) Candidates are prepared to use results
of clinical low vision evaluation, functional vision, learning media, and
assistive technology assessments to identify optimal assistive
technology.
(v)
Instructional Planning and Strategies.
(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
the proper use and care of braille and braille production devices and
technology equipment, including maintenance of devices and software
updates;
(II) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of the importance of creating positive,
productive learning environments that foster independence and student
achievement, and that reduce the tendency of others to engender learned
helplessness in learners with visual impairments; and
(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of knowledge of evidence-based practices for teaching students
with visual impairments, including cerebral/cortical visual impairment, and
co-occurring disabilities.
(IV)
Candidates are prepared to develop, coordinate, and implement appropriate
programs for infants and young children with visual impairment, including those
with cerebral/cortical visual impairment and co-occurring disabilities, and
their families;
(V) Candidates are
prepared to obtain resources, including published curricula, for braille codes
currently in use;
(VI) Candidates
are prepared to use digital resources, hardware, and software to produce and
access materials in accessible media including the conversion of print
materials into braille, tactile, and/or digital formats;
(VII) Candidates are prepared to teach varied
visual, nonvisual, and multi-sensory devices, programs, and software to launch,
navigate, save, and retrieve information on devices and local systems and
online;
(VIII) Candidates are
prepared to select and use various visual, nonvisual, multisensory, and
adaptive methods to teach technology skills by integrating students' assessed
needs into instructional methods for teaching sensory efficiency skills, use of
learning media, individual keyboarding, reading, writing, editing, and
listening skills;
(IX) Candidates
are prepared to plan and implement explicit instruction in assistive
technology, including digital citizenship, that integrates students' ability to
meet, manage, and advocate for their own needs;
(X) Candidates are prepared to integrate
basic principles of accessibility to select, create, adapt, and format text,
images, and media to promote usability and accessibility to meet the individual
needs of students with visual impairments;
(XI) Candidates are prepared to provide
systematic, explicit braille literacy instruction using embossed materials and
digital technologies to meet individual needs;
(XII) Candidates are prepared to teach the
use of the abacus, accessible calculator, tactile graphics, adapted equipment,
and appropriate technology for mathematics and science instruction to meet
individual needs;
(XIII) Candidates
are prepared to teach students to access, interpret, and create increasingly
complex printed and digital graphics in visual and/or tactile forms, including
maps, charts, diagrams, and tables, based on individual needs;
(XIV) Candidates are prepared to teach
students to access, interpret, and create increasingly complex printed and
digital graphics in visual and/or tactile forms, including maps, charts,
diagrams, and tables, based on individual needs;
(XV) Candidates are prepared to teach
students with low vision to use optical, electronic, and non-optical devices to
optimize visual efficiency and independently use dual learning media such as
visual and auditory information, or auditory and tactile information;
(XVI) Candidates are prepared to promote and
reinforce sensorimotor and physical skills, including gross and fine motor
skills, posture, balance, purposeful movement, and strength to meet individual
needs unique to visual impairment;
(XVII) Candidates are prepared to teach basic
orientation, body image, spatial, temporal, positional, directional, and
environmental concepts based on individual needs to promote motor skill
development, orientation and mobility, and academic and social
inclusion;
(XVIII) Candidates are
prepared to teach and reinforce human guide techniques to students with visual
impairment, their peers, and others who interact with them;
(XIX) Candidates are prepared to orient
students to unfamiliar environments;
(XX) Candidates are prepared to reinforce
skills taught by orientation and mobility specialists to support the use of
mobility devices and dog guides, for orientation and mobility;
(XXI) Candidates are prepared to teach
independent living and organization skills using alternate and nonvisual
strategies;
(XXII) Candidates are
prepared to teach social communication skills related to appropriate body
language, non-verbal communication, and social etiquette;
(XXIII) Candidates are prepared to teach
development and monitoring of relationships and friendships, and knowledge of
self, including human sexuality;
(XXIV) Candidates are prepared to teach
skills usually acquired visually to develop and enhance participation in
fitness/leisure/recreation activities, hobbies, and team and spectator sports
to facilitate inclusion across settings;
(XXV) Candidates are prepared to teach
students to recognize and report behaviors that they may not perceive visually
that may threaten their personal safety and wellbeing;
(XXVI) Candidates are prepared to teach
students their legal rights and responsibilities related to being a citizen
with a visual impairment;
(XXVII)
Candidates are prepared to prepare students with progressive visual conditions
to transition to alternative skills;
(XVIII) Candidates are prepared to
collaboratively develop, implement, and continuously monitor communication
goals, objectives, and systems for students with visual impairments and
co-occurring disabilities;
(XXIX)
Candidates are prepared to teach students to recognize and report behaviors
that they may not perceive visually that may threaten their personal safety and
wellbeing;
(XXX) Candidates are
prepared to select, adapt, and use nonvisual/alternate instructional strategies
to address co-occurring disabilities; and
(XXXI) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
an understanding of the knowledge of a range of cost effective technological
devices from low to high tech for the instructional needs specific to visual
impairment.
(vi)
Professional Learning and Ethical Practice.
(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of roles and responsibilities of teachers and support personnel
in providing services for students with visual impairments in a range of
settings;
(II) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of current knowledge of eligibility
criteria for specialized services, funding, and materials sources specific to
visual impairment;
(III) Candidates
are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the historical, political, and
sociocultural forces unique to the education of students with visual
impairments;
(IV) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate awareness of the impact of nonverbal reactions and
behaviors that are not accessible to students with visual
impairments;
(V) Candidates are
prepared to understand the role in determining and recommending appropriate
type and amount of services based on evaluation of needs in all areas of the
expanded core curriculum;
(VI)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of current knowledge of
laws that impact and protect individuals with visual impairments;
(VII) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the roles of all members of educational/vision care
teams;
(VIII) Candidates are
prepared to develop and maintain professional learning and practice by actively
participating in professional organizations;
(IX) Candidates are prepared to articulate
instructional and professional philosophies and ethical practices to address
the specific needs of students with visual impairment across settings including
the expanded core curriculum;
(X)
Candidates are prepared to articulate and advocate for individual needs
regarding placement, service delivery models, type and amount of service, and
key components of services unique to visual impairment across ages and
settings;
(XI) Candidates are
prepared to advocate for reasonable nonvisual and alternate accommodations and
modifications on standardized assessments;
(XII) Candidates are prepared to advocate for
evidence-based educational policy related to visual impairment and low
incidence disabilities;
(XIII)
Candidates are prepared to articulate a plan for maintaining continuous
professional development to remain current on all areas of the expanded core
curriculum, with particular attention to assistive and instructional
technology, most prevalent causes of and medical treatments for severe visual
impairment, and co-occurring disabilities; and
(XIV) Candidates are prepared to evaluate and
discern credible and scholarly sources of information about visual impairments,
including knowledge of valid and reliable research techniques.
(vii)
Collaboration.
(I)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the role in conveying,
to families and teams, information about the impact and implications of visual
impairment on development and learning and access to the general and expanded
core curriculum;
(II) Candidates
are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the role in working
collaboratively with families and teams for referral for counseling, therapy,
or other services to address the unique needs of visual impairment;
(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the role in increasing awareness of accessibility in physical
and virtual environments and improving open access to information for families
and the educational team;
(IV)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate the importance of role models with
visual impairment for a full range of individual learners across
settings;
(V) Candidates are
prepared to collaborate with educational team and families on service delivery
issues unique to visual impairment;
(VI) Candidates are prepared to collaborate
with technology and curriculum development staff on accessibility
needs;
(VII) Candidates are
prepared to serve as liaison between medical care providers, families, and
other members of the educational team;
(VIII) Candidates are prepared to collaborate
with vision care professionals to facilitate access to the general and expanded
core curriculum;
(IX) Candidates
are prepared to collaborate with families and orientation and mobility
specialists to reinforce orientation and mobility skills and other expanded
core curriculum skills;
(X)
Candidates are prepared to collaborate with families and other team members to
plan and implement transitions;
(XI) Candidates are prepared to instruct and
supervise paraeducators, and provide information to families and the
educational team in nonvisual strategies that promote independence and
autonomy;
(XII) Candidates are
prepared to instruct and supervise paraeducators and braille transcribers, and
provide information to families and the educational team on the production of
accessible media;
(XIII) Candidates
are prepared to collaborate with families and the educational team to promote
literacy development; and
(XIV)
Candidates are prepared to collaborate with assistive technology professionals
to identify and support customized tools to meet the accessibility needs of
individuals with visual impairment.