Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 39, March 25, 2024
Subp. 2.
License requirements.
A candidate for licensure to teach infants, children, and
youth from birth through age 21 who are blind, visually impaired, or
deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that include vision loss
shall:
A. hold a baccalaureate degree
from a college or university that is regionally accredited by the association
for the accreditation of colleges and secondary schools;
B. demonstrate the standards of effective
practice for licensing of beginning teachers in part
8710.2000;
C. demonstrate core skill requirements in
part
8710.5000; and
D. show verification of completing a Board of
Teaching preparation program approved under part
8700.7600 leading to licensure of
teachers of special education: blind or visually impaired in subpart
3.
Subp. 3.
Subject matter
standard.
A candidate for licensure as a teacher of special education:
blind or visually impaired must complete a preparation program under subpart
2, item D, that must include
the candidate's demonstration of the knowledge and skills in items A to
E.
A. Foundational knowledge. A
teacher of special education: blind or visually impaired understands the
foundations of special education services for students with vision loss on
which to base practice. The teacher must demonstrate knowledge of the:
(1) historical and philosophical foundations,
legal bases, and contemporary issues pertaining to the education of infants,
children, and youth who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those
with additional disabilities that include vision loss;
(2) educational definitions, issues relating
to identification, and eligibility criteria for services pertaining to
individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with
additional disabilities that include vision loss;
(3) development and use of the human visual
system and basic terminology related to the structure, function, diseases, and
disorders of the visual system;
(4)
the impact of blindness and low vision on the early development of the motor
system, cognition, social and emotional interactions, independence,
environmental awareness, and language and communication;
(5) effects of blindness or visual impairment
on the psychosocial development, self-esteem, and behavior of the student
within the family system;
(6)
effect that perceptions about blindness, visual impairments, and deaf-blindness
can have on individuals with disabilities;
(7) effects of different social, cultural,
and linguistic backgrounds on the student's and family's attitudes toward
independence, self-evaluation results and interpretation, curriculum and
instruction, advocacy, daily living, social interactions, and transition
planning for students who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind and those
with additional disabilities that include vision loss;
(8) impact of coexisting conditions or
multiple disabilities on students who are blind, visually impaired, or
deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that include a vision loss;
and
(9) writing instruments and
devices for students who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those
with additional disabilities that include a vision loss.
B. Referral, evaluation, planning, and
programming. A teacher of special education: blind or visually impaired
understands and applies principles of prevention and intervening early and
procedures for referral, assessment, evaluation, individualized planning,
programming, and placement specific to teaching students with vision loss. The
teacher must be able to:
(1) understand the
ethical considerations, laws, policies, and specialized procedures regarding
screening, prereferral, referral, evaluation, identification, and educational
planning and service delivery models for students who are blind, visually
impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that include a
vision loss;
(2) administer and
interpret specialized vision evaluation measures, including a functional vision
assessment and an assistive technology evaluation, for students who are blind,
visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that
include a vision loss;
(3)
integrate evaluation results from multiple professions and communicate the
educational implications to students, families, educators, and
others;
(4) adapt existing
non-disability-specific assessment tools and methods to accommodate the
abilities and needs of students who are blind, visually impaired, or
deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that include a vision
loss;
(5) collect, integrate, and
interpret data from children and youth, parents, families, educators, and
others to evaluate, plan, and develop individualized education program
plans;
(6) apply evaluation results
in the selection of writing instruments and appropriate learning media,
including devices and methodologies for students who are blind, visually
impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that include a
vision loss;
(7) assess, in
collaboration with certified specialists, the need for orientation and mobility
services for students who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and
those with additional disabilities that include a vision loss;
(8) apply the results of assessments for
students with low vision to utilize optical and nonoptical devices and
strategies to optimize the use of vision;
(9) assess how students who are blind,
visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that
include a vision loss, can enhance the use of senses other than
vision;
(10) consider various
educational placement options based on the needs of the individual;
and
(11) apply evaluation results
to design an individualized education program that integrates student and
family priorities and concerns to address academic and nonacademic
goals.
C. Instructional
design, teaching, and ongoing evaluation. A teacher of special education: blind
or visually impaired understands how to use individualized education program
plans to design, implement, monitor, and adjust instruction for infants,
children, and youth with hearing loss. The teacher must be able to:
(1) integrate knowledge of evidence-based
instruction, including scientifically based research interventions when
available, in language development, reading, writing, and math with
characteristics of vision loss in order to design, implement, monitor, and
adjust instruction aligned with grade-level content standards;
(2) transcribe, proofread, interline, and
produce Braille materials and tactile graphics using a variety of devices and
assistive technologies;
(3) design,
implement, monitor, and adjust strategies to teach basic concepts through the
use of auditory, tactual, and modified visual skills to children and youth who
are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional
disabilities that include a vision loss;
(4) select and use instructional methods,
specialized materials, and assistive technologies and strategies that are
appropriate for the individual to accomplish instructional objectives for
children and youth who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those
with additional disabilities that include a vision loss;
(5) participate in the designing,
implementing, monitoring, and adjusting of instructional methods and materials
based on grade-level content standards for teaching children and youth who are
blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities
that include a vision loss;
(6)
access and use materials, equipment, and assistive technologies and strategies
from a variety of sources to meet the needs of children and youth who are
blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities
that include a vision loss;
(7)
teach the reading and writing of Braille using accepted codes in the Codes of
American Usage of English Braille, the Nemeth Code, and computer, music, and
foreign language codes for Braille, and tactile graphics;
(8) use assistive technology and technical
aids in the production and use of accessible instructional materials;
(9) develop, sequence, implement, and
evaluate learning objectives based on grade-level core curriculum and expanded
core curriculum;
(10) apply
strategies for teaching expanded core curriculum in self-advocacy and
functional life skills relevant to independence, social interactions, community
and personal living, recreation, and employment;
(11) design secondary transition plans and
teach transition skills for postsecondary education, employment, recreation and
leisure, daily living, and community participation;
(12) monitor, evaluate, and summarize the
acquisition of instructional goals and objectives stated in the individualized
education program plans; and
(13)
reinforce and support instruction in orientation and mobility provided by
certified specialists.
D. Collaboration and communication. A teacher
of special education: blind or visually impaired cultivates and maintains
positive, collaborative relationships with infants, children, and youth,
families, other professionals, and the community to support student development
and educational progress. The teacher must be able to:
(1) provide and receive consultation and
collaborate with children and youth who are blind, visually impaired,
deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities that include a vision loss,
their families, educators, related services personnel, and other service
providers in evaluating, planning, and making choices related to academic,
postsecondary, and occupational decisions;
(2) identify sources of unique services,
networks, agencies, consumer advocacy groups, vendors, and organizations for
infants, children, and youth who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind,
and those with additional disabilities that include a vision loss, including
rehabilitation agencies, volunteer organizations, private nonprofit
organizations, and federal entitlements that relate to the provision of
specialized equipment and materials;
(3) understand the roles and responsibilities
of educators, related services personnel, orientation and mobility specialists,
paraprofessionals, and role models;
(4) make use of structures supporting
interagency collaboration and coordinate interagency agreements and transition
plans;
(5) identify and access
school, community, and social services appropriate to infants, children, and
youth who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, and those with
additional disabilities that include a vision loss;
(6) promote collaborative practices that
respect the individual and family culture and values relative to the impact
that vision loss may have on the individual and family across the life
span;
(7) access and evaluate
information, research, and emerging practices relevant to the field of
blindness, visual impairments, and deaf-blindness through consumer and
professional organizations, peer-reviewed journals, and other publications;
and
(8) engage in continuing
professional development and reflection to increase knowledge and skill as a
special educator and inform instructional practices, decisions, and
interactions with children and youth and the family.
E. Clinical experiences. A teacher of special
education: blind or visually impaired applies the standards of effective
practice through a variety of early and ongoing clinical experiences in
teaching infants, children, and youth with vision loss in birth through
preschool, primary (kindergarten through grade 4), and secondary (grades 5
through 12, including transition programs) settings across a range of service
delivery models.