Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) The Commission provides a wide range of
itinerant services to blind and visually impaired children and their families. For children, aged three
through 21, four different levels of service are provided in collaboration with local school districts
through provider service agreements (contracts) that may be adjusted based on student need.
(b) The Commission's itinerant services include:
1. A functional vision assessment to evaluate the student's practical use
of vision in the education program and any other blindness or low vision-related assessment, when deemed
appropriate by the student's IEP team, including a literacy and learning media assessment to assist the IEP
team to select the most appropriate learning media to meet the full literacy needs of the student;
2. Necessary instruction in Braille literacy, including Braille readiness
skills leading to formal Braille instruction in both literary Braille and Nemeth Braille. Braille literacy
and Nemeth Braille instruction shall be provided as appropriate for the student's academic levels in reading
and mathematics;
3. Necessary instruction in other compensatory
or alternative skills as outlined in the Expanded Core Curriculum of blindness skills;
4. For students who have already learned Braille reading and writing,
short-term follow-up instruction to support the student's participation in higher level subject area
instruction, such as advanced Nemeth Braille instruction for mathematics and science;
5. Necessary specialized materials and introductory instruction to
equipment that enable students who are blind or vision impaired to have full access to instruction and be
educated with their sighted peers;
6. Consultation to students
and education staff regarding the student's vision impairment and its educational implications in order to
enhance the student's participation in the educational process;
7. Specialized deaf-blind services to students who have auditory, as well
as vision, impairment. Specialized services to address this combined sensory impairment include specialized
consultation and assessment, as well as the provision of adaptive equipment, and sign language materials.
Deaf-blind students are eligible to receive all other services provided to blind or vision impaired students
who do not have auditory impairments; and
8. Specialized
assessments regarding access to communication systems and instruction in skills to maximize the use of
residual hearing and vision, as well as the development of augmentative or alternative communication skills
and the use of adaptive materials and equipment.
(c)
As appropriate, Level I Services may be provided in any of the following areas, based upon individual student
need, as determined by the Commission instructor. These services shall be provided by a Certified Teacher of
the Blind or Visually Impaired or Teacher of Students with Disabilities with a minimum of four contacts and a
maximum of eight contacts per school year. The fee for Level I Services is $ 1,900. Level I Services are:
1. The Commission's Certified Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired or
Teacher of Students with Disabilities shall perform functional vision assessments to evaluate the student's
practical use of vision in the education program;
2. As
appropriate, the itinerant instructor shall provide the necessary specialized materials and introductory
instruction to equipment, which enable students who are blind or visually impaired to be educated with their
sighted peers;
3. The itinerant instructor shall provide
consultation to students regarding their visual impairment and its educational implications in order to
enhance their participation in the educational process; and
4.
Specialized deaf-blind services shall be provided to students who have auditory as well as visual impairment.
Services to address this dual sensory loss include specialized consultation, assessment and evaluation, as
well as provision of adaptive equipment and sign language materials.
(d) In the Level II Services category, as appropriate, services may be
provided in any of the following areas, based upon individual student need, as determined by the Commission
instructor. In addition, students shall be eligible for all services outlined in the Level I Services
category. These services shall be provided by a Certified Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired and with
a minimum of nine and a maximum of 30 lessons per school year. The fee for Level II Services is $ 4,500.
Level II Services are:
1. This service category may be necessary for
braille users who have already learned braille reading and writing and may need intermittent short-term
instruction. This shall also support their participation in higher-level subject areas such as Nemeth Code
for mathematics and science.
2. This service category may be
necessary for students with moderate to severe vision loss. Many students who are legally blind need services
that include assessment and selection of the most appropriate learning media that shall meet the literacy
needs of the student. In addition, this level may be used for compensatory skills instruction.
3. Deaf-blind students are provided specialized training and assessment in
the development of communication potentials, maximizing the use of residual hearing and vision, as well as
developing augmentative communication skills and the use of adaptive technologies.
(e) The Level III Services category will be necessary for a student for
whom highly specialized media, such as braille or a CCTV, have been determined to be the appropriate learning
medium. In this service category, as appropriate, services may be provided in any of the following areas,
based upon individual student needs, as determined by the Commission instructor. In addition, students will
be eligible for all services outlined in the Level I and Level II Services categories. A Certified Teacher of
the Blind or Visually Impaired will provide two to three lessons per week. The fee for Level III Services is
$ 12,600. Level III Services are:
1. Braille readiness skills, leading to
formal braille instruction during the year;
2. Instruction in
braille skills; and
3. Instruction in additional alternative
skills.
(f) The Level IV Services category is provided
to students who use braille as their primary reading medium. This level of service is intended for beginning
readers who have mastered the braille alphabet, are participating in grade-level reading programs, and are
learning the Contracted Braille Code. In this service category, as appropriate, services may be provided in
any of the following areas, based upon individual student needs, as determined by the Commission instructor.
In addition, students will be eligible for all services outlined in the Level I, Level II and Level III
Services categories. A Certified Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired will provide four lessons per
week. A lesson will consist of direct instruction for one academic period. The fee for Level IV Services is $
14,300. Level IV Services are:
1. Instruction in symbols and usage of the
Contracted Braille Code, appropriate for the student's academic reading level;
2. Instruction in symbols and usage of the Nemeth Braille Code, as
appropriate for the student's academic math level; and
3.
Instruction in additional alternative skills.
(g) When
a school district does not enter into a provider service agreement with the Commission, the school district
shall be responsible for instruction in the student's appropriate literacy and learning medium as determined
by the IEP team or local school district. Students served by these districts are eligible for the
Commission's independent living services, and they are eligible to receive educational materials through the
American Printing House for the Blind.
(h) If the school district
elects not to enter into a service agreement with the Commission for Blindness Education services, the
student served by that school district will have access to other Commission services including Independent
Living Services, Assistive Technology Services, and Transition Services.
