| Home | Site TOC | Site Search | Annotated Bibliography |

Visual Efficiency Skills Curricula & Resources

Contents of this page:

Visual Efficiency Skills Curricula

• Beyond Arm's Reach: Enhancing Distance Vision
• Program to Develop Efficiency in Visual Functioning
• Volume V-E: Project IVEY: Increasing Visual Efficiency. A Resource Manual for the Development and Evaluation of Special Programs for Exceptional Students.

Visual Efficiency Skills Resources

• Children's Vision Concerns: Looks Beyond the Eyes!
• Developmental Visual Dysfunction: Models for Assessment and Management
• Foundations of Low Vision: Clinical and Functional Perspectives
• Look at Me: A Resource Manual for the Development of Residual Vision in Multiply Impaired Children
• Low Vision: A Resource Guide with Adaptations for Students with Visual Impairments
• South Carolina Functional Vision Assessment
• Suggestions for Modifying the Home and School Environment
• A Vision Guide for Teachers of Deaf-Blind Children

Beyond Arm's Reach: Enhancing Distance Vision

A. Smith & L. M. O'Donnell. (1992). Pennsylvania College of Optometry Press, Philadelphia. 184 pp.

The program provides sequential lessons from which the child can build a visual foundation and then solidify skills commensurate with his or her visual potential. Throughout the program, the child is assisted toward gradually becoming more proficient in identifying and using visual cues, from simple form discrimination to more complex visual skills such as distance and depth cues.

Subjects Covered:

• Basic visual motor skills
• Basic visual perception: Feature, shape, and object identification
• Moving through the environment: Position distance and depth cues
• Increasing experiential knowledge through visual exploration in different environments

Go to top

Program to Develop Efficiency in Visual Functioning

N. C. Barraga & J. E. Morris. (1978-1980). American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, KY

These materials help train students to use their vision more efficiently. Two interrelated kits make up this program. The Diagnostic Assessment Procedure Kit identifies specific training needs. The Design for Instruction Kit contains lessons for vision training. It is recommended for students three years and older. Source Book on Low Vision 158 pp. Vol. II -Design for Instruction. 16 pp.

Go to top

Volume V-E: Project IVEY: Increasing Visual Efficiency. A Resource Manual for the Development and Evaluation of Special Programs for Exceptional Students.

K. M. Cook, A. J. Lussier, & J. F. Arthur. (1992). State of Florida Department of Education, Tallahassee. 510 pp.

The goal of this project is to develop and demonstrate a curriculum in vision stimulation and training in the use of low vision aids to improve the visual functioning of visually impaired students. Other major goals include: developing and implementing a cooperative system which would provide for better communication between educators and the eye care community, a staff development program for training professional and paraprofessional personnel to use the curricula and a parent training program to increase awareness and support of the educational goals.

Subjects Covered:

• Vision stimulation
• Low vision aids

Go to top

Children's Vision Concerns: Looks Beyond the Eyes!

L. Harrell. (1992). L. Harrell Productions, P. O. Box 2385, Placerville, CA 95667. 174 pp.

This book is a compendium of papers, lectures, case studies and reports to parents and professionals.

Subjects Covered:

• Getting the diagnosis: Early diagnosis - early intervention: The only way to go!; functional vision assessment checklist; a simple look at the eye exam; demystifying eye reports - a glossary of vision terminology
• Understanding the diagnosis: Amblyopia, strabismus and patching; cortical visual impairment, a challenging diagnosis; a brief look at congenital nystagmus or "dancing" eyes; more eye conditions
• Diagnostically related intervention: Children's vision concerns means children's developmental concerns; prescription for progress from the "E" chart; the visually impaired child and the "I" of language; orientation and mobility for infants and preschoolers; face it, with faces everywhere; words for me; moving along with braille; "Yikes! I'm going to have a visually impaired child in my class;" the visually impaired neonate
• Case reports: Home visit with a blind baby; a congenitally blind preschooler's needs; program visit of a totally blind 8 year old; home visit with a low vision toddler; a functional vision observation of a preschooler; learning to look at school; a family from another culture; a toddler who became blind; report for an education plan of blind premature twins; a deaf-blind child; program visit of a cortically visually impaired multi-handicapped child; addressing inappropriate behaviors

Go to top

Developmental Visual Dysfunction: Models for Assessment and Management

R. P. Erhardt. (1990). Therapy Skill Builders, Tucson, AZ. 210 pp.

Erhardt presents and compares four basic models for the management and remediation of visual problems in children with multiple impairments. These are medical, educational, developmental, and functional models. The book is intended to answer some of the questions therapists and transdisciplinary team members might have about visual deficits. Example goals and treatment programs are included.

Subjects Covered:

• Effects of prematurity
• Vision and posture
• Reflexive visual patterns
• Visual perception in infants
• Visual motor integration
• Visual assessment
• Management of visual motor dysfunction

Go to top

Foundations of Low Vision: Clinical and Functional Perspectives

A. L. Corn & A, J. Koenig. (1996). American Foundation for the Blind, New York. 474 pp.

This book is a general text about low vision, written for practicing professionals and soon-to-be professionals who will provide educational, rehabilitation, and clinical services to people with low vision. The themes of perspectives and functionality are emphasized in this book to provide the reader with a real-life sense of what low vision is, what the needs of people with low vision are, and what the effective delivery of low vision service entails.

Subjects Covered:

• Part One: Personal and Professional Perspectives
  • Perspectives on low vision
  • Psychological and social implications of low vision
  • Integration of vision skills for independent living
  • The literacy of individuals with low vision
• Part Two: Clinical Perspectives
  • Anatomy and physiology of the eye
  • Causes and functional implications of visual impairment
  • Optics and low vision devices
  • Clinical low vision services
• Part Three: Functional Perspectives
  • Functional vision assessment and instruction of children and youths in academic programs
  • Functional vision assessment and instruction of children and youths with multiple disabilities
  • Selection of learning and literacy media for children and youths with low vision
  • Instruction of literacy skills to children and youths with low vision
  • Orientation and mobility for children and adults with low vision
  • Adults with low vision: Personal, social, and independent living needs
  • Employment considerations for adults with low vision
  • Older adults with low vision

Go to top

Look at Me: A Resource Manual for the Development of Residual Vision in Multiply Impaired Children

A. J. Smith & K. S. Cote. (1982). Pennsylvania College of Optometry Press. Philadelphia. 157 pp.

This manual concentrates on background information as well as evaluation and teaching strategies necessary for educators who wish to help multiply impaired children reach their optimum levels of visual functioning.

Subjects Covered:

• Special considerations
• Basic anatomy of the eye
• Basic optical principles of the eye
• Common disorders and diseases of the eye
• Sensory integration
• Functional vision evaluation
• Vision stimulation sequence
• Additional Activities

Go to top

Low Vision: A Resource Guide with Adaptations for Students with Visual Impairments

N. Levack. (1994). Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Austin. 264 pp.

This book provides guidelines for assessing a student's visual functioning and implementing programming that will enhance students' visual functioning. It also serves as a reference guide for information related to low vision. Specific directions are given for conducting a functional vision evaluation and a comprehensive evaluation tool is provided.

Subjects Covered:

• Components of programming
• Assessment
• Planning, teaching and evaluation
• Adaptations
• Medical information related to visual impairment
• Physical conditions, the sensory systems, and how they affect visual performance
• Psychosocial implications of visual impairment

Go to top

South Carolina Functional Vision Assessment

L.W. Seabrook, O. Spann, W. Chaiken, S.G. Swaffield. (n.d.). South Carolina Derpartment of Education, Columbia, SC. 92 pp.

This instrument was designed to provide teachers with a framework for assessing the functional vision of students across ages, grades, pathologies, and ability levels. It is intended to provide a sequential organized approach to observing students.

Subjects Covered:

• Assessment manual: Introduction, procedural guidelines, medical information
• Visual skills assessment
• Visual perceptual skills: Visual developmental milestones, review of assessment and curricula
• Environmental analysis: Environmental lighting analysis, environmental layout, task analysis, outside environmental analysis
• Inventory of use of vision in daily activities

Go to top

Suggestions for Modifying the Home and School Environment

V. Brennan, F. Peck, & D. Lolli. (1992). Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA. 32 pp.

This simple handbook has been designed for parents and teachers of children with dual sensory impairments and multiple impairments. It contains practical suggestions for environmental adaptations to facilitate learning and mobility.

Subjects Covered:

• Home and classroom suggestions: Organization, illumination, selection and adaptation of materials
• Outdoor environmental factors: Illumination, color and contrast, size and distance, angle of viewing, rate of movement, visual clutter
• Low vision considerations in communication systems: Object calendars, photographs, tracings, print, abstract symbols, sign language

Go to top

A Vision Guide for Teachers of Deaf-Blind Children

M. Efron & B. R. DuBoff. (1975). Special Education Instructional Materials Development Center. Winston-Salem, NC. 62 pp.

Subjects Covered:

• Visual functioning and deafblind children
• Evaluating visual functioning
• Techniques and materials for improving visual functioning

Go to top

Agency Contact Information | Texas State Homepage | Texas State Wide Search

Please complete the comment form or send comments and suggestions to: Jim Allan (Webmaster-Jim Allan)

Last Revision: July 30, 2002