Overview of Programs and Services

A Center for Educational Services for All Blind and Visually Impaired  Students in Texas.

Opportunities for children and youth with visual impairments to develop  the skills necessary to lead personally, socially, and vocationally  satisfying and productive lives.

Overview of Programs and Services printable attachment

TSBVI is a special public school established and funded by the state  of Texas to provide specialized and intense services that focus on  the unique learning needs of students with visual impairments, including  those with additional disabilities. The School is accredited  by the Texas Education Agency as part of the public education system  of Texas. TSBVI provides a broad range of instructional programs  and specialized instruction, including a residential program, at  no cost to students or their families during the regular school year  and in summer programs. Students receive instruction that can prepare  them for high school graduation, for return to their local  school districts, or for transition to further education, training  or placement in local communities.

Educational Programs

Curriculum

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired curriculum is  designed to meet the unique needs of visually impaired learners.  Students work primarily in one of these curricular approaches, but  may participate in parts of others.

Academics - Designed for students who are functioning within two  years of their grade level. This is the regular, public school curriculum  for grades K-12, including the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills  adopted by the state. In addition to attending classes at TSBVI,  many academic courses are taught at campuses of the Austin Independent  School District. Students receive additional academic support for  these courses at TSBVI from teachers certified in Visual Impairment.

Elementary Concepts - Designed for students ages 6-12 years of age  who are blind or visually impaired and may have additional impairments.  This approach is for students who are at the readiness level for  academic learning, but are not yet reading, writing or doing math  on a first grade level. Programming consists of thematic units, which  involve students in age-appropriate learning activities in concept  development, math readiness, reading & writing readiness, music & games,  art, cooking, and social play.

Practical Academics - Designed for students 12 years of age or older  who are functioning more than two years below their chronological  age, with at least kindergarten equivalent reading and writing skills.  Practical Academics courses focus on teaching students to use their  academics skills in a variety of meaningful, functional tasks in  preparation for adult life. These students can be taught in a self-contained  classroom, a subject-specific classroom, and/or community based setting,  depending on individual needs and abilities. The course work will  be driven primarily by the students IEP (Individualized Education  Program) Goals and Objectives.

Basic Skills - Designed for students aged 6-22 who have visual impairments  combined with other disabilities who learn best with the support  of consistent routines and meaningful functional activities. Often  these students have difficulty generalizing skills in new and different  situations. Social and emotional development, communication skills,  and community-based instruction are significant components of this  approach.

EXIT (EXperiences In Transition)

Designed to focus on transitioning  young adults from school to the adult world. This course of study  will provide programming for Practical Academic students ages 18-22  in an environment that more closely replicates the adult environment  in which they will be living. The EXIT program focuses on these areas  of transition: personal management; housing/household management;  adult leisure, recreation and fitness; physical and mental health  needs; transportation; employment; post secondary education; and  age of majority. Also included will be instruction in social skills  and self determination skills.

Comprehensive Programs

• provides a comprehensive core curriculum and training in skills for independence to meet the needs of each student during the regular school year
• special focus on the expanded core curriculum:
  • braille and other modes to access the general curriculum
  • orientation and mobility
  • assistive technology
  • career education
  • independent living skills
  • recreation and leisure
  • self-determination
  • sensory efficiency
  • social interaction skills
• opportunity for coursework in Austin ISD schools
• on-campus residential living skills training
• weekends home transportation
• a full array of recreational and competitive extracurricular activities including drama, art, musical performance, student council, track and field, wrestling, goal ball, swim team, rowing and tandem biking
• strong emphasis on successful transition to adult life

Post Secondary Program

This program, offered in partnership with  the Texas Commission for the Blind, provides training for students  who are legally blind and have a regular State Board of Education  high school diploma or GED. Students seeking this post-secondary  experience are in need of remedial academic, independent living and  work-related skills training. They will cultivate the skills, attitudes  and opportunities necessary to meet the demands of competitive employment  and adult living.

Special Areas - Instruction is also available in expanded core curricular  areas, such as:

• Compensatory Skills - Braille and Adapted Mathematics
• Orientation & Mobility
• Recreation/Leisure Skills
• Social Interaction Skills
• Career Education
• Independent Living Skills
• Technology
• Visual Efficiency Skills

These learning experiences are included in regular classroom activities  and/or specifically designed instruction.

Related Services - Services are provided to identified students in  the areas of occupational and physical therapy, counseling, school  health, social work, low vision and assistive technology/adaptive  equipment.

Special Programs

Special Programs provide short-term services to  visually impaired students who attend their local districts during  the school year. Special Programs provide two types of service:

• Short-Term Programs range from three to five days in length and offer  intensive, individual, narrowly focused training to academic students  in any area specifically related to vision loss, such as adaptive  technology, Braille, and tactile math tools. Close collaboration  with independent school districts occurs before and after participation  in these programs. Contact Lauren Newton at (512) 206-9119.
• Summer Programs provide a wide range of offerings,  from elementary to high school, academic to severely multiply-impaired,  in a broad array of content areas such as vocational, functional  application of academic skills, independent living skills, social-emotional  development, and adapted athletics.

For information about admission to any of the programs, contact the  TSBVI Office of Admissions at 512-206-9182

Outreach Programs

The Outreach Programs serve as a statewide resource  for families and professionals on blindness and/or deafblindness.  The Outreach Programs:

• consult with local districts on student programming, in coordination  with regional education service centers
• sponsor local and regional workshops, statewide conferences and  regularly scheduled videoconferences
• produce original materials, including a quarterly newsletter,  SensAbilities, in print and on the website
• administer a technology loan program, through which local programs  may borrow specialized technology for use by individual students  for up to one school year
• coordinate statewide registration of students with visual impairments  and the deafblind census
• distributes specialized materials from the American Printing House  for the Blind with federal quota funds
• coordinate mentors for new teachers and orientation and mobility  specialists, and supports personnel prep programs

Curriculum Development

This department develops curriculum written by teachers and other certified  professionals for blind and visually impaired students in all curricular  approaches. Curriculum and resource guides are published and sold worldwide  to assist parents, teachers, and other professionals and paraprofessionals  in areas such as independent living, career education, technology, Braille  instruction, orientation and mobility and low vision. Each guide contains  assessment and instructional methodology.

TSBVI Website

The School hosts this accessible resource,  recognized throughout the world for content concerning visual impairment  and the education of blind and visually impaired students.

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Overview of Programs and Services

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