Documented-Time Activities
Direct Service Time – specially designed instruction delivered by a TSVI/COMS to individuals and/or small groups to provide instruction in the expanded core curriculum (ECC) and access to the core curriculum. Direct services are provided to address educational needs directly related to the student’s visual impairment and not to provide additional academic instruction (i.e., tutoring). For the purpose of this tool, direct service time totals come from VISSIT/O&M VISSIT results of all the students on a caseload.
Collaborative Consultation Time* – an interactive process that enables itinerant VI professionals to generate creative solutions to mutually defined problems with other educational team members, including families. Time spent in this activity should be documented in the IEP/IFSP meeting. This term replaces “indirect service.” For the purpose of this tool, collaborative consultation time totals come from VISSIT/O&M VISSIT results of all the students on a caseload.
*Referred to on the VISSIT and O&M VISSIT as “Educational Team Support/Collaboration”
Travel Time – time spent in traveling from one location (home, school, and/or community) to another and within buildings to perform duties related to the student’s educational program or additional workload activities.
Duty-Free Lunch – allocated lunch time free of all work assignments, depending on individual state guidelines.
Student-Specific Activities
Materials/Equipment Preparation and Procurement – the production and/or purchasing of materials and equipment unique to the education of a student with a visual impairment. Includes, but is not limited to, converting print and graphics to braille/raised line drawings, enlarging print, making tactile symbols, building/creating active learning materials, converting text to audible formats, building adaptive mobility devices, hardware/software setup/installation, and creating tactile maps.
IEP/IFSP Meetings – Planning/Participation – time related to this category includes both planning and participation in the IEP/IFSP process.
Braille Materials Preparation – includes planning, production, and proofreading of braille and tactile graphics/maps.
Lesson Preparation – time spent to develop, plan, and write the contents of a lesson. May include route planning for COMS. Does not include time spent in preparing and/or procuring materials or equipment used in the lesson (this time will be reported in the Materials/Equipment Preparation and Procurement category).
Evaluations – time spent on evaluations/assessments for eligibility/reevaluation/dismissal, IEP/IFSP development, and/or progress monitoring. These may include the Functional Vision Evaluation, Learning Media Assessment, Orientation and Mobility Evaluation, and ECC Evaluation. Evaluation time may also include observation and collaboration with other team members.
Medical Appointments – time spent attending sensory-related medical evaluations, such as clinical low vision evaluations, audiology appointments, and eye doctor appointments.
Accountability Reporting – time spent in progress monitoring and data collection (including observations), documentation for Medicaid reimbursement programs, and completing daily logs.
Assistive Technology (AT) Support – time spent may include attending specialized training specific to individual AT products/devices; AT training or modeling for teachers, paraeducators, and/or family members; communicating with vendors or campus/district IT staff to set up the student’s AT and/or resolve technology challenges.
Applications for Other Services or Program Development – completing applications and documentation for specialized programs on behalf of students such as summer programs, short-term programs, camps, work programs, ESY programs, etc. Program development may include time spent in creation and/or participation in a summer ECC program, technology, sports, or O&M skill-related event.
Preparation and Administration of High-Stakes Testing – includes standardized statewide assessments, advanced placement testing, end-of-course tests, benchmark testing, college entrance exams (PSAT/SAT/ACT), etc.
Non-Student-Specific Activities
Technical Assistance/Training for Others – providing training or demonstrations to general district or campus staff, community workers, and others that are NOT directly related to a specific student (e.g., training on basic O&M techniques and terminology; reviewing assistive technology options for a range of students; teaching gestures and basic signs for students who are deafblind; training on the referral process to assessment personnel; presenting to a class on White Cane Day; discussing the role of a TSVI/COMS at a career day/job fair; a “VI 101” general presentation to district administrators/staff); serving as a mentor or cooperating teacher for new vision professionals.
District-Required Meetings – time spent attending meetings or other duties required by the district that are not student-specific. Examples may include campus faculty meetings, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) training, professional evaluations, and/or health and safety training.
Staff/Professional Development – time spent attending training, webinars, conferences, and/or participating in professional learning communities.
Team/Staff Meetings – time spent meeting with the VI team, supervisor, student-specific staffing, and/or 504 meetings.
General Terminology Related to Workload
TVI/TSVI – Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments
TDB/TSDB – Teacher of Students Who are Deafblind
O&M Specialist – Orientation and Mobility Specialist
COMS – Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist*
*Outside of Texas, O&M specialists may be identified by other certifications and acronyms.
Caseload – the number of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) served by VI professionals through direct and/or collaborative consultation service delivery options.
Collaboration –two or more individuals work together towards a common goal of planning, implementing, or evaluating a specific aspect of an educational program for a student or group of students.
Consultation – an interaction in which information or guidance is shared or views are exchanged between VI professionals and others (e.g., teachers, paraeducators, medical professionals, family members, interveners, braillists, etc.).
Dual Certified – individuals who are certified as both a TVI/TSVI and COMS, and who, for the purpose of this tool, function in both roles simultaneously.
Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) –concepts and skills that often require specialized instruction with students who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind in order to compensate for decreased opportunities to learn incidentally by observing others. Includes Assistive Technology, Career Education, Compensatory Skills, Independent Living Skills, Orientation and Mobility, Recreation/Leisure, Self-Determination, Sensory Efficiency, and Social Interaction Skills.
Extended School Year (ESY) – services beyond the regular school year as determined by the IEP committee.
Observation (student) – time spent watching the student in various environments (home, school, community) for the purpose of evaluation and/or progress monitoring.
Team Members – general and/or special education teachers, paraeducators, interveners, instructional and related service staff, family members, administrators, school assessment personnel, state agency representatives, and other stakeholders involved with students’ programming.
VI Professional – individuals who work with students with visual impairments (TVI/TSVI, COMS, TDB/TSDB).
Workload – all activities required and performed by the VI professional. Workload includes time for direct services with students, collaborative consultation services with team members, other activities necessary to support students’ education programs, and non-student-specific activities that are the responsibility of a VI professional.