You Want Me to Do What?!! Meeting Teachers Where They Are: Building Capacity for Support of Students with Visual Impairment in the Classroom

Authors: Courtney Forman, Statewide Mentor Coordinator, Outreach Program, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, TSBVI; Natalie Parsley, TSVI, Temple ISD

The start of a new school year has its own brand of chaos. Many of us have seen, or been, the classroom teacher whose plate is already overflowing, welcoming a student with a visual impairment into their class. Alongside that student’s name on their class roster comes a stack of adaptive technology, a crash course in accessibility, and a wave of questions they aren’t sure how or when to ask. Adding to this is the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment (TSVI) and the Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) stopping by during the teacher’s only sliver of free time, for a whirlwind introduction, that leaves the teacher wondering: “Where do I even begin?”

Here’s the truth: as TSVIs and COMS, we focus on meeting students where they are and are skilled at adapting lessons, tools, and strategies to fit a learner’s unique needs. We extend that same care to families, meeting them at their current stage of understanding and capacity. But the educators in our students’ classrooms every day? Too often, we expect them to quickly absorb our specialized knowledge, master the use of assistive technology, and implement unfamiliar strategies, without first making space for honest conversation, shared problem-solving, and mutual learning.

Why This Matters

Research and experience tell us that a teacher’s perception of both their own capabilities and the level of support they receive from others often impacts the way they teach their students. 

A teacher’s perception of students with visual impairment is closely tied to the level of support they receive from the TSVI or COMS. When teachers believe they have consistent and meaningful support, they are more likely to embrace new strategies, experiment with innovative teaching, and integrate inclusive practices into daily routines. Conversely, when they feel overwhelmed, underprepared, or disconnected, teachers may default to less effective approaches, sometimes unintentionally excluding students from full participation. 

Our role is not just to serve students directly, but to build teacher confidence through intentional collaborative partnerships. Meeting teachers where they are is about active listening, making space for vulnerability, and being willing to adapt our support. When we acknowledge what we don’t know, invite the teacher’s expertise, and create strategies together, we build trust. We make classrooms more inclusive. Most importantly, we ensure that the strategies put in place actually work for the learning environment as a whole.

Simply put, effective collaboration and continuous support improve both teacher confidence and student outcomes. Miyauchi & Paul found that “…it is critical for general education teachers to possess knowledge and practical skills to support students’ academic and emotional needs because a TVI is usually only available for a limited amount of time in inclusive settings.”(2020). Also, “from the articles reviewed, general education teachers possessing a generic set of effective pedagogical strategies, effective teaching-learning tools, and external support were derived as key elements in increasing accessibility.” (Miyauchi, 2020).

Vulnerability as a Tool

Vulnerability is one of the most powerful yet underutilized tools we have to build collaborative relationships in education. If we are not willing to be open and vulnerable, how can we expect the teachers we work with to be vulnerable enough to try new things? We may be experts in our field, but we certainly don’t know everything facing students and teachers in today’s classrooms. 

What might being vulnerable look like?

• Real…and being realistic 
• Actively seeking input and insights from others, especially from teachers who are experts in curriculum content, classroom routines and campus expectations
• Allowing yourself to be open about not knowing or having the answer (yet) 
• Being willing to admit when something didn’t go as planned or didn’t work well
• Acknowledging that this work can be very challenging

When we model openness and vulnerability, we create space for teachers to ask questions and try new approaches without fear of judgment. It’s about being human first, an expert second. Teachers who feel supported gain confidence and are more likely to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. 

Over time, the thought process shifts from, “Not sure how that student can do this, let’s have them do something different from their peers,” to, “Let me try these tools so the student can participate with their peers.” We shift from default shutdown to empowerment and pave the way for student success. 

Practical Tips for Building Teacher Capacity

Frontload Support

Invest more time working with your student in the classroom towards the beginning of the year to build rapport, establish systems, model strategies, and identify barriers before challenges become entrenched. 

Plan With, Not For

Collaborate with classroom teachers to plan strategies they feel confident implementing. This builds teacher confidence and promotes ongoing accessibility (even in your absence). For example, using adjustable storage that doesn’t disrupt the teacher’s existing setup, such as a rolling cabinet or tiered drawers next to the student’s learning area, can cultivate student ownership while preserving space for necessary materials. This also provides meaningful opportunities for students to apply compensatory and self-determination skills through organizing and maintaining their own materials.

Ready to Use Tools

Use efficient, teacher-friendly technology tools to streamline collaboration and support timely material adaptations. If teachers won’t use a system, it won’t benefit anyone, so be sure it works for them. For example, shared drives (like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive) or folder systems are excellent tools for collaborating on expedient material adaptations, maintaining accessibility, and building student portfolios. Keep materials organized with visible due dates, adapt and upload them into students’ electronic folders for easy access or as an alternate format (particularly for dual-media learners), and build routines that can support ongoing student independence while also being sustainable for teachers to use consistently.

Chunk It

In-services and training are important but can be overwhelming. Consider a “one-pager” as a go-to resource for teachers. This is a one-page document that includes essential information about a student for teachers to read quickly and refer to as needed. They make a great collaboration tool, too! One-pagers can be used to document team discussions and established strategies, track consultation meetings, and serve as a central place to share resources/notes. They also function as quick reference guides, helping team members stay aligned on any updates, communication preferences, and key accommodations. By keeping everything concise and easily accessible, one-pagers support more efficient and consistent collaboration across teams.

Creating genuinely inclusive environments for students with visual impairment begins with meeting teachers where they are. By embracing vulnerability, presence, and adaptability, we become part of a truly collaborative educational team, one that shares responsibility for student success and achieves its best work in partnership. When we commit to this work together, we expand the possibilities for everyone, and most importantly, for the students we serve. 

As Robert John Meehan reminds us: “The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.”

References

Dea, P. & Negassa, D. (2019). The influence of demographic factors on teachers’ instructional practices and challenges in including students with visual impairment in government secondary schools of Harari Region. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 7(3), 19. 

Haakma, I., Janssen, M. J., & Minnaert, A. E. (2018). Need support in students with visual impairments: Comparing teacher and student perspectives. Frontiers in Education, 2. 

Miyauchi, H. (2020). A systematic review on inclusive education of students with visual impairment. Education Sciences, 10(11), 346. 

Miyauchi, H. & Paul, P. V. (2020). Perceptions of students with visual impairment on inclusive education: A narrative meta-analysis. Journal Human Research in Rehabilitation, 10(2), 4–25. 

Meehan, R. J. (2025, February 20). The most valuable resource teachers have… https://robertjohnmeehan.com/f/the-most-valuable-resource-that-teachers-have