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VISSIT Overview

The VISSIT: Visual Impairment Scale of Service Intensity of Texas is designed to guide teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) in determining the type and amount of itinerant TVI services to recommend for students on their caseload.

Overview of the VISSIT Process

VISSIT Logo

For each student, the TVI will complete and/or review current evaluations (FVE/LMA, ECC, and other relevant evaluations), including present levels of functioning. The TVI will use evaluation results to complete the VISSIT.

It is the underlying assumption that, prior to completing the VISSIT, a thorough evaluation of student needs has been conducted.

The VISSIT has three columns:

  • ECC Skill Area
  • Direct Instruction from the TVI
  • Educational Team & Family Support/Collaboration

The first column (ECC Skill Area) lists the areas to be addressed. The remaining two columns are categories in which a value (number) representing individual level of student need for TVI service will be assigned to each ECC skill area and subsection. The values and value labels are:

0 = no need (no need at this time)

1 = low need (occasional support and maintenance of skills)

4 = medium need (needs skills but lower priority, generalization and fluency development)

7 = high need (priority-complete mastery of introduced skills)

10 = intense need (acquisition of new skills)

The descriptions of these values are listed under each type of service on the scale to help guide these choices.  These two types of service are:

Direct Instruction from the TVI that will typically be recommended for those areas that require the specialized skills of the TVI to help a student acquire or maintain skills. Examples may include instruction in vision-specific technology, adapted literacy strategies, unique adaptations for calendars or communication systems, sensory efficiency, specific social interaction skills, etc. The value assigned will depend upon such issues as:

  • Student need for acquisition or maintenance of skills
  • Skill complexity (e.g., how to use a screen reader vs. a handheld magnifier)
  • Student learning style
  • Student and family priorities
  • Age-appropriate programming

Educational Team Support/Collaboration is the time needed by the TVI to share strategies, materials, adapted curriculum, environmental modifications, and medical information and to model and monitor instructional techniques with the educational team, including family members. The value assigned will depend upon such issues as:

  • Experience level of team members
  • Complexity of adaptations needed
  • Presence of paraeducator
  • Number of staff who are interacting with the student

Contributing Factors

There are two factors that merit separate consideration in determining the intensity of services to be recommended.  Contributing factors are variables not addressed by evaluation of the student’s present levels in the ECC that may increase or decrease the numerical value of the intensity of service. These factors include:

Significant Transition

Transition means a significant change in educational setting or instructors that may increase the need for TVI services (+ 10 points) (e.g., from home to school; from ECI to preschool; campus change; from school to homebound setting; from school to higher education, vocational placement, or community settings, etc.).

Significant Medical Status or Condition

A student’s medical status or condition may increase (+10 points) or decrease (-10 points) suggested TVI instructional intensity. A significant change in vision, including a sudden accident, may result in an increase in need for TVI services. On the other hand, the student’s medical situation such as fragility, stamina, chronic seizures, increased immune deficiency due to cancer treatment, and/or deteriorating health may limit the student’s ability to receive TVI instruction, which results in a decrease in need for TVI services.