What to include in an IEP for a student who has CVI

What to include in an IEP for a student who has CVI
What to include in an IEP for a student who has CVI

Whether you are a parent of a child with cortical visual impairment (CVI), a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI), therapist or other provider, most people struggle when it comes to writing IEPs (Individualized Education Program) for students who have CVI. With input from TVI Matt Tietjen*, here is what to include for students with CVI. The IEP format looks different from state to state, but they all contain the same information. It should be noted that our source for all discussion of cortical visual impairment, the Phases, ten  characteristics, accommodations and modifications is Cortical Visual Impairment: An Approach to Assessment and Intervention, by Christine Roman-Lantzy. Continue reading “What to include in an IEP for a student who has CVI”

‘Why We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us’ NYT article

Have you ever wondered ‘Why We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us’? Insightful New York Times article on how expectations affect our visual perception. It is hard not to think of the implications for a child who has cortical visual impairment. The simulation is almost like a CVI Complexity Sequence card for those who do not live with CVI. And it brings to mind the words of Christine Roman-Lantzy: “For a child with CVI, seeing is easier when they know what to look for.” Continue reading “‘Why We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us’ NYT article”

How your child can help my child who has CVI

How your child can help my child who has CVI
How your child can help my child who has CVI

Waiting outside the classroom door for our kids to be dismissed, another mom smiled to me and said, “Let me know if there is anything Ben can do to help Jasper.” This mom was not yet familiar, and all at once a stunned gratitude welled up inside me. This other mom obviously had some awareness of Jasper’s cortical visual impairment (CVI). Continue reading “How your child can help my child who has CVI”

‘Drink before you’re thirsty’

'Drink before you're thirsty'
‘Drink before you’re thirsty’

Being inside a school classroom all day and sitting still and listening and paying attention and following directions and transitions and remembering to keep your hands to yourself and to be a friend and be kind is challenging for any six year old child. But being in a general education setting all day long and remembering to do all of the above and follow along is different for a child who has cortical visual impairment (CVI), who does not have the same visual access as his peers. Figuring out behavior is a challenge made excessively more difficult when the educational team does not know enough about CVI. Continue reading “‘Drink before you’re thirsty’”