Welcoming Preschoolers with Vision Disabilities

Preschool children with vision disabilities are eligible for special education and should learn alongside their peers without disabilities. This is called the least restrictive environment (LRE). In Illinois, many settings can be the LRE. Options include: public pre-K, private preschool, Head Start, and childcare. Children with vision disabilities may have received early intervention (EI). Preschool staff can work with EI providers on a successful transition. The blog provides information for preschool programs educating a child with blindness or visual impairment.

Collaborative Teams

A team of professionals works together to provide services to a young child with vision disabilities. The IEL Tip Sheet  Inclusion in Preschool Classrooms contains information about who you might include on this team. The team always includes the child’s parents and classroom teachers. Children with vision impairments have additional unique team members who support them. For example, a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) provides specialized instruction and support, including Braille and assistive technology. An orientation and mobility specialist (O&M) teaches skills for safe traveling in a classroom, home, and community. Learn more in the IEL Q&A, Orientation and Mobility for Young Children with Visual Impairments.

Assessment and Planning for Instruction

Young children with visual disabilities participate in an assessment to determine their unique needs. The TVI and O&M assess the child’s:

• Functional use of vision – what they can see and how well they can see it
• Learning media needs – Examples include large print and assistive technology.
• Strengths and needs in the expanded core curriculum (ECC) – The ECC is knowledge needed specifically by students with visual impairments. For example, reading Braille is not part of the general education curriculum but is a necessary skill for people who cannot see printed words.

After the assessment, the team designs an individual education program (IEP). The IEP includes the child’s yearly goals and benchmarks in areas such as academics, independent skills, communication, and orientation and mobility.

Staff Roles and Responsibilities

The TVI and O&M specialist provide specialized instruction related to the expanded core curriculum. They adapt classroom routines and activities. They can also provide professional development for classroom staff.

The preschool teacher can support specialized instruction in many ways, including:

• Advocating for vision specific instruction
• Collaborating with the TVI and O&M specialist
• Reinforcing specialized instruction in the classroom
• Collaborating with parents – understanding what and how the child learns at home, and incorporating that information into classroom practices
• Building a culture of acceptance in the classroom, so that blind students feel welcome

Instructional Strategies

Instructional strategies are specific to each child.  However, many underlying goals are similar. For example, teachers can:

• Focus on safety as a top priority but allow some independence. A buddy system with a sighted peer can be helpful.
• Design small group activities so the child with visual impairment engages with sighted peers, rather than just adults.
• Foster sensory development, with many opportunities to listen, touch, and see. This helps a child build concept development.
• Promote socialization. Help the child differentiate between classmates. Give them strategies for finding friends when they’d like to play.

Children with visual impairments often fall into one of three main categories: visual learners, tactual learners, or auditory learners. Different types of learners will benefit from different strategies.

Visual Learners

Not all people with visual impairments are completely blind. Visual learners rely on their functional sight to engage with their environment. Here are some adaptions for visual learners.

• High contrast mats or trays to highlight the child’s workspace. A tray also helps keep materials organized and contained on the table.
• Large print books
• A graphic to designate a child’s cubby or chair, such as a large, brightly colored star.

Tactual Learners

Tactual learners rely on touch and feel to understand their environment. Here are some strategies for tactual learners.

• Classroom center areas and materials (e.g., Science) labeled in Braille
• Tactile books – which are explored and understood through touch. They include various textures, objects, and raised elements to represent the story or concept. For example, a soft piece of cloth on a page may represent a story about using a blanket at bedtime.
• A raised graphic to designate a child’s cubby or chair
• Tactile materials included in each learning center (e.g., blocks with various textures)
• Tactile items to hold during discussions – For example, if the class is discussing fruit, hand the child a real banana or orange to touch, feel, smell.

Auditory learners

Auditory learners rely on sound and spoken language to understand their environment. Here are some strategies for auditory learners.

• Audio books
• Assistive technology, such as voice activated computer software
• Preferential seating (e.g., sitting close to the teacher giving verbal directions)
• Verbal descriptions of materials (“You’re holding a fork. It feels smooth and cold and has three pointy tips to pick up food.”)
• Auditory materials included in each learning center (e.g., musical instruments)
• Familiar songs played during classroom transitions, to signal upcoming activities
• Videos with subtitles read aloud by an adult
• Videos with audio description – a voice overlay that describes visually important content

It may take some time for a teacher to understand and use new classroom strategies and materials to support children with blindness and vision disabilities. The result can be a positive and inclusive experience for all children.

IEL Resources

Tip sheet: Inclusion in Preschool Classrooms

Q&A: Orientation and Mobility for Young Children with Visual Impairments