Assessment Procedures

In an effort to ensure consistent and quality services to our students who are blind or visually impaired the leadership of Iowa Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Student has developed the following procedures and expectations to which all TVIs and COMS should adhere.

Functional Vision Assessment (FVA)

Requirements

  • Required as a part of any initial evaluation of a student for whom there is concern around vision issues that impact learning.
  • Should be updated with the 3-year Reevaluation of a student, or at any time that a team member observes changes in the student’s visual behaviors.
  • The FVA report in a Word document format should be uploaded to the FVA Assessment section of the statewide database.

Include

  • Should reflect how the student functions in a variety of environments and types of tasks over several assessment times. Templates for this report can be accessed at the link below:
  • Should include interview of the child, parent, and teacher. Interview templates can be accessed at the link below.

Specific Populations

  • For the preschool early access/early childhood aged child the following link will provide a valuable resource for assessment tools:
  • For the student who is totally blind or has only light perception, the TVI should provide a written statement of the visual diagnosis that has resulted in no functional vision. This may be incorporated into the LMA report. A template for this statement can be accessed at the link below:
  • For the student who has a diagnosis of cortical visual impairment the Christine Roman-Lansky Scale will be used:

Interview and report templates can be accessed at the link below: required report templates

Learning Media Assessment (LMA)

Requirements

  • Required as a part of any initial evaluation of a student for whom there is concern around vision issues that impact learning. Templates for these reports can be accessed at the link below:
  • Should be updated with the 3-year Reevaluation of a student, or at any time that a team member observes changes in the student’s visual behaviors that would suggest access to the curriculum is becoming more challenging.
  • The LMA report in a Word document format should be uploaded to the LMA Assessment section of the statewide database.

Include

  • A LMA would not be expected for a child birth to 3 years of age. However ongoing evaluation of auditory, visual tactual and gustatory skills to help predict school readiness is appropriate. Use Learning Media Assessment: A Resource Guide Forms 2 and 3.
  • Should include the components of review of education and medical records and interview of the student, parent, and teacher.
  • Should include observation of the student in the educational setting at different times of the day in a variety of settings; and assessment of the student to determine to most efficient learning and reading media. Use Learning Media Assessment: A Resource Guide Forms 3, 4 and 5.
  • For the student who is blind or has only light perception the LMA would assess the student’s tactual and auditory skills. It will be assumed that tactual will be the primary media of instruction in preparation for tactile objects/symbols or Braille instruction. However, the LMA will identify the student’s efficiency to gain and comprehend information through the tactual and auditory channels. Use Learning Media Assessment: A Resource Guide Forms 2-5 (Section I and Section II (accurate tactual identification of objects) of Form 5.

Specific Populations

  • For the preschool age student the following link will provide guidance in this assessment:
  • For the students who experience significant additional disabilities (in the birth-2 range developmentally):

The Sensory Learning Kit Guidebook and assessment forms should be used in the development of the LMA.

Alternative assessment instruments can be accessed from the following link:

Orientation and Mobility Assessment

Screening

  • Completed by the certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) for any child who is identified as eligible for vision services in Iowa.
  • Purpose of this screening process is the initial step to determine if the student is in need of further O&M evaluation and possible services.
  • Screening should be updated as requested by TVI, parents and district.
  • The suggested screening instruments can be accessed at the link below:
  • Completed screening should be uploaded to the O&M screening assessment section of the statewide database.

Evaluation

  • Completed by the COMS as a result of the screening which indicated significant need
  • Required as basis for the development of any IEP goals related to orientation and mobility
  • Updated as a part of the 3-year Reevaluation, however we recognize that the acquisition of skills is updated throughout the instructional year.
  • Final report of the O&M evaluation should be uploaded to the O&M assessment section of the statewide database.
  • A report checklist can be accessed at the link below: