VISION THERAPY GUIDANCE (Revised July 2017)
The purpose of this document is to help Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI) with requests for provision of vision therapy to students who do not have a vision loss.
Attorney Jim Walsh, a noted special education attorney, suggests a three step response when parents request an evaluation based on a medical referral. TVIs are encouraged to follow these three steps when vision therapy is recommended by a medical professional:
1)Thank parents for their interest and concern regarding their child’s education, as well as for sharing any information they have which might assist the team in educating the child.
2)Ask parents to sign an Exchange of Information form. Explain to parents that IESBVI staff will want to share information with the doctor regarding the child’s current rate of progress and converse with the doctor about how vision therapy might impact the child’s educational progress.
3)Contact the doctor. Ask the doctor to describe how the decision to recommend vision therapy in school was made. Did the physician visit with anyone from the school or review school records? What information was the parent able to share with the physician? How long has the physician been involved in working with the child and has the issue of convergence insufficiency been monitored over time?
Once you have gathered further information from the medical professional who made the referral, proceed as follows:
- Contact your regional director to discuss the situation.
- Contact the building administrator to arrange a problem-solving meeting with members of theeducational team, including parents.
- Use the Vision Therapy Position Statement (revised July 2017) to guide your discussion about vision therapy as an evidence-based educational intervention.
- Given the medical referral, school based problem-solving teams might best be served by completing the Disability Suspected Form to determine if an evaluation for special education services is warranted. If student is on an IEP, a reevaluation may be warranted.
- If the parents have further questions concerning vision therapy as an educational intervention, refer them on to the AEA vision liaison or AEA administrator that oversees that school district.
Note:Parents, LEA and AEA staff are welcome to contact the appropriate Regional Director at Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired for further discussion or inclusion in problem-solving meeting or IEP meeting.
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