Westport Community Schools
Teacher of the Visually Impaired / Orientation & Mobility
Westport Community Schools, Head of Westport, Massachusetts, United States, 02781
REPORTS TO: Director of Special Education and Building Principals
JOB GOAL: To provide Vision services to special education students with a variety of needs and severity of disabilities to help students develop the strength and skills needed to participate in the school environment. Provide direct specialized instruction and consultative services for students who are blind or visually impaired including those with additional disabilities. Teach and/or modify content based on appropriate curriculum. Serve as a resource for training and consultation to school staff, families and community members as it relates to the students.
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.Determines the need for functional vision and learning media assessments, selects and administers a variety of appropriate assessment tools to evaluate the student, interprets evaluation data and medical eye reports, writes comprehensive reports, and recommends and provides lessons based on evaluation information 2.Evaluates the student's current visual status and implement strategies to improve students' functional visual abilities in school classrooms, hallways and other areas that may be part of their educational program (i.e., community facilities and vocational settings using a variety of functional, behavioral, and standardized assessments, skilled observation, checklists, histories, and interviews 3.Collaborates with teachers and other disciplines to evaluate students and develop Individualized Education Programs to meet student needs and ensure team understanding of student's visual performance strengths and needs, through evaluation, educational program planning, and service delivery which integrate services, goals and a program plan into the Individual Education Program in the least restrictive setting 4.Register students with visual impairments with appropriate agencies such as Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, State Library, and assist with referral to the State Commission for the Blind 5.Provides targeted, evidence-based therapeutic interventions with measurable objectives and appropriate student engagement strategies to facilitate and maximize student participation, independence, within the school environment 6.Provides the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach a VI student and assists the teachers in modifying classroom activities 7.Procures materials necessary for the student with visual impairments to learn (braille, low vision devices, assistive technology, computer) including ensuring necessary room modifications and lighting changes 8.Consults with other instructional staff to provide information to incorporate the TVI expanded core curriculum into the entire instructional setting 9.Adapts the physical environment and educates school personnel about the different considerations and accommodations required for students with visual impairments. 10.Evaluates adaptive equipment needs, and plans and trains teachers and assistants how to use equipment and implement visual programs as indicated 11.Monitors and reassess the effects of visual impairment intervention and the need to continue, modify or discontinue intervention and provides regular, specific feedback to students and families on student performance, including how it can be improved 12.Uses two-way communication with families about student performance and responds promptly and carefully to communication from families with consideration of cultural differences 13.Clearly communicates and consistently enforces specific standards for student work, effort, and behavior 14.Documents vision services to ensure accountability of service provision and meet standards for reimbursement of services as appropriate 15.Manages inventory of therapeutic equipment and assessments, and project needs for budget planning 16.Adheres to federal and state legislation, regulation, and policies that affect physical therapy practice, including compliance with all aspect of the Massachusetts IEP process and local procedures 17.Participates in continuing education for professional development to ensure practice consistent with best practice and to meet Massachusetts Licensure requirements 18.Uses professional literature, evidence based research, and continuing education content to make practice decisions 19.Uses professional Code of Ethics and standards of practice to guide ethical decision making 20.Consistently uses practices that are likely to enable students to demonstrate respect for differences 21.Regularly reflects on his/her practice, individually and with colleagues 22.Consistently seeks outs and applies ideas for improving practice from supervisors, colleagues, and professional developmental activities to gain expertise 23.Performs reasonable professional tasks or duties as may be requested by the Principal and/or Special Education Director.
SALARY: Salary to be determined by the School Committee and the collective bargaining unit.
EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Committee's policy on evaluation of support services personnel.
JOB GOAL: To provide Vision services to special education students with a variety of needs and severity of disabilities to help students develop the strength and skills needed to participate in the school environment. Provide direct specialized instruction and consultative services for students who are blind or visually impaired including those with additional disabilities. Teach and/or modify content based on appropriate curriculum. Serve as a resource for training and consultation to school staff, families and community members as it relates to the students.
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.Determines the need for functional vision and learning media assessments, selects and administers a variety of appropriate assessment tools to evaluate the student, interprets evaluation data and medical eye reports, writes comprehensive reports, and recommends and provides lessons based on evaluation information 2.Evaluates the student's current visual status and implement strategies to improve students' functional visual abilities in school classrooms, hallways and other areas that may be part of their educational program (i.e., community facilities and vocational settings using a variety of functional, behavioral, and standardized assessments, skilled observation, checklists, histories, and interviews 3.Collaborates with teachers and other disciplines to evaluate students and develop Individualized Education Programs to meet student needs and ensure team understanding of student's visual performance strengths and needs, through evaluation, educational program planning, and service delivery which integrate services, goals and a program plan into the Individual Education Program in the least restrictive setting 4.Register students with visual impairments with appropriate agencies such as Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, State Library, and assist with referral to the State Commission for the Blind 5.Provides targeted, evidence-based therapeutic interventions with measurable objectives and appropriate student engagement strategies to facilitate and maximize student participation, independence, within the school environment 6.Provides the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach a VI student and assists the teachers in modifying classroom activities 7.Procures materials necessary for the student with visual impairments to learn (braille, low vision devices, assistive technology, computer) including ensuring necessary room modifications and lighting changes 8.Consults with other instructional staff to provide information to incorporate the TVI expanded core curriculum into the entire instructional setting 9.Adapts the physical environment and educates school personnel about the different considerations and accommodations required for students with visual impairments. 10.Evaluates adaptive equipment needs, and plans and trains teachers and assistants how to use equipment and implement visual programs as indicated 11.Monitors and reassess the effects of visual impairment intervention and the need to continue, modify or discontinue intervention and provides regular, specific feedback to students and families on student performance, including how it can be improved 12.Uses two-way communication with families about student performance and responds promptly and carefully to communication from families with consideration of cultural differences 13.Clearly communicates and consistently enforces specific standards for student work, effort, and behavior 14.Documents vision services to ensure accountability of service provision and meet standards for reimbursement of services as appropriate 15.Manages inventory of therapeutic equipment and assessments, and project needs for budget planning 16.Adheres to federal and state legislation, regulation, and policies that affect physical therapy practice, including compliance with all aspect of the Massachusetts IEP process and local procedures 17.Participates in continuing education for professional development to ensure practice consistent with best practice and to meet Massachusetts Licensure requirements 18.Uses professional literature, evidence based research, and continuing education content to make practice decisions 19.Uses professional Code of Ethics and standards of practice to guide ethical decision making 20.Consistently uses practices that are likely to enable students to demonstrate respect for differences 21.Regularly reflects on his/her practice, individually and with colleagues 22.Consistently seeks outs and applies ideas for improving practice from supervisors, colleagues, and professional developmental activities to gain expertise 23.Performs reasonable professional tasks or duties as may be requested by the Principal and/or Special Education Director.
SALARY: Salary to be determined by the School Committee and the collective bargaining unit.
EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Committee's policy on evaluation of support services personnel.