This article presents the findings of the first phase of a multiyear funded project whose ultimate purpose is to clearly define and then create a video clip library of 8- to 10-minute video clips that demonstrate exemplary teaching practices for working with students who are visually impaired (that is, those who are blind or have low vision).…

Introduction: The study reported in this article tracked the learning rate of 43 children with multiple disabilities and visual impairments who had limited to no verbal language across seven months of classroom-based intervention using a standardized set of tangible symbols. Methods: The participants were introduced to tangible symbols on a daily…

Tangible symbols are objects or partial objects that can be physically manipulated and that share a perceptual relationship with what they represent, known as the referent. They make fewer demands on memory and representational ability, making them an appropriate expressive form of communication for individuals with visual impairments and…

Video analysis affords the observer the opportunity to capture and analyze videos of teaching practices, so that the observer can review, analyze, and synthesize specific examples of teaching in authentic classroom settings. The student teaching experience is the prime opportunity during the personnel preparation program in which student teachers…

Tangible symbols are objects or partial objects with qualities, such as shape, texture, and consistency, that can be used to represent a person, place, object, activity, or concept. They can be handled and share a perceptual relationship with what they represent, known as the referent. This article presents a study on the development of a…

Many children with severe or multiple disabilities, including those with visual impairment, are limited in their ability to communicate. "Communication" is defined as how a person exchanges information about his or her desires, needs, knowledge, and perceptions with another person. Communication can be verbal, written, or nonverbal, such as…

Since 1920, the Hadley School for the Blind in Winnetka, Illinois, has provided distance learning (via correspondence courses) to individuals who are visually impaired (that is, are blind or have low vision) and their families to support the acquisition of specialized skills and to attain the knowledge needed for full participation in life…

This article profiles the program delivery models, funding sources, and faculty demographics of 43 personnel preparation programs in 2002-03. It shows that there was an increase in the number of programs and fulltime faculty and a greater diversity of delivery models, although the number of tenure-track positions declined.

Clinical techniques for visual screening of infants that are not used in routine pediatric examinations include optokinetic nystagmus, preferential looking, and visually evoked potential. Greater use of such techniques might increase success of nonsurgical remedial intervention. (CL)