VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

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VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Authorities:  34 CFR Part 300; Texas Education Code; 19 TAC Chapter 89

 
 
 
  FEDERAL AND STATE REQUIREMENTS
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The child must be assessed in all areas of suspected disability. Citations:
300.304(c)(4)
Practice
The local education agency (LEA) must comply with the EVALUATION PROCEDURES framework.
Practice

In Texas, the group of qualified professionals that determines whether the child is a child with a disability and the educational needs of the child is the child's ADMISSION, REVIEW, AND DISMISSAL COMMITTEE.

Citations:
89.1040(b)
89.1050(a)(5)
Practice
For the child from birth through two years of age with a visual impairment, an individualized family service plan meeting must be held in place of the admission, review, and dismissal committee meeting; and the LEA must comply with the AGES 0-5 framework. Citations:
89.1050(b)
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A child under three years of age meets the criteria for visual impairment, if the child's record indicates that the child is experiencing a developmental delay because of vision loss or impairment, or the child has a physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delay and a sensory impairment.
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(C)
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A person who is appropriately certified as an orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) must participate in an initial eligibility determination and any reevaluation as part of the multidisciplinary team, in evaluating data used to make the determination of the child's need for specially designed instruction.
Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(B)
TEC 30.002(c-1)
TEC 30.002(c-2)
 
EVALUATION PROCEDURES
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Information from a variety of sources must be considered by the multidisiplinary team that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of the child's disability based on visual impairment in order to determine the need for specially designed instruction and must include:
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)
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  • A medical report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist that: 
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(i)
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    • Indicates the visual loss stated in exact measures of visual field and corrected visual acuity at a distance and at near range, in each eye; or
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(i)
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    • If exact measures cannot be obtained, the eye specialist must so state and provide best estimates of the visual loss; and
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(i)
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    • Should also include a diagnosis and prognosis whenever possible and whether the child has:
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(i)
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  • No vision or a visual loss after correction; or
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(i)(I)
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      • A progressive medical condition that will result in no vision or a visual loss after correction.
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(i)(II)
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  • A functional vision evaluation by a certified teacher of children with visual impairments, or a COMS that includes: 
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(ii)
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    • Performance of tasks in a variety of environments requiring the use of both near and distance vision; and
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(ii)
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    • Recommendations concerning the need for a clinical low vision evaluation;
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(ii)
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  • A learning media assessment by a certified teacher of children with visual impairments that includes:
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(iii)
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    • Recommendations concerning which specific visual, tactual, and/or auditory learning media are appropriate for the child; and 
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(iii)
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    • Whether there is a need for ongoing evaluation in this area; and
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(iii)
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  • As part of the full individual and initial evaluation, an orientation and mobility evaluation performed by a COMS in a variety of lighting conditions and a variety of settings including in the child’s home, school, and community and in settings unfamiliar to the child.
 Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)(A)(iv)
TEC 30.002(c-1)(1)
 
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Practice
A child with a visual impairment is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for visual impairment. Citations:
89.1040(c)(12)
300.8(c)(13)
Practice
The term visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects the child's educational performance, and includes both partial sight and blindness.
 Citations:
300.8(c)(13)
  Last Updated : Mon, Jan 27, 2025