A Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) is a specialized educator who provides instruction and support to students with visual impairments. A TVI is responsible for assessing the educational needs of each student and developing an individualized education plan (IEP) to address those needs. They work closely with the student, their family, and other educators to ensure that appropriate accommodations and support are provided to help the student succeed.
A TVI is a vital member of a student’s educational team, providing specialized expertise and support to ensure that the student receives a comprehensive education. They work collaboratively with other educators to ensure that the student’s needs are met in all areas of their education.
TVIs are usually the vision experts on the IEP team. They will likely conduct the FVA (Functional Vision Assessment) to determine if the student is eligible for vision services. It’s important to keep in mind that visual impairment is a diverse group. TVIs are trained to work with students from 0 – 21, and with a variety of visual impairments. This might include neurological visual impairments (CVI), deafblindness, visual impairments and autism (ASDVI), and students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment (MDVI). Because the range of student is so diverse, most TVIs are life-long learners.
TVIs also provide instruction in assistive technology, such as screen readers or magnification devices, to help students access information in the classroom. At SBES, we rely heavily on assistive technology such as refreshable braille displays, voiceover technology, and remote desktop connections.
It’s important to point out that a TVI is different from a COMS (Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist); COMS specialize in skills related to orientation and mobility. A TVI might also be a COMS, but that should be clearly outlined to the team.
We have a large team of TVI’s here at SBES and offer a wide range of services. Get in contact with us to find out what is a TVI?
