Hi, Should a child who has Convergence Insufficiency and Ocular Motor Dysfunction be evaluated for Vision Services or is this strictly handled by OT and a Vision *Therapist*? Thanks, Lisa Faret (TVI)

If the child is has not already been found eligible for special education... The question is whether or not the student has an impairment in vision which, even with correction, impacts his/her access to education. Diagnoses cannot determine eligibility. Eligibility categories/labels do not determine services. Schools cannot categorically deny eligibility based on a medical diagnosis (or lack of diagnosis). Eligibility under a certain disability category (e.g. visual impairment) does not determine what special education services and support a child receives. Services should be based on assessed needs. So a child with convergence insufficiency and/or an ocular-motor condition could be found eligible based on a functional vision evaluation (for example, if the child experienced vision trouble in sustained reading activities), but the services the child needs might be best provided by an OT or a reading specialist. It's up to the IEP team to look at the assessment data and figure out the services to be provided (and TVIs are not trained in and should not be expected to provide vision therapy, if that is what the school and IEP team want to provide). If he already has an IEP, then eligibility determination is not such an issue (unless the IEP team or parents just want the label). A functional vision assessment might be helpful to the IEP team and could be requested. Or not. Resources: OSEP memo from last year: http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/directconnect-newsletter/osep-eligibility-memo-may-2017/1235 AER Low Vision Rehabilitation division paper on vision therapy: https://aerbvi.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Low-Vision_AERBVI-Position-Paper-on-Vision-Therapy-5.4.17.docx OSEP memo summary and implications from AFB - http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/directconnect-newsletter/osep-eligibility-memo-may-2017/1235 Letter to OSEP signed by many in our field: http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/directconnect-newsletter/osep-eligibility-memo-may-2017/1235 Thanks! Rebecca Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Droid On Jun 11, 2018 5:15 PM, Lisa Faret <faretlisa@gmail.com> wrote: Hi, Should a child who has Convergence Insufficiency and Ocular Motor Dysfunction be evaluated for Vision Services or is this strictly handled by OT and a Vision Therapist? Thanks, Lisa Faret (TVI)

Hello In addition to remarks by Rebecca, not all occupational therapists are qualified to provide services to students with visual impairments. The License OT should have extensive postgraduate training in treatment of visual impairments (SLVT, CVRT, certification from U.of Alabama in Birmingham). I would expect the TVI and qualified optometrist to assess the student’s needs as it relates to educational performance . Coby Livingstone, MA, OTL, CVRT 505-259-3672 FindingSolutions Together Sent from my iPhone > On Jun 11, 2018, at 3:57 PM, Rebecca Sheffield <rsheffield@afb.net> wrote: > > If the child is has not already been found eligible for special education... > > The question is whether or not the student has an impairment in vision which, even with correction, impacts his/her access to education. > > Diagnoses cannot determine eligibility. > Eligibility categories/labels do not determine services. > > Schools cannot categorically deny eligibility based on a medical diagnosis (or lack of diagnosis). Eligibility under a certain disability category (e.g. visual impairment) does not determine what special education services and support a child receives. Services should be based on assessed needs. So a child with convergence insufficiency and/or an ocular-motor condition could be found eligible based on a functional vision evaluation (for example, if the child experienced vision trouble in sustained reading activities), but the services the child needs might be best provided by an OT or a reading specialist. It's up to the IEP team to look at the assessment data and figure out the services to be provided (and TVIs are not trained in and should not be expected to provide vision therapy, if that is what the school and IEP team want to provide). > > If he already has an IEP, then eligibility determination is not such an issue (unless the IEP team or parents just want the label). A functional vision assessment might be helpful to the IEP team and could be requested. Or not. > > > Resources: > > OSEP memo from last year: http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/directconnect-newsletter/osep-eligibility-memo-may-2017/1235 > > AER Low Vision Rehabilitation division paper on vision therapy: > https://aerbvi.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Low-Vision_AERBVI-Position-Paper-on-Vision-Therapy-5.4.17.docx > > OSEP memo summary and implications from AFB - http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/directconnect-newsletter/osep-eligibility-memo-may-2017/1235 > > Letter to OSEP signed by many in our field: > http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/directconnect-newsletter/osep-eligibility-memo-may-2017/1235 > > Thanks! > > Rebecca > > > Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Droid > On Jun 11, 2018 5:15 PM, Lisa Faret <faretlisa@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi, > > Should a child who has Convergence Insufficiency and Ocular Motor Dysfunction be evaluated for Vision Services or is this strictly handled by OT and a Vision Therapist? > > Thanks, > Lisa Faret > (TVI) > You are subscribed to AERNet, The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Listserv. > > To post a message to all the list members, send an email to aernet@lists.aerbvi.org. > > Address list requests to: aernet-request@lists.aerbvi.org > > To unsubscribe from this list, go to http://lists.aerbvi.org/mailman/listinfo/aernet_lists.aerbvi.org and follow instructions to unsubscribe. Go to the same address to access the list archives. > _______________________________________________ > AERNet mailing list > AERNet@lists.aerbvi.org > http://lists.aerbvi.org/mailman/listinfo/aernet_lists.aerbvi.org