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PAVE’s philosophy for provision of low vision services to students in Tennessee includes the following five principles:
1. Providing prescribed optical devices for students with low vision who can benefit from them is an essential component in ensuring that students receive the federally mandated free and appropriate public education. Students, who have functional vision but have not yet learned to use their vision in a meaningful way, should receive the visual efficiency training necessary to interact with their visual environment and later develop the prerequisite visual skills that candidates for optical devices possess.
2. The use of optical devises requires a collaborative effort by the student’s multi-disciplinary team. This open-ended approach to treating students’ needs demonstrates the unique integration of educational and eye-care models of service. Collaboration is successful when the multidisciplinary team’s expectations for the student begin to change and the team incorporates the use of optical devices into the student’s IEP.
3. Psychological considerations must be addressed when students are prescribed and introduced to optical devices. In PAVE’s experience, as students begin to perform visual tasks independently, their concerns about appearing different when using devices become secondary. The student, family and teacher understanding of visual impairment shifts from vision loss to functional vision.
4. Ownership of prescribed optical devices is key to students’ independent use of them. PAVE staff believes that students own their devices and use of these tools cannot ethically be restricted to the hours of the school day. Opportunities outside of the classroom are ideal times for students to develop an interest in extending their visual reach prior to using devices among peers.
5. When optical devices are viewed as tools for visual independence, the profile of students with low vision who may benefit from them includes those with a wide range of functional vision and additional disabilities. Beyond literacy, devices can enable students to participate in activities at home and in the community.
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