Visually Impaired K–12

Test Competencies and Skills Worksheet

Institution Name:

Student's Name:

Advisor's Name:

Date for Next Review:

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Competency 1—Knowledge of philosophical, historical, and legal foundations regarding students with visual impairments

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 10%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Identify key philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of education of students with visual impairments, including deafblindness.
2. Identify state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and policies related to the field of special education and their application to the field of visual impairment, including determining relevant personnel, resources, services, publications, and organizations.
3. Identify the roles and responsibilities of teachers of students with visual impairments.
4. Apply educational definitions, criteria for eligibility, and placement options, including strategies for determining service delivery models and the amount of contact time, for students with visual impairments.
5. Apply ethical principles and professional practices related to the education of students with disabilities (e.g., relating to behavior management, mandated reporting, confidentiality, students' family rights, responsibilities of stakeholders, inclusion, equity, and due process).
Notes on Competency 1:

Competency 2—Knowledge of the visual system and the impact of visual impairments on development

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 12%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Identify the structures, functions, and processes of the visual system, including brain-based anatomy involved in visual processing.
2. Apply concepts related to the typical developmental stages for acquisition of visual skills.
3. Distinguish between the causes and characteristics of diseases and disorders of the visual system, including brain-based conditions.
4. Determine the impact of a visual impairment on the overall development and functional use of vision for individuals with co-occurring exceptionalities (e.g., deafblindness, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder).
5. Distinguish characteristics that may indicate the presence of a visual impairment.
6. Analyze the unique implications of visual impairment on the developmental domains (e.g., motor, cognitive, communication, affective, sensory) from birth through age 22.
Notes on Competency 2:

Competency 3—Knowledge of compensatory skills for students with visual impairments

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 18%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Interpret the braille code and rules for UEB.
2. Interpret the braille code and rules of the Nemeth code.
3. Apply concepts regarding the use of the abacus.
4. Apply instructional strategies for teaching concept development.
Notes on Competency 3:

Competency 4—Knowledge of assessment, screening, and evaluation procedures for determining eligibility, program planning, and progress monitoring of students with a medical diagnosis of visual impairment

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 14%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Interpret eye medical reports and other vision-related diagnostic information, including terminology commonly used in evaluations of the eye and visual system.
2. Apply appropriate methods and materials used to evaluate functional vision.
3. Apply methods and materials used to conduct learning media assessments.
4. Apply methods and materials used to monitor progress and assess strengths and needs in each area of the ECC.
5. Apply methods and materials used to conduct O&M screenings.
6. Interpret vision-specific assessment results to make recommendations to individuals involved in students' education for assessment or instructional purposes, and for students with visual impairments to participate in assessments (e.g., classroom, district, state).
7. Apply methods for communicating the results of vision-related assessments to all members of the multidisciplinary team, including the student and the parents or guardians.
Notes on Competency 4:

Competency 5—Knowledge of the ECC

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 16%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Identify skills within all areas of the ECC.
2. Evaluate the impact of visual impairment on social skills unique to students with visual impairments, including instructional strategies for developing social-interpersonal skills.
3. Evaluate the impact of visual impairment on the development of skills related to independent living (e.g., working with finances, cooking, personal hygiene, dressing) unique to students with visual impairments.
4. Evaluate the impact of visual impairment on the acquisition of career education skills, including instructional strategies unique to students with visual impairments.
5. Evaluate the impact of visual impairment on play, leisure, and recreational activities, including instructional strategies unique to students with visual impairments.
6. Evaluate the impact of visual impairment on the development of self-determination skills (e.g., self-advocacy, self-awareness, time management, self-reliance, self-esteem), including instructional strategies unique to students with visual impairments.
Notes on Competency 5:

Competency 6—Knowledge of specialized learning related to literacy media, assistive technology, and access for students with visual impairments

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 16%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Identify procedures for teaching and supporting students' visual efficiency skills and using optical and non-optical low vision aids to meet their individual needs.
2. Apply various environmental adaptations (e.g., variations in lighting, color, contrast, positioning, size, and sound) and how they may be used to enhance access.
3. Apply practices for managing and implementing assistive technology (e.g., low-tech, high-tech) for supporting students' access to instruction, communication, and independence and meeting their individual and unique needs.
4. Apply sensory efficiency skills, including instructional strategies for developing the use of other senses, for students with visual impairments.
5. Identify barriers that may impact students' interactions with information and determine tools and strategies to address these barriers.
6. Apply instructional strategies specific to the role of the teacher of students with visual impairments to reinforce basic O&M skills (e.g., mobility tools, human guide, protective techniques, self-familiarization).
Notes on Competency 6:

Competency 7—Knowledge of instructional strategies and methods for teaching students with visual impairments

  • Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions: 14%
This section of the worksheet allows users to map the test competencies and skills to the curriculum by entering up to six courses in the course name fields. Check the box if the course indicated covers the content described by the skill listed.
Skills Course 1:
 Course 2:
 Course 3:
 Course 4:
 Course 5:
 Course 6:
1. Apply strategies to address the impact of visual impairment on incidental learning.
2. Apply components of systematic instruction (e.g., task analysis, chaining, response prompting, specific praise) to teach a range of skills and concepts.
3. Identify strategies and techniques for implementing students' use of accommodations to support access to instruction and independence within environments (e.g., school, home, community).
4. Apply instructional strategies for teaching tactile learning (e.g., tactile perception, object exploration, graphic interpretation).
5. Apply components of explicit instruction, such as pre-teaching and modeling, to teach a range of skills and concepts.
6. Apply strategies and methods for teaching students a variety of communication methods (e.g., listening and compensatory auditory skills, use of assistive technology devices, braille reading and writing, tangible and picture symbols, tactile graphics).
7. Apply instructional methods and identify resources and assistive technology (e.g., low-tech, high-tech) to support students' abilities to interact with information across both physical and digital environments.
Notes on Competency 7:

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