Dori Senatori

Demographic characteristics of the student observed:

 

• The student is a 17 year old boy in a 10th grade ICAP special education classroom.

• The student’s eye condition is Retinopathy of Prematurity, mild Cortical Visual Impairment, left exotropia (the eye turns out), and an upper field restriction to 30 degrees. The student’s visual acuities with correction in both eyes is 20/200 or worse. The student has photophobia and wears tinted lenses in his glasses.

• Additional disabilities include: Cerebral Palsy, asthma, seizures, low muscle tone that fluctuates when the student moves and expends effort.

 

Reason for FVE/LMA:

 

• The reason for the FVE/LMA is to determine if direct VI services are needed based on the students’ recent visit to his eye doctor and an updated eye report, as the student currently receives indirect VI support.

 

Steps of FVE/LMA observed:

 

• The student was observed in both indoors and outdoors. The student was observed in his ICAP classroom and the hallways of the school. Outdoor observations were made while the student traveled in his gait trainer walker to adapted P.E. class. Another indoor observation included the student transitioning from his walker to his wheelchair. 

• The TVI was observed talking with the student while in the class and hallway transitions to determine if the student would respond to his name and look and turn toward her when she spoke to him. 

• The TVI would give the student a one-step command to see if he would appropriately respond on his communication device or us his sign for “finished”. The student was observed stating “bye” many times throughout the evaluation, and the TVI reports that he was telling us that he has a short attention span and no longer wanted to continue.

• The observation continued with the student walking in his gait trainer with the help of two assistants. The student would stop when he needed a break, or drag his feet when he was getting tired. The student is motivated by music on his iPod, which the TVI allowed the student to have in one ear to help motivate him to continue the evaluation.

• The TVI asked the student to point to specific body parts during the evaluation and the student was able to point to his nose, mouth, and ears with his right hand.

• The student was observed crossing midline with his right hand to operate his communication device on the left side of his wheelchair.

• The TVI consistently gave the student verbal cues to hold his head up while walking in the gait trainer, and it appeared the student was able to use his vision to follow the TVI down the hall.

• The student was observed tilting his head back to look at the TVI possibly to accommodate for his upper field restriction.

• The student immediately noticed light coming in from a doorway and turned to look towards it as we passed by.

• Areas observed through the evaluation steps were, appearance of the eye, visual field, visual behavior, distance vision, near tasks with communication device.

 

Three strengths of this student are:

 

• The student can access visual materials when he is correctly positioned and utilizes his glasses/prism glasses as needed.

• The student can effectively communicate his needs with use of his Dynavox communication tool, sign “finished”, and verbally say “bye.”

• The student has resolved all areas on the CVI resolution chart except for Visual Field Preference due to his field loss.

 

 

Two areas for growth:

 

• The student should continue to use his gait trainer walker throughout the day, every day to avoid contractures and muscle atrophy. 

• Modify or add to the student’s assistive technology devices as needed to further assist him with communication of his needs and wants.

 

 

     The elements of the evaluation support data-based decision making by allowing the TVI to collect information while the student is actually performing various tasks in their everyday school environment to help determine the student’s needs for further services, assistive technology, or any other modifications to access the student’s environment.