Education Services 
For Blind And Visually Impaired Children
A program of Catholic Charities Maine
Assistive Technology for Students with Blindness and Low Vision
Objective: 
•	Review AT categories and features
•	Connect tools to student needs
•	Consider low vision and braille access tools
•	Time for questions
Who we are
ESBVIC  
Contracted through the  State of Maine’s Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI) which is part of the Department of Labor to assist schools in the education of children who are blind or visually impaired. Our services are at no cost to schools or families.
Staff 
•	13 Teachers for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TVI’s) (+ 3.5 vacancies)
•	An Instructional Materials Center Coordinator
•	Administrative assistant 
•	Regional Supervisor
•	Program Director
Department of Labor
Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired
•	Orientation & Mobility Specialists  O&M’s
•	Blindness Rehab Specialists
•	Vocational Rehabilitation Councilors
Catholic Charities Maine ESBVIC
•	Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments TVI’s
•	Instructional Materials Center Coordinator
Iris Network
•	Vision Rehabilitation Therapists 
•	Rehab Center Program
Why IÕm here:
•	Program awareness about ESBVIC, build relationships and shared understanding with you. 
•	We hope to accomplish this by sharing information and resources related to assistive technology we us while working with young people in Maine who are low vision, blind, deafblind, have CVI and/or complex needs.
Who we serve
•	Children with blindness/visual impairments from birth to 22 years old (or completion of High School) 
•	In their educational environment wherever that may be. 
•	Severe visual impairment is 20/70 or worse 
•	There is an adverse impact on accessing education program. 
TVIs and IEPÕs
•	TVI services are part of IDEA
•	Are provided via the IEP and 504 system
•	Include direct and consultation services
•	We are IEP team members
What we do
•	Work collaboratively with students, teachers and families to ensure access educational program.
•	Educate teams on the implications of vision loss.
Functional Vision 
Assessment
•	FVA focuses on how vision is used functionally in daily life. 
•	The FVA identifies practical challenges, informs educational or therapeutic strategies, and helps optimize visual performance in real-world tasks. 
Learning Media Assessment
The primary goal of an LMA is to identify the best methods and materials through which students with visual impairments can access information and learn effectively. This includes evaluating various media formats such as:
•	Braille
•	Large Print
•	Audio Books
•	Tactile Materials
Expanded Core Curriculum - disability specific skills
The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) provides targeted instruction in nine key areas that address the unique needs of students with vision loss due to challenges with incidental learning.
9 areas of the ECC
The ECC: Assistive Technology 

•	Maintains an inventory of braille/large print books 
•	American Printing House for the Blind
Matching Technology to Student Needs: 
The SETT Framework
Portable Camera-Based Magnification Tools
•	Transformer:
•	VZ-X:
•	Key question: What setup works in class?
Stand Alone CCTV Options
Handheld Video Magnifiers
Tablet-Based CCTV and Digital Access
The Matt Connect 
The Snow Pad
Braille Based Devices
Refreshable Braille Displays
Braille Notetakers 
Additional Assistive Technology Options
Questions????
Kirsten Connelly
kconnelly@ccmaine.org

Resources & References
•	azspinstitute.com
•	Teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
•	Seeability.org
•	Paths to Literacy
•	Joyzabala.com