1400 Nalley Terrace
Landover, MD 20785
Landover, MD 20785
Prince George’s County Public Schools has revised procedures for evaluating students for a Visual Impairment under the IDEA. In accordance with COMAR 13A.05.01.03B(84), a Visual Impairment is defined as an impairment in vision, which, even with correction, adversely affects a student's educational performance and includes both partial sight and blindness. Any impairment in vision, regardless of severity, is covered, provided that such impairment, even with correction, adversely affects a student's educational performance. Convergence Insufficiency, and other binocular visual disorders, are not excluded from the definition of visual impairment.
The Vision Program in Prince George’s County Public Schools provides services on an itinerant basis to students, birth through 21, who are blind or have a visual impairment. The Vision Program staff includes Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired (TBVI) and Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructors (O&M). These educators travel to the students’ assigned school or natural settings and provide services relating to the vision loss of the student.
The focus of the Vision Program is to prepare each student who has a visual impairment to be college or career ready by providing the necessary disability-specific skills, materials, equipment, and accommodations to access the general education curriculum. The disability specific instruction, sometimes referred to as the Expanded Core Curriculum, includes areas such as: compensatory skills (concept development, listening skills, organizational skills, study skills), technology skills (use of adaptive software and devices), self- determination skills, visual efficiency skills (use of magnification), braille reading and writing instruction, orientation and mobility skills, daily living/self-help skills, career education, recreation and leisure skills, and social skills. The Vision Program staff work collaboratively with the family, school staff, and eye medical professionals in order to provide support and resources. Itinerant service is provided within the student’s assigned school.