Starting a new role as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI/CTVI) or Orientation & Mobility Specialist can feel like learning a whole new language. Who does what? What paperwork is required? Where does the ECC fit? What does the ARD process look like? And how do all the different people supporting a student work together?
This interactive New Teacher Academy is designed to help new VI and O&M professionals connect the dots.
Participants will explore the roles and responsibilities of VI and O&M professionals, learn how their work connects with teachers, administrators, related service providers, families, and other members of the educational team, and develop a practical understanding of the rules, processes, documentation, and paperwork that guide VI/O&M services in Texas.
Topics will include:
- Who We Are & What We Do: Understanding the roles of the TVI/CTVI, COMS, and other members of the educational team
- Who's on the Team? Learning how to collaborate with classroom teachers, special education staff, related services, families, administrators, and community partners
- The Rules We Follow: An approachable look at the Texas requirements, guidance, and procedures that affect VI/O&M services
- The Paper Trail: Understanding evaluations, reports, service documentation, ARDs/IEPs, and other paperwork without getting buried in it
- The ECC: Exploring the Expanded Core Curriculum and how it connects to everyday instruction and student independence
- From Assessment to Instruction: Connecting evaluation results, student needs, goals, accommodations, services, and instruction
- The ARD & IEP Process: Understanding where VI/O&M professionals fit and how to effectively contribute
- Communication & Collaboration: Strategies for building productive relationships with campus teams and families
- When You Don't Know: Where to go for answers, resources, support, and professional collaboration
This academy is designed to be practical, interactive, and immediately useful. Participants will have opportunities to work through real-world scenarios, discuss common challenges, examine examples of documentation, and build a personal toolkit of resources they can use throughout the school year.
The goal isn't to memorize every rule or form. It's to understand the big picture, know where you fit, and leave feeling more confident about navigating your new role.
This session is free to members of the Special Education Cooperative