The Northside Independent School District's Program for the Visually Impaired is designed to prepare students with visual impairments for their roles as independently functioning, productive members of society. The NISD VI staff works together to implement a program for each student to work toward that goal. Each student's individual needs are considered to determine which services are most appropriate. A continuum of service delivery options is available to meet student needs in developing the skills required to succeed, to the greatest extent possible, in the mainstream of public education.
Vision services are provided to students whose sight is so impaired that they cannot be adequately or safely educated without the specialized services of a Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired. Services are available for children birth to 21 years of age.
Northside Independent School District provides a comprehensive range of services for students with visual impairments. Our services include:
Direct service students with visual impairments (VI) and / or Consultative Assistance to any school district personnel working with students with visual impairments by performing functional vision assessments, evaluating learning media, assisting in comprehensive assessments, participating in Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee Meetings (ARD's), assisting teachers with adapting materials or methods, direct instruction, specialized equipment, and materials.
Orientation and Mobility (O&M) evaluation and training by a certified O&M Specialist. This specialist teaches spatial awareness, body concepts, safe travel skills, and orientation to the student's environment using low vision aids and the long cane.
Infant-Parent Program for those infants with impaired vision. The VI staff provides services through Early Childhood Intervention Agencies on a regular basis to parents and their infants in their homes to minimize developmental delays resulting from blindness in the areas of language, cognition, gross/fine motor skills, and social/self help skills.
Psychological Counseling, through ESC Region 20, to students with visual impairments and their families to assist them in working through issues associated with adjusting to their visual impairment.
NISD PROGRAM FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT
Northside ISD serves as the fiscal agent for the Region 20 Cluster E Shared Services Agreement. The purpose of this Agreement is to create a cooperative arrangement whereby the member districts may provide for the efficient delivery of legally required special education (vision) services and related (O&M) services to eligible students with visual impairments who reside within the boundaries of the member districts. Appropriate services, as determined by the ARD committee, are provided by the NISD VI and O&M staff.
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