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NMSBVI Programs - Outreach Services to Students in Public Schools

Outreach Home | History | Services to Students in Public Schools
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Students who are blind/visually impaired and who attend public school, belong to that school district. School districts are intensely committed to providing services that help their students develop needed skills and competencies for graduation. NMSBVI can partner with schools to support that development. We can help in several ways:

1. If your school district would like to have their own teacher of the visually impaired and orientation and mobility specialist, NMSBVI provides scholarships to the educator to complete the required coursework. Experienced teachers of the visually impaired (TVI) as well as trained orientation and mobility (O & M) specialists are available to mentor, support, answer questions and help an educator gain the experience needed to work confidently in the field.

2. If you think your school district is too small or does not have enough students in need of a TVI or O & M instructor, we can put you in touch with other small districts who have the same problem so that you can explore the possibility of sharing a TVI or O&M instructor. We can put you in touch with TVI and O & M individuals who may be willing to contract with you for more services than NMSBVI can provide.

3. We can provide direct service through a joint powers’ agreement. We will let you know what your students needs are through assessment; we will recommend services; we will work with you to figure out how those services can be provided.

4. We can provide training to teams, families or even district level training. We have multiple types of training available now and will develop others to meet your needs.

5. We will continue to offer state-wide training by bringing in experts in the field who can provide continuing educational opportunities for your staff and families.

6. We are in the process of piloting a Low Vision Clinic to help identify specific vision technology that students with low vision may need for their education.

7. The Alamogordo campus and the Outreach Department are working together to develop short-term placement opportunities for your students that specifically target skills you don’t have time to teach.

8. We will continue to support your district to register your students through the American Printing House for the Blind registry project so that vision specific materials may be ordered.