Vision Impairment Resources

Statewide Resources

• Virginia Superintendent’s Memo #198-16: Implementation of Unified English Braille for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
• Guidelines for Working With Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired in Virginia Public Schools
• The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (VSDB) – The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind is located in Staunton, Virginia and provides a day program and outreach services, as well as a residential setting exclusively to students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, or deaf-blind. The VSDB Outreach Services assist early intervention providers, local school divisions, and families in meeting the needs of children in the Commonwealth. The VSDB’s admissions policy is available at the above Website.
• The Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) – The Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired primarily assists Virginians who are blind in achieving quality employment outcomes. Vocational evaluation, job training, job development, placement, follow-up, and other services are provided to assist consumers in obtaining jobs in the public and private sectors.

• Unified English Braille Implementation Plan for Virginia Public Schools-Revised September 2017

Superintendent’s Memo No. 287-17 September 29, 2017 DBVI’s education services program provides services to early intervention providers, school personnel, and families to help children to be successful in school and the community, and to prepare for the future. The Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired offers training in the skills of blindness to blind and vision-impaired Virginians and encourages people to develop positive attitudes about blindness. The Library and Resource Center provides services to local school divisions to support the education of children who are blind or visually impaired. Library services are also offered to persons who are print disabled.

• The Virginia Project for Children and Young Adults With Deaf-Blindness – The Virginia Project for Children and Young Adults With Deaf-Blindness provides technical assistance, training, distance education and networking information to families, service providers, and individuals who are deaf-blind/dual sensory impaired.
• The Accessible Instructional Materials Center-Virginia (AIM-VA) – The Accessible Instructional Materials Center-Virginia’s extensive library has developed an alternative system of providing accessible educational media under standards set by federal law (NIMAS) to students who meet the federal requirements for print disabilities and who are eligible for accessing educational media under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as required under Part B of IDEA. The AIM-VA, in conjunction with partnering agencies, provides required accessible educational materials to students with an IEP and training for staff, at no cost to Local Educational Agencies.