Students with CVI need individualized and accessible literacy materials to succeed. Each learner is different, so their materials and learning media will be uniquely tailored to their needs. As always, decisions about programming and materials should be based on assessment data.
CVI learners will use a combination of sensory modalities to learn. (Find out more: Sensory Balance: An Approach to Learning Media Programming by Christine Roman and Matt Tietjen) When it comes to adapting print and other visual materials for literacy instruction, we must consider the student’s functional vision, strengths, challenges, learning environment, and sensory preferences. The best approach is to observe what works (and doesn’t), remain flexible, and commit to continuous adaptation. Keep in mind that learners with CVI will need systems of access that grow as the student grows academically and visually.
In honor of CVI Literacy Awareness Month (April), here are a few approaches for adapting visual materials for CVI students, courtesy of:
- Jonathan Hooper, a TVI with a decade of experience teaching all age groups (from pre-K to young adults) with diverse needs (braille readers, students with low vision, and those with CVI)
- Francesca Crozier-Fitzgerald, CTVI, Pediatric VIEW practitioner, and PCVIS co-president
Student-centered materials
Jonathan says the first step to creating appropriate materials is to presume competence in the student. And if the student is not making progress, he encourages educators to carefully consider the reasons why. Is it because of a lack of access to the materials? Access rooted in assessment leads to progress.
Your CVI student has a right to accessible materials
Jonathan uses this analogy: Promptly providing braille readers with specifically adapted materials is standard practice. We have systems and resources in place to make that a reality for students who read braille. So why do CVI students who read print and other visual learning media often not have access to materials customized for their visual needs?
“There's a lack of awareness or understanding of how important these modifications are, how necessary they are, and how the person making them needs specialized training just like the person who makes braille,” Jonathan explains.
According to IDEA, schools must provide accessible educational materials and appropriate accommodations that suit the individual’s needs. This is part of a student’s right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). Accessible materials may include digital versions of printed materials, audio files, assistive technology, or braille. Additionally, a CVI learner will need materials adapted specifically for their visual needs – this takes time and knowledge to do correctly.
Jonathan says that indirect service for students with CVI is an often overlooked need. There are many ways to use indirect time to make individualized materials and ways to incorporate this need into the IEP. He suggests that gaining buy-in from the administration is one strategy for getting the appropriate amount of time allotted in the IEP for indirect service – maybe even a full planning period.
Don't forget: Environment matters. Jonathan likes to include details in the IEP describing the instructional space (e.g., quiet, with lights that turn on/off, without distractions, or clutter).
Having those materials made for that student is super important. Without specifically designing the learning and the literacy media for the student, they struggle to engage with the content, which leads to gaps in learning for them so they're not keeping up with their peers.
Whatever the classroom teacher is teaching – it needs to be adapted for students with CVI. I really want to change how the field thinks about this.
Example workflow for creating accessible materials
1 Weekly collaborative meetings between TVI and some or all of the classroom teachers
2 Classroom teachers write the lessons and provide them to the TVI with enough time for the materials to be adapted
3 TVI adapts materials during indirect time, as noted in the IEP
4 TVI collaborates with classroom teachers to ensure implementation
5 Student previews elements of the lessons with the TVI to prepare for novel concepts, images, vocabulary, and more
6 Student uses materials during class alongside peers or pull-out instruction time
7 TVI and classroom teachers monitor what works and use that feedback, as well as feedback from the student, for the next lessons
8 The team receives ongoing training in CVI and literacy concepts to ensure their skills grow with their students
9 Repeat!
Approaches for creating accessible literacy materials for the CVI learner
Every CVI student has unique needs, so there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum or set of materials. However, here are some ways you can approach the creative process for visual materials.
Removing background from images
It's important to reduce the complexity of images for CVI learners. One way to do this is by removing the background from images. This allows the student to focus on the salient features with less stress on their visual battery.
“Are you asking your child or student(s) to spend their visual battery trying to find what’s important?" Jonathan asks. Or "Are you adapting materials so your child can focus on learning and not looking?”
Creating slide stories with movement and animation
Students with CVI are at risk of missing out on learning opportunities because of their difficulty accessing what's happening at a distance and the inherent complexity of both the classroom and standard materials. This impedes their ability to gather information, which means we need to bring the information to them.
One way to approach this is with movement and animation. Like light and color, movement attracts the student to look and sustain visual attention. Francesca suggests using GIFs, short videos, and manual animation to get the job done. She encourages us to think through how to make the material relatable and appropriate, use realistic images, reduce complexity, and, as always, make it fun!
Selecting the right video for slide-based literacy materials
Videos serve as an invitation to engage a student with CVI in a fun and motivating way. Always consider the purpose of the video. It's important to find videos that are appropriate for the student's interests and visual abilities, in terms of visual and sensory complexity, realistic imagery vs. cartoons, and action levels.
"Maybe they're learning about elephants, but they've never watched an elephant move," says Francesca. "Maybe they're learning about rockets, but they've never had visual access to a rocket launch. We can find videos that incorporate those abstract concepts and bring them to life."
Don't forget materials for related services!
Learning happens all day. This means we can't neglect school experiences like related services and electives. What sorts of materials does your student need to access in PT, OT, or speech? What about music, art, or gym? This could include handouts, visual targets, the environment, AAC, and facial expressions.
Jonathan issues a challenge. Ask your team: How are we ensuring visual access not only in academic settings but across all areas of the day?
It's worth it
A lot of thought and effort goes into creating accessible literacy materials for students with CVI. Jonathan emphasizes, "It will take a collaborative team approach and using the IEP to ensure access for your students."
It’s worth it: Accessible literacy materials will transform the school experience, allowing the CVI learner to grasp academic content across all subject areas.
About Our Collaborator
Jonathan Hooper is a TVI with the New York City Department of Education Vision Services. He was previously a math teacher at the Tennessee School for the Blind and a reading and literacy middle school teacher. His graduate research was published in the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. He currently teaches the braille course in the TVI program at Hunter College, and in 2020 was named Teacher of the Year by the Braille Institute. Jonathan has extensive experience working with students with CVI and serves as a deafblind advisor. Learn more about his work at jonathantvi.com.