CHESTER COUNTY INTERMEDIATE UNIT #24 PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS (Downingtown, PA)

The Itinerant Blind/Visually Impaired Support program provides specialized services and instruction for students, ages five through 21, whose skills allow them to function within a regular education setting. The level of intervention is determined by student need.

Teachers of the visually impaired provide regular educators with strategies for working with visually impaired students. Specialized instructional materials (large print and Braille) and high technology equipment are provided to the students as appropriate. Orientation and Mobility instruction is provided as a related service.

The Accessible Instructional Materials Center (AIM) is operated by the Vision Support Department. The primary goal of the AIM is to insure the timely provision of adapted materials including print materials to students who have visual impairments.

The AIM houses a collection of adapted devices as well as large print, Braille and digital texts. The Center will adapt print materials for students (as specified in their IEP/504 plans) into large print, Braille or digital format. The AIM Center also serves as a liaison between local school districts and state and national clearinghouses to locate and access print material already adapted.

A secondary focus of the AIM Center is to adapt materials for students who have limited access to curriculum related materials due to a neurological condition other than a visual impairment.