Planning meeting on May 10, 2005

Interest in the VIP program continues to grow and I am receiving applications for the pilot school effort each day. I had a wonderful meeting with Dr. Stephen Miller with COVD two weeks ago where we discussed the project and he provided me a greater understanding of COVD and optometrist training. Later in the day I had the chance to meet with Dr. Ralph Garzia with UMSL and discussed the evaluation of the project. We are hopeful that we can involve various departments of UMSL so we can have a well structured, meaningful evaluation.

As part of these conversations, I realized that the next step in building training for teachers is to have your input into the key pieces of the screening. The goal of V.I.P. is to train individuals to become vision screeners in Missouri schools. These screeners will conduct a quick, less than 10 minute, screening of a child to determine if there is a vision challenge. The screener will refer the child with possible problems to an optometrist for evaluation. If the student has a vision problem the doctor will work with the child, parents and teachers to develop a process to help improve the child’s vision. Here at SuccessLink, we will also work with teachers so they understand what vision is and how they can help all their students in this area.

The teachers who have been screening students are using the following tests in their screening process:

Wolf Eye tracking using an opaque occluder
Saccadic movement using two wands
Near point of convergence
Cover test of one eye to watch the eyes response.
The Gessell Incomplete man
The Standardized Copy Form Test and grade it for age appropriate level.
Look for unusual eye movement, squinting, tilting of the head, etc.
Quick questionnaire for the parents and, if applicable, the teacher designed to spot visual and visual perceptual risk.

Toward the goal of finalizing our screening process, I would like to invite you to a meeting in our conference room on May 10th from 10:00 – 3:00.

My two priorities for this meeting are first: will these tests provide the procedure to identify children with vision problems? And second: how should these tests be conducted to insure that all the screeners are doing the test in a consistent and accurate manner.

Basis of Vision Intervention Program (V. I. P.)

SuccessLink, a not for profit educational agency in Missouri, USA recognizes programs across the state that have proven to help students with a Proven Practice Award each year. In 2004, the school in Blue Eye, Missouri received the award for their vision development program. They screen their students for vision problems with the understanding that vision is MUCH more than 20/20 acuity.

Backgroud of the program:

In the fall of 2000 teachers K-4, Title and Special Education teachers at the Blue Eye School District, received training in screening for vision disorders and assisting with vision exercises and activities. Following are the steps taken to identify students at Blue Eye Elementary K-4 for visual disorders that interfere with their reading and learning. Students are screened for visual disorders by the Title I Reading Specialist. The screening consists of five tests:

Visual Sequential Memory – the ability to remember forms or characters in order. This skill is particularly important in spelling, letter omissions, additions, or transpositions within words, remembering patterns or chunks in reading.

Visual Closure – the ability to visualize a complete whole given incomplete information. This skill helps children read and comprehend quickly.

Visual Span – the amount of information that can be absorbed in one visual fixation in a given amount of time. The ability to interpret, understands, and retains varying amounts of information. Reading comprehension and speed require well-developed visual span skills.

Tracking – children with tracking problems lose their place when reading, skip or transpose word and have difficulty comprehending.

Copy Forms – If a child can’t copy these simple geometric forms, it is unreasonable to assume the he will be able to perceive wiggly lines which make up letter, which make up words, which make up sentences. This test also shows visional organizational skills.

After an initial diagnosis by the reading specialist, students are referred to a Developmental Optometrist for an official diagnosis. Parents give permission for a copy of that diagnosis to be sent to the school to show what assistance is needed to correct the disorders. In addition to vision therapy from the optometrist, the parents, Title I teachers, Special Education teachers, classroom teachers, and volunteers also provide support with activities and exercises with the student. These activities are done individually when needed but most of the time it is done in small groups and whole class situations. They occur at least four times a week for thirty minutes per session. The activities includeprocedures designed to enhance the brain’s ability in the above mentioned areas.

THE RESULTS AFTER APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS OF EFFORT

The STAR Reading Assessment test is used to measure reading levels every quarter. Such examples are:
Students not having vision problems:

Gain in reading Number of students

0 .7 Grade levels 28

Students with vision disorders symptoms not receiving therapy:

Gain in reading Number of students

0.6 Grade levels 2

All students with vision disorders symptoms receiving vision therapy:

Gain in reading Number of students

1.7 Grade levels 14