Test Design and
Test Framework
Field 228: Teacher of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
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The test design below describes general test information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.
Test Design
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time* | 3 hours, 15 minutes |
| Passing Score | 240 |
*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial
Test Framework
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
| test subarea | number of test objectives | number of scorable items | number of nonscorable items | subarea weight as percent of total test score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| subarea 1—Understanding Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired | 2 | 13 | 3 | 17 percent |
| subarea 2—Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Learning | 3 | 20 | 5 | 25 percent |
| subarea 3—Promoting Students' Communication, Social, and Independent Living Skills | 2 | 14 | 4 | 17 percent |
| subarea 4—Managing the Learning Environment and Planning and Delivering Instruction | 3 | 20 | 5 | 24 percent |
| subarea 5—Maintaining Effective Communication, Collaboration, and Professionalism | 2 | 13 | 3 | 17 percent |
| totals | 12 | 80 | 20 | 100 percent |
Subarea 1—Understanding Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Objective 0001—Understand the visual system and the significance of vision loss for human development and learning.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the development of the human visual system and areas of the brain involved in processing visual images.
- Demonstrate knowledge and implications of prevalent causes of ocular and brain-based visual impairment in children and youth ages birth to 22, resulting in adverse educational effect.
- Demonstrate knowledge of terminology related to structure, function, diseases, and disorders of the human visual system, including cerebral/cortical visual impairment.
- Demonstrate knowledge of sensory development and its impact on development and learning when vision is impaired.
- Apply knowledge of the impacts and implications of congenital and adventitious vision loss on social-emotional development and self-identity.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of visual impairment on early development (e.g., motor system, cognition, social-emotional interactions, self-help, language) and the development of secondary senses (e.g., hearing, touch, taste, smell).
- Apply knowledge of the effects of visual impairment and additional disabilities on social behaviors, independence, language, communication, learning, and experience; the effects of visual impairment on families; and the reciprocal impact on the self-esteem of students who are blind or visually impaired.
Objective 0002—Understand the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of education for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of philosophical, historical, legal, political, and sociocultural foundations and elements unique to the education for students who are blind or visually impaired, including the continuum of service options.
- Demonstrate knowledge of educational definitions, identification criteria, and prevalence of students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Demonstrate knowledge of laws that protect and impact students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Demonstrate knowledge of instructional philosophies and ethical practices to address the specific needs of students who are blind or visually impaired across settings, including the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C).
- Demonstrate knowledge of federal entitlements (e.g., American Printing House for the Blind quota funds) that relate to the provision of specialized equipment and materials for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Subarea 2—Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Learning
Objective 0003—Understand assessment instruments and procedures used for screening, evaluating, and identifying students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate specialized terminology used in assessment of students who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities, both as it relates to the visual system and in areas of relevant assessment (e.g., Expanded Core Curriculum [E C C] areas).
- Apply knowledge of federal and state requirements for legal provisions, regulations, guidelines, and ethical considerations related to assessment of students who are blind or visually impaired (e.g., eligibility, timing of assessments, legal vs. functional definitions).
- Apply knowledge of various methodologies involved in assessing students who are blind or visually impaired with and without additional disabilities, including strengths and limitations of various assessment instruments for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of policies, procedures, and specialized, individualized assessment data unique to visual impairment for referral and triennial processes.
- Apply knowledge of methods for selecting and developing assessments that address age, visual impairment, family priorities, visual prognosis, and additional disabilities.
- Apply knowledge of identifying and adapting assessment items and measures that are biased against or not validated on students who are blind or visually impaired and making recommendations for nonvisual or alternate accommodations and modifications for assessments, including standardized assessments.
- Apply knowledge of conducting individualized functional vision, learning media, assistive technology, and other Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C)–related assessments.
- Apply knowledge of interpreting medical reports and multiple sources of data, including background information and family, to plan and implement nondiscriminatory assessments.
- Apply knowledge of assessing accessibility needs of students who are blind or visually impaired who are English learners (E Ells) or from diverse backgrounds.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with team members and families to plan and implement assessment for students on issues specific to visual impairment.
Objective 0004—Understand procedures used for interpreting assessments and communicating assessment results to design instruction for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of the importance of using multiple sources of valid information and data, including data from formal and informal assessments, to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention, instruction, specialized media, materials, equipment, and the physical environment.
- Apply knowledge of using and interpreting clinical assessment results and medical reports, including ocular reports and other vision-related diagnostic information, to assist with determining eligibility for vision-specific services.
- Apply knowledge of the use of results from multiple sources of functional data, including low vision evaluations, functional vision, learning media, and assistive technology assessments, to determine appropriate learning and literacy media (e.g., braille, print, dual) and assistive technology to assist with determining eligibility for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of interpreting cognitive, motor, social, and language assessments unique to students who are blind or visually impaired, including limitations of assessment tools.
- Apply knowledge of interpreting assessment results to determine individual needs to support acquisition of skills in the general curriculum and Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C).
- Apply knowledge of components of writing eligibility determination reports (e.g., Functional Vision Assessment [F V A], Learning Media Assessment [L M A], Assistive Technology [A T]) and methods for gathering assessment results for development into a formal report.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with team members and families to interpret assessment results for students on issues specific to visual impairment; and reporting results of evaluations to students who are blind or visually impaired, their parents/guardians, administrators, and other professionals in clear, concise, and understandable terms.
Objective 0005—Understand procedures for the development and implementation of individualized programming, including Individualized Education Programs (I E Pees), Individualized Family Service Plans (I F S Pees), and transition plans for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of developing Individualized Education Programs (I E Pees) to enhance instruction (e.g., modifications of environment, adaptations of materials) based on assessment data; general development; and academic, social, career, and functional characteristics of students who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities.
- Apply knowledge of identifying areas of need, writing measurable goals to address needs, determining service delivery to achieve goals, and advocating for reasonable nonvisual and alternate accommodations and modifications.
- Apply knowledge of collaboratively developing, sequencing, implementing, and continuously monitoring learning objectives and goals for optimizing sensory efficiency, developing concepts, and accessing the general curriculum and Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) across settings.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for collaborating with individuals with disabilities, their parents/guardians, teachers, and other school, community, and adult service personnel to develop and implement individualized student programs (e.g., I E Pees, I F S Pees, transition plans).
- Demonstrate knowledge of policies regarding and relationships between individualized assessments, interventions, I E Pees, I F S Pees progress monitoring, and placement specific to students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for developing the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) in the area of career education (e.g., college and career readiness) and providing secondary education and vocational counseling for students who are blind or visually impaired, including knowledge of transition programs for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Subarea 3—Promoting Students' Communication, Social, and Independent Living Skills
Objective 0006—Understand methods for promoting the use of braille for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of and demonstrate proficiency in formatting, transcribing, reading, writing, proofreading, and interlining alphabetic and fully contracted Unified English Braille (U E B), including awareness of braille codes for foreign language and music.
- Apply knowledge of and demonstrate proficiency in formatting, transcribing, reading, writing, proofreading, and interlining Nemeth Code, including basic proficiency in reading and writing braille for mathematic and scientific notation.
- Apply knowledge of methods for producing braille (e.g., brailler, slate and stylus, computer with braille translation software).
- Apply knowledge of using digital resources, hardware, and software to produce materials in accessible media, including the conversion of print materials into braille and tactile formats and knowledge of obtaining resources, including published curricula, for braille codes.
- Demonstrate knowledge of emergent braille literacy instruction using pre-braille and tactile learning strategies.
- Apply knowledge of providing systematic, explicit braille literacy instruction using embossed materials, braille-producing technologies (e.g., refreshable braille), and functional braille programs to meet individual needs.
Objective 0007—Understand methods for promoting the social, communication, and independent living skills for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of teaching diverse social communication skills to include cultural awareness, body language, nonverbal communication, and social etiquette, including consideration of the impact of nonverbal reactions and behaviors that are not visually accessible or are incidentally learned (e.g., self-stimulatory behaviors, body language of others).
- Apply knowledge of teaching development and maintenance of relationships, friendships, and knowledge of self, including human sexuality, to students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of teaching skills that are learned incidentally through the visual channel to develop and enhance participation in fitness, leisure, and recreational activities; hobbies; and team and spectator sports to facilitate inclusion across settings to students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of teaching students to recognize their legal rights and responsibilities related to having a visual impairment, and to recognize, respond to, and report behaviors that they may not perceive visually that may threaten their personal safety and well-being.
- Apply knowledge of teaching methods for developing thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, study, and organizational skills to students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) in the area of independent living skills (e.g., accessing printed public information, locating transportation, identifying community resources, maintaining personal records and banking, understanding emergency procedures) using alternate and nonvisual strategies to students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of supporting the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) in the area of basic orientation and mobility skills (e.g., body image, human guide, positional concepts, self-advocacy, familiarization to environment) for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Subarea 4—Managing the Learning Environment and Planning and Delivering Instruction
Objective 0008—Understand methods for creating learning experiences and environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of identifying and implementing physical and virtual environmental accommodations and modifications to facilitate access for active engagement in individual and group activities in general and Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) environments for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with team members to design environments that promote active engagement across settings, including foundational orientation and mobility skills, independence, and social engagement, and efficient organization of materials for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of explicit teaching of incidental skills needed to access physical and virtual environments for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with team members to evaluate social skills and design behavior strategies for students who are blind or visually impaired to maximize positive social engagement and interaction across environments.
- Apply knowledge of the importance of creating positive, productive learning environments that foster self-advocacy, independence, and student achievement; and collaborate with team members to reduce learned helplessness.
- Apply knowledge of physical and virtual environmental factors that impact the acquisition of spatial and positional concepts, access to and synthesis of data visualizations, and other concepts typically acquired through vision for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of strategies in the area of the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) for facilitating the maintenance and generalization of self-determination, social interaction, recreation and leisure, and compensatory skills across learning environments for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Objective 0009—Understand principles and methods for preparing, selecting, using, and adapting specialized materials, equipment, and assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of a wide range of instructional, assistive, and augmentative communication technologies (e.g., screen reading and screen magnification software, notetakers, braille translation software, optical devices, recording equipment, augmentative communication) used by students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of a wide range of specialized materials and equipment for mathematics and science (e.g., abacus, talking graphic calculators) used by students who are blind or visually impaired with multiple disabilities.
- Apply knowledge of identifying and finding sources of cost-effective technological devices and specialized resources, from low- to high-tech that are universal or unique to visual impairment, to address the specific instructional needs of students with varied communication abilities, reading levels, and language proficiency.
- Apply knowledge of integrating basic principles of accessibility to select, create, adapt, modify, and format text, images, tactile graphics, and media to promote usability and accessibility to meet the individual needs and to increase independence of students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of ergonomics and appropriate technology settings aligned with students' preferred learning media and low-tech strategies to support ubiquitous computing (e.g., various tools and devices) to promote access to the general curriculum and Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C).
- Apply knowledge of using digital resources, hardware, and software to produce access materials in accessible media, including the conversion of print materials into digital formats.
- Apply knowledge of teaching varied visual, nonvisual, and multisensory devices, programs, and software to launch, navigate, save, and retrieve information on devices and local systems and online.
- Demonstrate knowledge of a variety of input and output enhancements (e.g., refreshable braille display, large-print stickers on keys, screen readers) to computer technology that address the specific access needs of students who are blind or visually impaired in a variety of environments.
- Apply knowledge of planning and implementing explicit instruction of the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) in the area of assistive technology, including identifying unique barriers specific to students who are blind or visually impaired for accessing digital multimedia and virtually built environments.
Objective 0010—Understand principles and methods involved in individualizing instruction for students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of methods for selecting and developing teaching strategies (e.g., nonvisual, alternate), accommodations, and modifications that address areas of strengths and needs, age, visual impairment, family priorities, visual prognosis, additional disabilities, and other individual characteristics; and implications of short- and long-term use of accommodations unique to students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of best practices for teaching students who are blind or visually impaired, including identifying and adapting general education curricula and curricula specific to visual impairment for instruction of literacy (e.g., low vision modifications for print reading and writing, written communication skills), the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C), and other academic areas.
- Demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing listening skills and compensatory auditory skills, including for students with progressive visual conditions, to transition to alternative literacy or learning media.
- Apply knowledge of methods for optimizing students' visual efficiency (including through use of visual skills), optical, electronic, non-optical devices, modification of the environment, and functional application of these skills.
- Apply knowledge of promoting and reinforcing sensorimotor and physical skills, including gross- and fine-motor skills, posture, balance, purposeful movement, and strength to meet individual needs unique to visual impairment.
- Apply knowledge of teaching students who are blind or visually impaired to independently use dual learning media (e.g., visual and auditory, auditory and tactile, or visual and tactile information).
- Apply knowledge of teaching students who are blind or visually impaired to develop tactual skills and to access, interpret, and create increasingly complex printed and digital graphics in visual and/or tactile forms, including maps, charts, diagrams, and tables, based on individual student needs.
- Apply knowledge of teaching use of the abacus, accessible calculator, tactile graphics, adapted equipment, and appropriate technology for mathematics and science to meet individual needs of students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) in the area of sensory efficiency using a variety of modalities (e.g., visual, nonvisual, multisensory, adaptive) by integrating students' assessed needs into instructional methods for teaching sensory efficiency skills; use of learning media; individual keyboarding; and reading, writing, editing, and listening skills.
- Apply knowledge of teaching nonvisual and alternate strategies for promoting digital citizenship and secure online practices that integrate students' abilities to meet, manage, and advocate for their own needs.
Subarea 5—Maintaining Effective Communication, Collaboration, and Professionalism
Objective 0011—Understand how to promote and develop communicative and collaborative partnerships to support students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of conveying information to families about educational teams and the impact and implications of visual impairment on development and learning, and access to the general curriculum and Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of teachers and support personnel in providing services for students who are blind or visually impaired, including instructing, communicating with, and supervising paraprofessionals, and collaborating with other professionals to support students who are blind or visually impaired in a variety of settings for a variety of services.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with families and educational teams on service delivery needs unique to students who are blind or visually impaired, referring students who are blind or visually impaired for school-based services (e.g., social work, occupational therapy) and sharing outside resources to address their needs, according to procedures regarding referral of students.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with vision care professionals (e.g., ophthalmologist, low vision doctor) to facilitate access to the general curriculum and Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with technology and curriculum development staff on accessibility needs for students who are blind or visually impaired and with assistive technology professionals to identify and support customized tools to meet the accessibility needs of students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with families and the educational team to promote literacy development for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of collaborating with families and orientation and mobility specialists to reinforce orientation and mobility skills and other Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) skills.
- Apply knowledge of the importance of locating and collaborating with role models with visual impairments for a full range of students who are blind or visually impaired across settings.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for collaborating with families and other professionals in planning appropriate transitions for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Demonstrate knowledge of services, outside resources (including vendors), support networks, and organizations for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Objective 0012—Understand the professional roles and responsibilities of teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of advocating for current educational policy related to visual impairment and low-incidence disabilities.
- Apply knowledge of increasing awareness of accessibility in physical and virtual environments and educating families and the educational team about how to improve access for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of serving as a liaison between eye care providers, families, and other members of the educational team to individualize services for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of providing information to families and the educational team in nonvisual strategies (e.g., auditory, tactile) that promote independence and autonomy for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Apply knowledge of providing information to families and the educational team on the production of accessible media for students who are blind or visually impaired.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of developing and maintaining professional learning and practice by actively participating in professional organizations and evaluating scholarly sources of information about visual impairments, including valid and reliable research techniques.
- Apply knowledge of maintaining continuous professional development to remain current on all areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) and most prevalent causes of and medical treatments for severe visual impairments and additional disabilities.