Strengthening Students’ Functional Vision and Visual Perceptual Skills to Improve School Outcomes – SLP

Erin Riojas

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Course Information

ASHA Course Number: ACEF0543
Course Credits: .5 ASHA CEUs (5 hours)
You have spent the following amount of time in this course:
Please note: Your cumulative time in the course must be greater or equal to the course hours for you to receive course credit. Please make sure to view the video(s) in its entirety.
The role of OTs, SLPs, and PTs in the schools is to support students who struggle to benefit from their educational curriculum. Functional vision and visual perceptual skills have a significant impact on school performance. This training will assist therapists in identifying common behaviors associated with undiagnosed visual challenges. A variety of strategies and accommodations that can be implemented in the classroom and in therapy sessions to enhance the students’ ability to improve their participation and performance in the educational environment will be discussed. Observation guides, checklists, and sample data collection pages will be reviewed, as well as a hands-on instruction in oculomotor screenings and a make-it-and-take-it activity. Movement activities that can be used in the classroom will be demonstrated throughout the presentation. Vision resources including research articles, books, activities online, and instructions for DIY tools will be reviewed to assist therapists in helping student successful access their educational curriculum.

Instructor Information

Linda Okonsky
Linda Okonsky, MS, OTR/L is a Regional Director of Occupational Therapy Services for EBS Healthcare, Inc. She provides therapist mentoring, supervision of OTAs and assists in the design of trainings for continued competence and best practice strategies for school-based therapists. This speaker has been practicing OT for more than 15 years working with children in the clinic and school settings. She was an adjunct professor for an M.S. in Occupational Therapy program.

Financial Disclosure: Other than being paid as an employee of EBS Healthcare, Linda has no other relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Linda has no other non-financial information to disclose.

Learner Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify and describe student behaviors that may indicate undiagnosed vision or oculomotor challenges that may be impeding the student’s ability to access and participate in the curriculum
  2. Describe at least 2 strategies and interventions to implement in the classroom that focus on improving functional vision and visual perceptual skills
  3. List 2-3 ways to collaborate with the multidisciplinary educational team to utilize practical strategies that will enhance the development of functional vision and visual perceptual skills

Agenda

  • 0:00 – 1:00     Overview of Visual Skills Development — What all therapists need to know
  • 1:00 – 1:45     Observation guides, screening and assessment tools, and sample data collection pages reviewed
  • 1:45 – 2:30     Make-It-Take-It Activity/Oculomotor screening instruction
  • 2:30 – 3:00     Environmental Modifications
  • 3:00 – 4:00     Intervention Strategies for Multiple Environments (Classroom, Therapy, Community)
  • 4:00 – 4:30     Summary: Implications for school-based therapists OTs, SLPs, and PTs; Q & A


Strengthening Students' Functional Vision Handout - Color

Strengthening Students' Functional Vision Handout - B&W
Body Parts Map
Checklist of Student Behaviors for Vision Referral
Checklist of Student Behaviors for Vision Referral
Classroom Environment Observation Checklist

Data Sheet - Let's Do It Write Progress
Data Sheet - Letter Find Activity
Eye Tracker Search Activity
Four Square Data Page
Four Square Saccades Instructions
Four Square Saccades Letter Grids

Halloween Search
Letter Find Activity
References and Resources

Course Content