Teachers of Children with Visual Impairments TVIs are specially certified teachers who assist children and adolescents who are blind or who have low vision (birth – 22 years old) to achieve their educational goals and prepare for the future. They work as part of the educational team providing instruction in skills that are unique to individuals with visual impairment. Their goal is to help students achieve independence. TVIs work with children and adolescents with visual impairments (low vision & blind), their parents, other educators, O&M Specialists, and community agencies. Why Become a TVI? All in a day's work, you could teach a child to use a monocular to read signs, learn about everyday objects, then how to fix a favorite snack.
Not too many people have heard about teaching children who are
blind or who have low vision...
Results from a recent study indicated that there is a need for 5,000 new TVIs across the U.S. Every year in Florida, jobs go unfilled, and students unserved, because so few people know about this rewarding and satisfying field of education. For more information, contact us at blindness@coe.fsu.edu or (850) 644-8409
O&M Specialists typically take courses concentrating on either
children or adult populations. O&M Specialists prepare
students to travel independently, safely, and efficiently in their
home, school, and community. As part of the educational
or rehabilitation team, O&M Specialists help students know where
they are in space, where they want to go, and how to get there.
The need for O&M specialists who work with adults continues to increase due to the natural aging process and a growing population of older adults. Results from a recent study indicated that there is a need for 10,000 O&M Specialists to work with children with visual impairments across the U.S. Every year in Florida, jobs go unfilled, and students unserved, because so few people know about this rewarding and satisfying field. For more information, contact us at blindness@coe.fsu.edu or (850) 644-8409
