Students who are BVI often use a combination of functional vision, touch, hearing, smell, and taste to make connections within their environments and access their academic curriculum. They may use strategies that combine vision, touch, hearing, and smell to identify people, recognize an environment, locate their belongings, and follow instructions. Learning to efficiently use their senses requires instruction, especially on utilizing optical devices, hearing aids, or augmentative communication devices.

MDE-LIO does not endorse the purchase or use of any non-State Board of Education-adopted commercial products. Products and services noted below are included for information only and their inclusion should not be interpreted as a recommendation of MDE-LIO.

Resources

Perkins School for the Blind: Sensory Efficiency
Perkins provides an overview of sensory efficiency and how it affects a student’s transition to post-school life.

Magnification

Monocular and Magnifier Training Documents
Paths to Literacy for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired offers a set of documents for Teachers of the Visually Impaired and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists to use when training students how to use monoculars and magnifiers.

APH Products

Flip-Over Concept Books
These concept books provide interactive, independent learning for young children as they build basic concepts and develop early tactile skills.

Sound Matching Board I
This product features 12 sound cylinders that help students develop fine motor skills, auditory matching, and discrimination with the capability of introducing sequential order.

Sound Matching Board II
This product features eight sound cylinders that help students develop concepts of a series, directions, positions, matching, and discrimination.