BVI Family Support

Our Family Support section connects you to resources that directly serve students and their families.

MDE-LIO Resources

Contact MDE-LIO
Have a question for our staff? Email us at [email protected] or send a message on our Contact MDE-LIO page.

Braille Version of the Procedural Safeguards Notice [zip file]
Download a file to print the Procedural Safeguards Notice in braille. Visit the Michigan Department of Education's website for other printable versions of the Procedural Safeguards Notice.

Blind/Visually Impaired Outreach Support
MDE-LIO provides support to families and school districts on a variety of topics.

Scholarships
Your child may be eligible for a scholarship to help pay for programs and events.

Early Childhood
Learn about products and resources that can help you navigate your child’s early years.

Neurological Visual Impairment (NVI)
Learn about blindness and visual impairments that are caused by NVI. This page also includes Create a Cortical Visual Impairment Story Box [PDF], which offers tips for creating an interactive story box for students with cortical visual impairment.

Borrow Books and Materials

Resource Library
MDE-LIO’s resource library includes books and materials for parents that are available for loan.

Hooray for Braille Kits
These kits, available through a partnership with Seedlings Braille Books for Children, are for young children who are Blind/Visually Impaired (BVI).

Budding Seedlings
Borrow braille books for children in pre-K to third grade.

Expanded Core Curriculum Skills

Independent Living Skills
Learn what you can do at home to help your child become independent.

Compensatory Skills
Find resources for helping your child develop skills necessary for accessing the curriculum, including braille.

Assistive Technology
This section provides helpful apps for students who are BVI and tips on how to make your home computer more accessible.

Parent and School Collaboration

IEP: Parent's Role [PDF]
This document offers three ways to prepare for and lead your child's IEP team.

Student Report [PDF]
This document outlines how to create a student report your child can use to introduce himself or herself to new teachers.

Additional Resources

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.

Michigan

Michigan Alliance for Families
Michigan Alliance for Families offers workshops, webinars, and disability-specific information for families.

Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS)
SEMS provides facilitation and mediation services to help families and school districts resolve disagreements.

Early On Michigan
Early On offers early intervention services for families with children ages birth to three.

The CVI Book Nook
The CVI Book Nook features free books that are available to download for students who have cortical visual impairment (CVI). This resource was created by MDE-LIO Parent Liaison Amy Shepherd.

National

WonderBaby
WonderBaby features a database of articles written by parents of young children who are BVI or have multiple disabilities.

Paths to Literacy for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Paths to Literacy offers a blog and resources that can be browsed by topic.

Family Connect
Family Connect offers resources and message boards for families of children who are BVI as well as a calendar of events that can be browsed by location.

CVI Now
CVI Now is a resource from Perkins School for the Blind that offers current, vetted, and accurate information about cortical visual impairment (CVI).