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Tools for CVI Assessment – American Printing House for the Blind

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A CVI assessment is generally “step one” in discovering the current sight abilities of your child. The assessment then molds the teaching program and techniques that will help to improve his/her vision.

There are several different methods to go about completing such an assessment. The American Printing House for the Blind provides assessment tools and guidelines for a number of assessment techniques, including those from Dr. Gordon Dutton, Dr. Amanda Lueck, Dr. Mary T. Morse, Dr. Jan van Dijk, and CViConnect’s lead advisor Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy. It is on Dr. Roman-Lantzy’s assessment guidelines and instruction that CViConnect has built our program. Here are some helpful tips and guidelines from American Printing House for the Blind for your information when having your child assessed for a CVI range score.

American Printing House for the Blind does an excellent job of laying out Guidelines for Observation and Guidelines for Interview Questions. These methods will be used by a CVI professional to determine the abilities and limitations of your child. Knowing this information beforehand and reading the interview questions is a great preparatory exercise to ensure you get the most accurate assessment possible.

This will undoubtedly be a confusing and possibly frustrating time for you and your child. There are several things you can do, as laid out by APH, in order to ease and accommodate the child, as well as provide the most accurate assessment.

  • Be understanding when the child’s behavior is a reaction to frustration or fear and misunderstanding of the environment
  • Avoid conversations when child is using their vision to travel safely
  • Family, teachers, friends should verbally identify themselves when meeting the child
  • Faces are very complex. Do not expect a child to be able to look at you and hear what you are saying at the same time. Do not take lack of eye contact personally

With excellent tips, products, and general information, American Printing House for the Blind is a great resource for working with your CVI child. Be sure to review their entire section on cortical visual impairment. If you would like to receive information on CVI, subscribe to our newsletter.

Meet APH: American Printing House for the Blind

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When navigating life with a challenge like blindness, it is comforting to know there are organizations that provide valuable resources that can help. American Printing House For The Blind (APH) is one such organization, providing resources and support to sight-impaired individuals.

For over 150 years, APH has proudly served the blind and visually impaired community by creating educational and functionalAmerican Printing House for the Blind living products for those that suffer from visual impairment. It is now the largest non-profit organization in the world that serves this community.

Tracing its roots back to 1858, APH was founded when it first saw a need to assist blind students. After the opening of the first schools for blind children in the 1830’s, it was clear that teachers had precious few books and educational resources. Funds were raised and locations discussed. Finally, in 1858, the General Assembly of Kentucky passed an Act to establish The American Printing House For The Blind. In 1860, a press was purchased, and, after disruption by the Civil War, the first book was produced by APH in 1866.

Since then, APH has worked tirelessly to provide products to the blind and visually impaired community. In 1879, under the Federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind, APH became the official supplier of educational materials for visually impaired students. The funding for this Act benefitting blind and visually impaired students continues today through the Federal Quota Program. Funds from each state are used to purchase educational materials for blind and visually impaired students.

As both a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a manufacturing company, American Printing House for the Blind serves a unique and important public role, but is also able to manufacture and offer incredible products to the individual consumer. Browsing their shop shows an array of:

  • Braille textbooks, magazines, custom braille
  • Large print textbooks, custom large print
  • Talking Books on a contract basis
  • Accessible tests
  • Educational kits, tools, and supplies
  • Talking software and hardware
  • Independent living products such as talking color identifiers

APH and CVI

American Printing House for the Blind is a leading resource for the Cortical Visual Impairment community. APH understands the importance of education for CVI.

“Those working with children diagnosed (and many who remain undiagnosed)  with CVI understand that the more we learn about this neurological visual impairment the more complicated the conversation becomes.”

To this end, they have numerous educational resources and posts on their website http://tech.aph.org/cvi/.

Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy notes that CVI “is the leading cause of visual impairment in children today”.  At CViConnect, we are happy to see the commitment from APH to the CVI community. Please visit http://www.aph.org/ to see their vast educational resources and products that support the blind and visually impaired community.