**1. Introduction**

An inclusive educational classroom refers to a learning environment where the academic, physical, and social needs of all learners, including those with disabilities, are addressed within one comprehensive setting [1, 2]. The practice of inclusive education—or inclusion—within general education classrooms is becoming more prevalent within early childhood settings [3–5]. With this increase in practice, early childhood educators routinely encounter and teach students who have a range of special needs within regular classroom settings; however, parents of children served within these inclusive settings report that quality of inclusion can vary greatly among schools and individual service providers within school settings [1]. Due to the fact that the United States exemplifies one of the most comprehensive systems of special education in the world [6], highlights of this system and associated laws are noted throughout this chapter as an example for all readers who are interested in special education services.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) highlights that children in the United States of America must have access to equal opportunities within public education settings. Children with disabilities are entitled to the same educational experiences as their peers without disabilities [7]. While this is the law in the United States, the practice of inclusion is expanding to more countries throughout the world [5, 8]. This expansion of services is due, in part, to documented benefits of inclusive classrooms where students with disabilities are making greater gains in academic skills and behavioral characteristics than same-age peers who receive services in special schools. In addition, court cases—such as the Hendrick Hudson School District v. Rowley U.S. Supreme Court landmark decision in 1982—followed by the 2004 amendments to the IDEA, the merger of special education and general education is viewed as benefitting all children in the classroom [9, 10].

To successfully deliver classroom curriculums, promote learner growth, and meet the goals of all students served within early childhood settings, teachers must have a basic understanding of the unique learning needs of all students, including those with disabilities. Early childhood educators who have received training in special education topics are generally more positive about inclusion than those who enter the teaching field with a limited knowledge of special education [5, 11]. Research indicates that the provision of basic special education knowledge and training to early childhood educators improves attitudes toward students with special needs, a better awareness of inclusion, personal expectations, and improved outcomes for students with disabilities who are served within these settings [5, 12–14]. Students learn best when the teachers who educate them first understand their needs and, then, provide instruction in a way that meets these needs.

Visual impairment is one specific category within special education identified under the IDEA. Within inclusive settings, early childhood educators may encounter students with a variety of different visual impairments. This chapter is written from the perspective and experiences of a dually certified elementary educator and teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI), as well as a certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) with over 20 years of experience in the field of education. It is designed to be a basic starting point for early childhood educators who have limited to no background in working with students who have visual impairments so they can acquire a basic understanding of visual impairments, questions to ask related to serving children with vision loss in their classroom settings, and how to approach teaching in a way that is meaningful to these students. While it is not designed to be a *comprehensive guide* to meeting all the needs of students with visual impairments placed within inclusive early childhood settings, this chapter is designed to provide *foundational information* for general educators who are expected to work with children who have vision impairments within inclusive education settings.

This chapter is divided into four sections. It begins with a basic overview of visual impairments and the specialized needs of students with visual impairments, continues with the educational implications of visual impairment on learning, and addresses the use of a team approach in meeting the unique needs of learners with visual impairments. The chapter concludes with a section that addresses "take-away tips" for early childhood educators—including practical strategies that can be used when working with students who have visual impairments in their inclusive classrooms.

## **2. A basic overview of the specialized needs of students with visual impairments**

#### **2.1 Background**

Visual impairment is categorized as a "low incidence disability" within the field of special education in the United States. The federal definition of the term "low incidence disability" includes (a) a visual or hearing impairment, or simultaneous

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*Including Children with Visual Impairments in the Early Childhood Classroom*

visual impairments within the early childhood classroom.

**2.2 What constitutes a visual impairment?**

visual and hearing impairments; (b) a significant cognitive impairment; or (c) any impairment for which a small number of personnel with highly specialized skills and knowledge are needed in order for children with that impairment to receive early intervention services or a free appropriate public education [6]. None of the disabilities listed under the category of low-incidence, including students with visual impairments, generally exceeds 1% of the school-aged population at any given time [15]. This means that early childhood educators who work within inclusive settings may only encounter students with visual impairments on a limited basis throughout their careers. Due to this fact, these educators may have minimal to no experience in delivering services that meet the unique needs of students with

In the United States, students with visual impairments have been included in general education classrooms since before the 1975 implementation of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now known as IDEA. While data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) reports that students with visual impairments spent, on average, 86.8% of their day in general education classrooms, academic success has not been guaranteed, with as many as 49.9% of these students reported as having failed at least one course in general education [16, 17]. Educators who are specifically trained to work with students who have visual impairments have long argued that the *physical inclusion* of students with visual impairments in general education classrooms *is insufficient* for academic success [16, 18]. Rather, these specialists emphasize that the specialized needs of students with visual impairments, including the need to participate fully in the general education curriculum with *sufficient accommodations*, must be met if academic success is to be achieved [16, 19, 20]. In order to accomplish this goal, early childhood educators who serve these children within inclusive settings must recognize the needs of students with visual impairments to ensure these *sufficient accommodations* are provided for student accessibility and, ultimately, success in the classroom.

One misconception among general educators regarding students with visual impairments is that "legally blind" means a complete loss of sight. This is not true. Under the IDEA, "visual impairment – including blindness," is defined as, "an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness" [7]. Teachers who are not familiar with visual impairment—including blindness, may believe that students with vision loss placed in their classroom settings have *no usable vision*. Early childhood educators need to recognize that a majority of students who are diagnosed with a visual impairment have some degree of usable vision. According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 253 million people live with vision impairment: 36 million are blind while 217 million have moderate to severe vision impairment [21]. This means that while some students may have "no light perception," meaning that they see only darkness, many have vision that is useful for a variety of tasks, including reading print, identifying faces, recognizing color, and traveling independently, without specialized training. When working with students identified as having a visual impairment, remember that their ability to use vision for classroom activity will vary. While some may have

no usable vision, "blind" does not always mean a complete loss of sight.

Regardless of their diagnosis, students who have vision loss will also have variations that exist among the causes of visual impairment, severity, and the manner in which it affects how the individual can see. Students with visual impairments may see things differently from one another, even when they share the same eye

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80928*

#### *Including Children with Visual Impairments in the Early Childhood Classroom DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80928*

visual and hearing impairments; (b) a significant cognitive impairment; or (c) any impairment for which a small number of personnel with highly specialized skills and knowledge are needed in order for children with that impairment to receive early intervention services or a free appropriate public education [6]. None of the disabilities listed under the category of low-incidence, including students with visual impairments, generally exceeds 1% of the school-aged population at any given time [15]. This means that early childhood educators who work within inclusive settings may only encounter students with visual impairments on a limited basis throughout their careers. Due to this fact, these educators may have minimal to no experience in delivering services that meet the unique needs of students with visual impairments within the early childhood classroom.

In the United States, students with visual impairments have been included in general education classrooms since before the 1975 implementation of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now known as IDEA. While data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) reports that students with visual impairments spent, on average, 86.8% of their day in general education classrooms, academic success has not been guaranteed, with as many as 49.9% of these students reported as having failed at least one course in general education [16, 17]. Educators who are specifically trained to work with students who have visual impairments have long argued that the *physical inclusion* of students with visual impairments in general education classrooms *is insufficient* for academic success [16, 18]. Rather, these specialists emphasize that the specialized needs of students with visual impairments, including the need to participate fully in the general education curriculum with *sufficient accommodations*, must be met if academic success is to be achieved [16, 19, 20]. In order to accomplish this goal, early childhood educators who serve these children within inclusive settings must recognize the needs of students with visual impairments to ensure these *sufficient accommodations* are provided for student accessibility and, ultimately, success in the classroom.

#### **2.2 What constitutes a visual impairment?**

One misconception among general educators regarding students with visual impairments is that "legally blind" means a complete loss of sight. This is not true. Under the IDEA, "visual impairment – including blindness," is defined as, "an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness" [7].

Teachers who are not familiar with visual impairment—including blindness, may believe that students with vision loss placed in their classroom settings have *no usable vision*. Early childhood educators need to recognize that a majority of students who are diagnosed with a visual impairment have some degree of usable vision. According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 253 million people live with vision impairment: 36 million are blind while 217 million have moderate to severe vision impairment [21]. This means that while some students may have "no light perception," meaning that they see only darkness, many have vision that is useful for a variety of tasks, including reading print, identifying faces, recognizing color, and traveling independently, without specialized training. When working with students identified as having a visual impairment, remember that their ability to use vision for classroom activity will vary. While some may have no usable vision, "blind" does not always mean a complete loss of sight.

Regardless of their diagnosis, students who have vision loss will also have variations that exist among the causes of visual impairment, severity, and the manner in which it affects how the individual can see. Students with visual impairments may see things differently from one another, even when they share the same eye

*Early Childhood Education*

United States, the practice of inclusion is expanding to more countries throughout the world [5, 8]. This expansion of services is due, in part, to documented benefits of inclusive classrooms where students with disabilities are making greater gains in academic skills and behavioral characteristics than same-age peers who receive services in special schools. In addition, court cases—such as the Hendrick Hudson School District v. Rowley U.S. Supreme Court landmark decision in 1982—followed by the 2004 amendments to the IDEA, the merger of special education and general

To successfully deliver classroom curriculums, promote learner growth, and meet the goals of all students served within early childhood settings, teachers must have a basic understanding of the unique learning needs of all students, including those with disabilities. Early childhood educators who have received training in special education topics are generally more positive about inclusion than those who enter the teaching field with a limited knowledge of special education [5, 11]. Research indicates that the provision of basic special education knowledge and training to early childhood educators improves attitudes toward students with special needs, a better awareness of inclusion, personal expectations, and improved

education is viewed as benefitting all children in the classroom [9, 10].

outcomes for students with disabilities who are served within these settings

their needs and, then, provide instruction in a way that meets these needs.

who have vision impairments within inclusive education settings.

[5, 12–14]. Students learn best when the teachers who educate them first understand

Visual impairment is one specific category within special education identified under the IDEA. Within inclusive settings, early childhood educators may encounter students with a variety of different visual impairments. This chapter is written from the perspective and experiences of a dually certified elementary educator and teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI), as well as a certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) with over 20 years of experience in the field of education. It is designed to be a basic starting point for early childhood educators who have limited to no background in working with students who have visual impairments so they can acquire a basic understanding of visual impairments, questions to ask related to serving children with vision loss in their classroom settings, and how to approach teaching in a way that is meaningful to these students. While it is not designed to be a *comprehensive guide* to meeting all the needs of students with visual impairments placed within inclusive early childhood settings, this chapter is designed to provide *foundational information* for general educators who are expected to work with children

This chapter is divided into four sections. It begins with a basic overview of visual impairments and the specialized needs of students with visual impairments, continues with the educational implications of visual impairment on learning, and addresses the use of a team approach in meeting the unique needs of learners with visual impairments. The chapter concludes with a section that addresses "take-away tips" for early childhood educators—including practical strategies that can be used when working with students who have visual impairments in their inclusive

**2. A basic overview of the specialized needs of students with visual** 

Visual impairment is categorized as a "low incidence disability" within the field of special education in the United States. The federal definition of the term "low incidence disability" includes (a) a visual or hearing impairment, or simultaneous

**286**

classrooms.

**impairments**

**2.1 Background**

condition. Different types of vision loss may include a reduced acuity—or clarity that cannot be corrected with glasses, a field loss—or "blind spots" with a student's field of view, muscle control problems (lazy eye), or problems with perception—for example, a student may see educational materials, but cannot describe or comprehend what is being seen.

#### **2.3 Recognizing visual impairments in the early childhood classroom**

When a child with a visual impairment is assigned to an inclusive classroom setting, the classroom teacher should always ask about the child's degree of vision loss. Teachers who do not recognize that there are varying degrees of visual impairments may wrongly assume that learning environments need not be visually stimulating; this is especially true in early childhood settings where pictures, color, sight words, and learning centers are used within everyday learning tasks. In settings where the majority of students rely on visual cues, teachers must explore alternative ways to meet the educational needs of their learners with visual impairments, including those with no vision and partial sight. Knowing the degree of a child's vision loss can assist in determining, selecting, and using specialized accommodations needed within the educational setting.

In addition to recognizing the individualized degree of vision loss that is present when a child who is identified with a visual impairment is assigned to an inclusive classroom, early childhood educators must also be cognizant of the warning signs of visual impairment in children who are not specifically identified as having a visual impairment prior to attending a formal learning environment. Because the early childhood setting is one of the first formal learning experiences for young children, it is often within this setting that visual impairments are first identified. Because so much of classroom learning occurs through a visual model, it is important for early childhood educators to recognize when a visual impairment may be present. If visual impairments are overlooked, delays in learning can occur for children who require accommodations.

Signs of eye trouble in children may include physical characteristics, behaviors, verbal communications, or trauma to the face or eyes. Physical characteristics may include eyes that are red, inflamed, watery, or off-center. Behaviors may include rubbing, shutting—or covering—one eye for tasks that require vision, tilting of the head when viewing materials, leaning forward to see better, tripping over objects, excessive blinking, or extreme sensitivity to light. Verbal cues may include statements such as, "I can't see that," "I see two of that," (double vision) or complaints of dizziness, headache or nausea [22]. Any of these symptoms, including classroom emergencies where the eye may be affected, should be reported to school health services, administration, and the child's parents and/or guardians so that follow-up assessment can be determined.
