Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid when working with Visually Impaired Students

Walk into any school with me, and I can almost guarantee we'll see dedicated teachers pouring their hearts into their work. Over my 20 years as an Orientation & Mobility Specialist, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with hundreds of these incredible educators. My passion is giving them the tools and confidence they need to truly unlock the world for their students with visual impairments.

But let's be honest: our teacher training programs often don't adequately prepare us for the unique challenges of visual impairment education. As a result, even the most well-meaning teachers can fall into a few common traps.

This isn't about blame or pointing fingers. It's about pulling back the curtain on three subtle but significant mistakes I see time and time again. This is a conversation between colleagues, grounded in two decades of real-world experience. My goal is to help you sidestep these hurdles so you can make an even bigger impact on your students' lives.

Mistake #1: The Efficiency Trap (When "Saving Time" Costs You Opportunity)

The Scenario: Your O&M Specialist arrives to work with your student. It seems like the perfect chance to use that 30 minutes for some focused one-on-one time with another student who needs it. It feels productive, efficient, and like a smart use of your time.

The Hidden Cost: While it seems efficient on the surface, this approach unintentionally builds walls. I've seen this play out hundreds of times: it creates a "your student" and "my student" dynamic that leads to a huge missed opportunity for learning—for everyone. When the classroom teacher isn't observing or participating, you miss out on seeing the specialized teaching techniques and educational strategies in action. You don't get to see how the specialist is adapting materials or why they're using a specific verbal cue.

As a result, those crucial skills aren't reinforced after the specialist leaves. The student's progress can become siloed to that one session, stalling their growth in the classroom. This disjointed approach, often born from rigid scheduling issues in special ed, can make you feel less equipped and the student feel less consistently supported.

A Better Way: The Collaborative Fix

• Champion the 5-Minute Huddle: This is a game-changer. Advocate for just a five-minute overlap before or after a session. It’s a moment for the specialist to say, "Hey, we worked on tactile identification of coins today. If you get a chance, you could have him help sort change for the class fund." That simple exchange bridges the gap between the session and the classroom.

• Schedule a "Ride-Along" Session: Once a month, plan for a joint activity. Maybe the O&M specialist joins your class for a walk to the library, or the TVI co-teaches a hands-on science lesson. This builds your confidence and shows the student that their entire team is on the same page.

• Keep a Shared Log: A simple notebook or digital document where the specialist can jot down a quick note ("Practiced using his calendar to find 'art' today!") gives you invaluable insight you can use all week long.

Mistake #2: The 'Drive-By' Recommendation (When Great Ideas Get Lost in Translation)

The Scenario: The TVI, in a rush between schools, drops off a beautifully made tactile calendar system. The O&M specialist sends an email with a list of ideas for improving daily living skills. You know these resources are important, but they end up on a shelf, unused.

The Hidden Cost: This isn't about teachers being unmotivated. It's about a lack of context. A "drive-by" recommendation, where materials are provided without a clear explanation of why they're important, feels like just another task on an endless to-do list. I’ll never forget a teacher telling me she found a box of adapted materials in her room with no note, no context, and no idea how to use them. How can we expect follow-through in that situation?

My role as a specialist isn't to be a boss; it's to be a partner and an expert guide. And a huge part of that is ensuring teachers understand the purpose behind a strategy.

I saw the power of this firsthand when a team and I introduced a new tactile calendar. Initially, other kids in the class ate the tactile symbols—it was a mess! But because the entire team, the teacher, the SLP, the TVI, and I, understood why this system was so critical for building the student's independence, we all put our heads together and solved the problem. That is what real support looks like.

A Better Way: Connecting the "What" to the "Why"

• Ask for the 'Why' Behind the 'What': Don't be shy! When a VI specialist gives you a tool, ask, "Can you walk me through the end goal here? What skill are we building with this?" A good specialist will be excited to share the anything with you.

• Request a Quick 'Show Me' Session: Ask the VI specialist to take just 5 minutes to model how to use the new material with the student while you watch. Seeing it in action is often more helpful than reading a manual.

• Start Small, Win Big: You don't have to do it all at once. Ask the VI specialist, "What is the one thing we can start with that will make the biggest difference?" Mastering one strategy builds momentum for the next.

Mistake #3: The Assumption Trap (When We Misunderstand What a Student Sees)

The Scenario: We assume a student's vision is the same every day, or we believe that seeing a print letter is the same as feeling a braille letter.

The Hidden Cost: These false expectations are incredibly common but can create serious concept gaps for students.

1. Vision Isn't a Photograph; It's a Live Feed: Think of vision less like a fixed photograph and more like a camera that constantly needs to adjust its focus. A student's functional vision can be affected by lighting, fatigue, or even allergies. Expecting the same performance day after day can lead to frustration when a student struggles with a task they aced yesterday.

2. Senses Speak Different Languages: Seeing the letter 'A' and feeling the letter 'A' in braille are fundamentally different cognitive tasks. They are not interchangeable. Pushing a student to use a visual strategy when their brain is wired for tactile learning (or vice versa) is like trying to teach math in a language they don't understand. This is why the Learning Media Assessment (LMA) is the most important document in a visually impaired student's file, it’s their personal user manual for learning.

A Better Way: See Through Their Eyes

• Get curious. If a student is struggling, ask, "Is the glare from the window bothering you?" or "Does it help if I dim the lights?" This simple act of checking in shows respect for their experience.

• Treat the Learning Media Assessment as your roadmap. It tells you the student's best pathway for learning. If it says their primary mode is auditory, lean into audiobooks and verbal instruction. If it's tactile, bring on the hands-on materials.

• Focus on the core idea. Whether a student demonstrates understanding of the number 5 by pointing to it, building it with blocks, or finding it on their brailler, the goal is the same: concept mastery.

Putting It All Together

Navigating the world of special education for visually impaired students is a journey, not a destination. By avoiding these common traps, you move from just accommodating a student to truly empowering them.

• Instead of isolating, collaborate. Tiny moments of connection with the student's team build a powerful and consistent support system.

• Instead of just accepting materials, ask why. Understanding the purpose behind a strategy will motivate you to integrate it into your classroom.

• Instead of assuming, observe and adapt. Respect that your student's vision is unique and trust the data from their LMA to guide your instruction.