Unlocking the Untapped Potential in Paraprofessionals

expanded core curriculum mindset orientation and mobility Jun 10, 2025

In the bustling ecosystem of education for students with visual impairments, there’s a crucial player often waiting in the wings, ready for a larger role: the paraprofessional. We've talked at length about the importance of orientation and mobility (O&M) assistants, but what if we expanded that vision? What if we unlocked the full, untapped potential of paraprofessionals across all nine areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)? It's a question that challenges the status quo, and one that could revolutionize how we support our students who are blind or have a visual impairment.

The Resurgence and Reality of the Orientation and Mobility Assistant

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) assistants have been the subject of renewed discussion recently. The job title has been around for a while, but it declined for a number of reasons, so this is not an entirely new concept. Universities and organizations such as the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) used to conduct training programs. But as these programs dropped, O&M specialists themselves began to become mainly in charge of training O&M assistants.

This is an excellent concept in theory. The trainee can receive one-on-one instruction from a current team member, eliminating the necessity for an additional full-time position. However, what constitutes the facts? Significant concern has been voiced to the idea of reinstating this position.

First of all, it takes a lot of time to train an O&M assistant. Since O&M specialists are already overwhelmed, developing and implementing an extensive training plan is a difficult task at hand. We are not necessary trained to develop full curricula for other professionals; rather, we are taught to instruct students.

Most orientation and mobility specialists and teachers for the visually impaired experience an intricate struggle on a daily basis. We are often itinerant, traveling across multiple districts to accommodate the students on our caseloads. Our calendars are saturated with direct instruction, traveling, collaborating with general education teachers, writing IEPs, and putting together accessible resources. Adding "curriculum developer for individuals" to an already overflowing plate is more than an inconvenience and for many, it is absolutely impossible.

Who is liable for the training's direction and the assistant's actions? How can we maintain quality and consistency across a district if each O&M specialist sets their own unique training instructions? And, what happens when that highly trained paraprofessional is transferred to another student or quits the district? The considerable effort and commitment evaporates, and the O&M specialist is forced to start over. This unsustainable cycle places an unnecessary pressure on O&Ms in addition, might cause for them to fall short in providing a stable, consistent support system for our students with visual impairments.

Beyond Orientation and Mobility: A Holistic Approach

This is where we need to extend our viewpoints. The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) includes nine essential areas, including orientation and mobility. The ECC presents a framework of skills that students with visual impairments require to succeed and that they are unlikely to develop due to vision loss. So, why are we limiting our attention to only one area?

Paraprofessionals, or TAs, are already in the classroom, working directly with our children who have visual impairments. Instead of narrowly defining their role as an OMA, what if we conceptualized a "TVI Assistant" or an "ECC Assistant"? This new classification would address all nine areas of the ECC, from compensatory skills and assistive technology to social connections and independent living skills, and provide paraprofessionals with structured, science-based training.

Dr. McKenzie and Dr. Lewis' 2019 study, "The Role and Training of Paraprofessionals Who Work with Students Who are Visually Impaired," found that paraprofessionals frequently provide direct instruction in the ECC. This isn't an entirely new experience; research from the late 1990s and early 2000s found that a lack of training for paraprofessionals had a significant impact on the way they communicate with trainers.

Let us look at the numbers. A TVI may spend only 1-2% of a student's waking hours with them, whereas a paraprofessional spends 25-27%. Given this fact, it is imperative that we educate our paraprofessionals with the fundamental understanding and skills needed to effectively put into practice what the TVI has taught.

The Motivation Behind the Untapped Potential: Promoting Independence

So, why hasn't this already happened? The key factor is lack of time. Educators are already overwhelmed, and the idea of developing an extensive training program from scratch is daunting. What is required is a completely structured, ready-to-use framework that can be applied by staff members.

To be clear, this is not intended to downplay the role of the TVI. In truth, it is about expanding the entire educational team. Fears that properly trained paraprofessionals could replace TVIs are valid, but not the case. A TVI's expertise, developed through graduate-level training, is priceless. This is about creating a more effective and efficient support system for our students. The paraprofessional's role is to supplement, not replace, the instruction of the certified specialist.

The main objective is to help students become as independent as possible. We modify paraprofessionals' roles from simple aides to mediators of independence by providing them with high-level training. This training would provide them with the specialized skills needed to assist a student with a visual impairment, such as how to adapt materials, convey visual information, and allow others to participate without becoming a crutch.

Let's take into account the paraprofessionals themselves. Advanced training and more responsibilities ought to culminate in a well-deserved pay raise. Recognizing their expanded skill set with higher salary is not only fair, but also provides strong encouragement.

The Power of Systematic Framework and Effective Training

The justification for structured training is not purely subjective. A study from the early 2000s in New York State showed that paraprofessionals were underserving students with visual impairments due to a lack of training. In response, the state developed a one-day training program with significant positive results. This suggests that even minimal efforts in specially tailored instruction can have an enormous effect.

Comprehensive training programs for paraprofessionals working with students with visual impairments should include a variety of areas. This includes knowing the unique needs of blind and visually impaired students, strategies for promoting independence, and how to reinforce skills taught by the TVI and O&M specialist. The goal is to equip the paraprofessional to be an amplifier of independence rather than a stumbling block.

A one-time session is not enough to provide effective training. It should be continuous and based on skills, with instances of guidance and feedback. This guarantees that paraprofessionals not only learn new skills, but can also effectively use them in the classroom. This includes practical guidance for:

Reinforcing ECC Skills: How to create frequent chances for practicing skills in all nine ECC areas, such as daily living activities, social skills, and using assistive technology.
Adapting Materials: Strategies for making educational materials more accessible, such as utilizing tactile diagrams or magnifying text.
Promoting Social Inclusiveness: Approaches for creating healthy social relationships between the student and their peers while ensuring the paraprofessional does not become a barrier.
Effective Communication: Cultivating exceptional communication and collaboration skills to function as an effective member of the teaching team, which includes the TVI, O&M expert, and general education teacher.

Empowering the Entire Team: A Framework for Success

The information we have is clear: our paraprofessionals have enormous potential that has yet to be realized. By shifting our focus from a narrow orientation and mobility assistant position to a broader, more holistic "ECC Assistant," we can provide a more reliable and efficient learning environment for our visually impaired students. This initiative has significance for supporting genuine student independence while avoiding the traps of self-imposed helplessness.

But acknowledging the problem is only the first step. The greatest barrier remains the overwhelming lack of time and resources for TVIs and O&M specialists to create high-quality, comprehensive training programs from the ground up. We need a systematic solution that is both effective and practical.

This is why we created the VI Foundations Program at the Society of Exceptional Educators. We saw the need of having a completely structured, science-based framework that districts could put into action right away.

The VI Foundations Program is designed to provide paraprofessionals with the skills and information they need to support students in all nine areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum. It relieves specialists of the burden of curriculum developing by providing a ready-made, expert-developed program that ensures accuracy and quality. It empowers paraprofessionals to confidently take on their position as facilitators of independence, prepared with strategies that build on skills taught by the TVI and O&M specialist.

This calls for a paradigm shift. To create an inclusive system, TVIs, O&M specialists, general education instructors, and administrators must collaborate together. By investing in our paraprofessionals, we are investing in the future of our students.

Check out VI Foundations here: Click this link

Resources

McKenzie, A. R., & Lewis, S. (2008). Services to students with visual impairments in rural areas: A survey of orientation and mobility specialists. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 102(8), 475–480. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X0810200803
Russotti, J., & Shaw, R. (2001). In-service training for teaching assistants and others who work with students with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 95(8), 508–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X0109500804

Topics covered: Paraprofessionals, students with visual impairments, Orientation and Mobility (O&M), Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), Teachers for the Visually Impaired (TVIs), visually impaired, blind, orientation and mobility specialists, training for paraprofessionals working with visually impaired students, O&M assistant training challenges