Low Incidence Program

The Audiological Resource Unit (ARU) provides a comprehensive audiologic evaluation completed by an Educational Audiologist for any child from 3 to 22 years of age. District schools refer students to the ARU when there is a suspected hearing difference, a failed audiometric screening, or a teacher or parent concern regarding a student’s hearing ability. Members of the school’s multidisciplinary team who facilitate listening, learning, and communication access counsel students with hearing differences and their families regarding hearing levels and act as a liaison between outside agencies and schools. Additionally, the Educational Audiologists are part of the team that assesses students with suspected Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). The Educational Audiologists also provide Designated Instructional Services (DIS) to students receiving Deaf Education services in special day programs, provide consultative services to students receiving Deaf Education Itinerant Services, and provide support services and professional development relating to students’ hearing levels and hearing technology to students, teachers, families, and other school staff.

The Blind and Low Vision Program provides services to students ages 3-22 with visual impairments whose vision loss meets the legal standard as either legally blind or partially sighted and negatively impacts their ability to access core curriculum and/or acquire the skills necessary to participate in fundamental life activities.  Teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVI) provide instruction in the use of specialized materials and equipment necessary to access the core or modified core curriculum in educational settings including general education classrooms,  a VI resource room, the Low Incidence Learning Center (LILC) on a general education campus, and itinerant services for Blind/Partially Sighted (BPS) students and those with additional disabilities. Collaboration with general education teachers, District staff, and parents is essential, with additional support services including Orientation and Mobility, and braille transcription. In addition to providing access to the core or modified core curriculum, TSVI’s provide instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), a disability-specific set of skills that compensates for vision loss and is foundational to all other learning.  The ECC focuses on compensatory skills, sensory efficiency, orientation and mobility, self-determination, career education, assistive technology, independent living skills, recreation and leisure, and social skills.