Columbus City Schools offers programming for students who are blind or visually impaired in a variety of educational settings.

• Services are available beginning at age 3 and continue through graduation or age 22.
• There are approximately 150 students in Columbus City Schools that receive services/support from the Visual Impairment Program.
• Our teachers currently provide services to eligible students in over 50 Columbus City Schools.
• Students receiving special education services under any disability category may also be eligible for services from the Visual Impairment Program.

If you think your child may be eligible for special education services due to a visual impairment, please contact visualimpairments@columbus.k12.oh.us for more information or to make a referral.

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, affects a child’s educational performance.

Columbus City Schools proudly employs several professionals who specialize in working with children who are blind/visually impaired. Those specialists include Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs) and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS).

Our staff is comprised of the following team members:

• 1 Program Supervisor
• 1 Program Coordinator/TVI
• 3 VI Resource Rooms with full day TVI
• 5 Itinerant TVIs (traveling teachers)
• 3 Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists
• 1 School Psychologist
• 1 Special Needs Preschool TVI

Our resource rooms provide support to students who require significant amounts of support from a Teacher of the Visually Impaired. Students are enrolled in a primary placement (ex: general education or specialized learning center) and receive supplemental instruction and support in the VI resource room throughout the day/week. The TVI is located in the building full time and is able to provide daily instruction and support in braille, use of magnification devices, use of assistive technology and instruction in the other areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum. The TVI also supports academic progress within the general education setting and collaborates with team members to ensure accommodations are made and students have access to classroom materials.

The VI resource rooms are not self-contained classrooms. Students receive their academic instruction in the general education, learning center or specialized learning center as determined by their IEP team.

Resource Room Locations

• Maize Elementary School (Preschool-5th grade)
  • 4360 Maize Rd. Columbus, OH 43224
• Dominion Middle School (6th-8th grade)
  • 100 E. Arcadia Ave. Columbus, OH 43202
• Whetstone High School (9th-12th grade)
  • 4405 Scenic Dr. Columbus, OH 43214

Our itinerant services can be provided at ANY Columbus City School. TVIs and COMS are assigned caseloads based on regions and travel to the schools to provide services to students in general education or special education settings. Direct and consultative service time is determined for each individual case and may be provided multiple times per week, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly.

The itinerant TVI provides instruction and support in the areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum that are identified as needs for the student during the eligibility process. Additional services may include adapting classroom materials and collaborating with the many team members who work with students in various educational settings.

Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists provide instruction and support in independent travel skills for students who are blind/visually impaired. This may include, but is not limited to, navigating school buildings, navigating cafeterias or playgrounds, development of directional concepts, learning to cross streets, identifying landmarks and learning travel routes, learning to use a cane and using public transportation. Orientation and Mobility Specialists may work at the school or in the local community with students. Services are provided during the school day.