Children's Services

School: Our team of specialized professionals continues services to children in their own school district. Teachers of the visually impaired, mobility instructors, rehabilitation teachers, and occupational therapists trained in vision services work with students under special contractual agreements.

For most children, ninety percent of their early learning comes from vision. A visually-impaired child learns about the world in ways other than watching - by touching, listening, imagining... exploring. At all ages, self-help is a vital component of the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s Children’s Services. The more children can do, the better image they have of themselves as they build their future. At the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI), we offer comprehensive services for children with visual impairments from birth through age 18.

Functional Vision Training: With instruction from teachers of the visually impaired, children progress through all the stages of development. Our goal is to increase a child’s independence through mastery of alternate methods of learning, development of compensatory skills, and efficient use of remaining vision. We encourage group activities that promote interaction, cooperation, and socialization. Functional vision training incorporates concept development, mobility, adaptive aids and low vision devices.

Early Intervention: CABVI’s professional staff is here to help with early intervention right in an infant’s or young child’s home. Training is provided in close examination of objects and through hands-on instruction. At the same time, parents are given training so that they, too, can reinforce teaching their children using adaptive techniques.

Pre-School: Under the direction of a teacher of the visually impaired, the pre-school program focuses on concept development. Children are encouraged to explore the world through touch, using all their senses to decode the environment, comprehend it, and navigate it safely. With this preparation, the majority of these children are able to attend regular school with sighted students when they reach school age.