GOAL 8: Educational and developmental goals, including instruction, will reflect the assessed needs of each student in all areas of academic and disability-specific core curricula.
CURRENT SITUATION 8A
Inconsistency exists in the quality of assessments in core curriculum areas for children with visual impairments, especially in the areas of orientation & mobility, social skills, independent living, recreation, leisure, and career/vocation.
AREAS OF NEED
 | A consistent approach to assessment and the development of goals in the core curriculum is needed. |
| There is a need for increased availability of skilled and experienced specialists in orientation & mobility, vocational rehabilitation and other service areas to work with children and young adults with visual impairments. |
INITIATIVES
To improve knowledge about, and familiarity with, the core curriculum across "stakeholder" groups within N.H.
STRATEGIES
| Provide students, parents, education personnel, and other target audiences with information about expanded core curriculum for students with visual impairments. |
| Develop and disseminate guidelines for assessment and goal development relative to all areas in the core curriculum. |
CURRENT SITUATION 8B
All areas are not being adequately addressed in students' IEPs relative to assessment and instruction in the core and expanded curricula areas.
AREAS OF NEED
Statewide consistency is needed so that the process of developing IEP goals and objectives consistently reflects the importance of the core and expanded curricula for blind and visually impaired students.
INITIATIVES
To encourage teams to include disability specific skills within the IEP by evaluating students needs in the content areas outlined in the core and expanded curricula.
STRATEGIES
| Condense and rewrite one-page descriptions of the core curriculum for each constituent audience. |
| Collaborate with universities and adult service agencies to ensure that education programs serving students with visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities, are appropriately preparing students for the future. |
CURRENT SITUATION 8C
Competencies have been established for teachers of students with deafblindness by the Perkins National Deafblind Training Project.
AREAS OF NEED
Information regarding these competencies needs to be widely disseminated, especially to parents.
INITIATIVES
To increase the awareness of parents about the competencies that have been established for teachers of students with deafblindness.
STRATEGIES
In collaboration with the New England Center for Deaf Blind Services, the competencies for educators of students with deafblindness will be mailed to parents of students in N.H. who are eligible for services through The New England Center.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS RELATIVE TO GOAL 8:
refer to appendices B, C and E as well as item C (Policy Guidance from O.S.E.R.S.) on the attached list of additional resources.