VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 3
visual impairment as well as degree and type of vision loss is another
significant variable. Most discussions focus on a single variable, reading
medium. This focus is divided into braille readers and large print
readers. However, even this is an oversimplification. Most students who are
visually impaired will use multiple media, such as a variety of magnification
devices, auditory materials, etc., for different tasks. Students will often
change media as they progress through the grades and demands become
different. The students who use only braille are few but are often at the
center of discussion regarding the possibility of dyslexia as a coexisting
condition. (para 2).
Educational diagnosticians, licensed specialists in school psychology, and
reading interventionists often struggle to identify dyslexia due to limited training
and experience in working with students who have visual impairments,
understanding how the visual impairment impacts learning and reading acquisition,
especially braille readers, selecting the appropriate evaluation tools, and
understanding the accommodations needed to evaluate the student. Criteria under
34 CFR 300.309(a)(3) state findings for determining a student with a SLD, are not
primarily the result of:
• A visual impairment, or motor disability;
• Mental retardation [intellectual disability];
