VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 4
The Bridges school approaches their ECC instruction using the collapsed
ECC framework articulated by Dr. Karen Wolffe and updated by Robbin Clark.
Traditionally the ECC has been viewed by its nine domains separately. The
collapsed ECC framework organizes the nine areas into 3 interdisciplinary
domains: access skills (compensatory, sensory efficiency and use of assistive
technology), community readiness (career education, self-determination and
orientation and mobility) and independent living skills (independent living skills,
recreation and leisure and social interaction skills). The collapsed framework
organizes ECC domains in a cohesive way, ensuring they complement each other
to fulfill the overall purpose of supporting comprehensive skill development for
students with vision impairments.
Physical fitness, recreation, and leisure are woven throughout both the daily
academic schedule and the residential life program at Bridges. These areas are
prioritized as essential components of each student's education because of their
profound impact on quality of life. Recognizing that a once-a-week traditional
class is insufficient to establish a strong foundation for wellness in today's world,
Bridges ensures that students participate in a combination of traditional physical
education courses such as fitness for life and body conditioning, along with
extracurricular and lifetime activities like judo, horseback riding, and alpine and
cross-country skiing. Each extracurricular opportunity is intentionally designed as
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