J K Bell, E A Andersen, C S Bachofer
Vanderbilt University, Special Education, Nashville, TN, United States
BACKGROUND
Project Providing Access to the Visual Environment (PAVE) is one model of providing comprehensive low vision services to school age children in the southeast region of the United States. The goals of the project include: to prepare children for independent visual functioning, to the greatest extent possible, and to document their steps toward visual independence; to provide prescribed optical devices and instruction in their use to students, their teachers, and their families; to disseminate information about Project PAVE at conferences and through written communication.
METHOD
Silent and oral reading speeds and comprehension rates are recorded before and after optical device intervention. Students, parents, and teachers each complete a form indicating their perceptions of the student's present and future ability to accomplish specific visual tasks. These expectation forms are completed pre-and post optical device instruction. Upon completion of the 1999-2000 academic year, project evaluations were accomplished with students, parents, and teachers. Information gathering took place through phone interviews using a specific script/survey format.
RESULTS
Project PAVE research demonstrates that participating students reduce the reading speed gap behind their sighted peers; increases were found for students and teachers expectations for visual functioning. Students, parents, and teachers sighted long term gains for personal, academic, and vocational goals. Each group reported positive effects in the area of social skills, visual efficiency, and increase access to the common core curriculum.
CONCLUSION
In this roundtable discussion, participants will dialogue about the PAVE model as well as other successful low vision projects.
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