Special Education Sensory Services - Teacher-Visually Impaired - 1.0FTE

About the role

This position is for the 2026/2027 school year. To learn more about our special education service pathways, please follow this link to the SPS Special Education Department website: SPS Special Education Department.

Responsibilities

• Appropriate Learning Environment:

  • Assists in determining and procuring classroom equipment and materials necessary for students with visual impairments to learn (brailler, low vision devices, assistive technology, computer)
  • Ensures necessary room modifications and lighting changes
  • Provides the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach a student with visual impairment
  • Consults with other instructional staff to provide information to incorporate the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) into the entire instructional setting
  • Provides adapted materials to the classroom teacher
  • Provides Braille, recorded/enlarged materials, and/or tactual symbols as appropriate for each child

• Direct Instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC):

  • Maintains monitoring of students' progress in academic subjects and provides instruction in compensatory skills as needed in the areas the students may have difficulty with as a result of the visual impairment (This does not include tutoring in subject areas once materials and methods have been adapted to accommodate the vision loss)
  • Teaches Braille reading and writing
  • Teaches Low vision devices
  • Teaches Abacus
  • Teaches Typing/keyboarding
  • Teaches Technology (e.g., computers, Braille notetakers, JAWS, Magic, Duxbury)
  • Teaches Listening skills
  • Teaches Visual efficiency skills
  • Teaches Concept development (especially for infants and early childhood students)
  • Teaches Daily living/self-help skills
  • Teaches Career readiness
  • Teaches Leisure and recreation skills
  • Teaches Social skills
  • Teaches Organizational and study skills
  • Teaches Self-advocacy skills

• Assessment and Evaluation of students who are blind or visually impaired:

  • Performs Functional Vision and Learning Media Assessments (FVA/LMA) on new referrals and three-year re-evaluations
  • Interprets eye medical reports as they relate to educational environments
  • Contributes to the development of the IEP/IFSP with goals, modifications, learning styles
  • Recommends appropriate specialized evaluations as needed, such as low vision, Orientation and Mobility, psycho-social, and adaptive physical education
  • Consults with diagnosticians, classroom teachers, students, and parents concerning appropriate evaluations, modifications, and test administration
  • Obtains modified standardized testing materials and administers or assists in the administration of the test as needed
  • Works as liaison with other agencies in the vocational assessment process
  • Participates in team assessments for students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities
  • Provides screening and referral procedures to appropriate personnel

• Support Services:

  • Provides assistance to students with visual impairments in understanding their attitudes and those of others concerning their visual impairment
  • Facilitates social integration and interaction with peers
  • Provides training and support to parents of students with visual impairments to enhance their children's independence
  • Provides the teachers, staff, and family of students with visual impairment with information regarding their individual needs, methodology, and strategies
  • Participates with other school personnel and agencies to secure job-related experiences for students
  • Participates in transition planning

• Administrative/Record Keeping Duties:

  • Provides updated student information (VI registration, deafblind census, textbook projections)
  • Sets up a work and storage space at each school to be used by the Teacher of the Visually Impaired to instruct students as necessary
  • Provides input into students' schedules, planning for all special services, such as direct instruction and Orientation & Mobility
  • Maintains adequate record of all assessments, IEPs, IFSP papers, progress reports and signed parental release forms for things such as photographs and registration with various agencies
  • Prepares paperwork as appropriate and attends IEPs and IFSP meetings on students with visual impairments
  • Distributes information to parents concerning workshops, conferences, and equipment acquisition
  • Communicates with low-vision specialists, ophthalmologists, and optometrists concerning exams, and attends exams when appropriate
  • Supervises material preparation and acquisition

• Liaison Between Community and School:

  • Provides information about district and/or regional vision programs to the schools and community
  • Provides information concerning recreational and summer programs to parents and students and assist with application forms and procedures

• Professional Standards:

  • Maintains a reference library
  • Acquires information about current research, development, and technology by attending conferences, workshops, and area meetings and by reading journals in the field of blindness & visual impairment

Qualifications

• Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in special education, with certification specifically in teaching students with visual impairment is required.

• Certificates & Licenses:

  • Valid Washington State Teaching Certificate
  • Some positions may require valid first aid and CPR certification
  • Some positions may require a valid Washington State driver's license and/or a Class II driver's license

• Clearances:

  • Criminal justice fingerprint and background check

• Seattle Public Schools benefits:

  • Administered by the Washington State Healthcare Authority (HCA) under the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB)