HD8 - Virginia's School Vision Screening Program and Early Detection of Learning Disabilities
Executive Summary: Background The 1984 Virginia General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 127, "Requesting the Department of Education to study and evaluate Virginia's school vision program as well as methods available for effective early detection of learning disabilities consistent with the symptoms of dyslexia and dysgraphia." Pursuant to this resolution, a study was undertaken by the Virginia Department of Education. Dr. Don L. Walker of the Special Education Department, University of Virginia was employed as the project consultant. Included in the study is a review of the literature in each of the areas of concern in the resolution, a survey of current practices in the schools of the Commonwealth, and interviews with several professionals in the areas of vision and special education regarding what is considered to be "best practice" in vision screening and early detection of learning disabilities consistent with the symptoms of dyslexia and dysgraphia. An Advisory Committee , consisting of persons representing Institutions of Higher Education, local Virginia school divisions, the National Society to Prevent Blindness) school nurses, the State Special Education Advisory Committee, the Virginia Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities, the Virginia Council of Administrators of Special Education, the Virginia Department of Correctional Education, the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia Medical Society, the Virginia Optometric Association, the Virginia Orton Dyslexia Society, the Virginia Psychological Association, the Virginia Society of Ophthalmology, and the Virginia State Reading Association was organized. The Committee convened twice. Conclusions • Vision Screening: Except for distance visual acuity screening, there is little consistency in vision screening practices in Virginia's public schools. Because of this inconsistency, evaluation of "Virginia's school vision-screening program" is not possible, except to state that there is no consistent and coordinated state program for vision screening as such. • Early Detection of Learning Disabilities: The area of learning disabilities concerns a wide range of characteristics, rather than a single, easily identifiable condition. This is a heterogeneous group of youngsters often possessing only a few characteristics in common. Also, there is wide disagreement regarding the definition of the condition itself. There are at least three major national entities espousing and promoting their own definition or interpretation of the federal definition. The terms dyslexia and dysgraphia, represent just two of the many specific conditions included on the long list of conditions which are considered to be a part of learning disabilities, are presently in use by only some of the professionals engaged in the study and treatment of learning disabilities. Because learning disabilities are defined by the federal and Virginia state regulations in terms of a deviation from the performance level expected on school-related tasks, positive identification before a child enters school is technically impossible. The rather general category, "High Risk" [for academic failure], does seem to have some value as a means of designating those pre-school children who are likely to encounter academic or behavioral difficulties in the primary grades. A number of indicators, many of which are present at or before birth, appear to be useful for identification of these High Risk youngsters. Some of these youngsters may prove in time to be learning disabled. • Vision-Related Problems of Learning Disabled Children: Review of the literature, interviews with professionals, and consultation with the HJR 127 Advisory Committee have failed to indicate answers to the questions surrounding identification of vision-related problems of learning disabilities. There are several studies which have demonstrated efficacy of orthoptic exercises in the treatment of eye movement problems, but none of these found the treatment to have any beneficial effect on reading or other academic performance. Recommendations • Vision Screening: 1. That state guidelines, including a standard set of procedures for the administration of the program, be developed to clarify Virginia regulations concerning vision screening in the public schools. 2. That a program be developed and implemented for the recruitment and training of personnel to screen and refer. 3. That the Department of Education collect data on specific assessment standards used in the vision screening program. • Early Detection of Learning Disabilities: Because of the mixed findings of the literature regarding identification of learning disabilities, and the current lack of agreement on a clear-cut definition of the condition, it seems inappropriate to recommend one specific screening procedure for the early identification of learning disabilities. It is strongly recommended that attention be given to early identification of pre-school children who are at high risk for academic failure; some of these youngsters may prove, in time, to be learning disabled. • Vision-Related Problems of Learning Disabilities: The research findings related to vision-related problems of learning disabilities are so varied and so equivocal that no definitive recommendations can be made at this time. |
Menu
Published Documents
