Assistive Technology for Students Who Are Visually Impaired - Frequently Asked Questions and Advisory

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

Guidance explains assistive technology (AT) and eligibility for special education services for students with visual impairments under federal law. It defines eligibility criteria tied to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and outlines requirements for evaluation. It also describes how students can access the general education curriculum using AT inside and outside educational settings, what AT includes under IDEA, and how AT supports learning through alternate sensory channels. The guide provides a quick reference to high- and low-tech devices commonly used by students with low vision or blindness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Eligibility standard under federal law

Q2. Accessing the general education curriculum

Q3. Definition of assistive technology

Q4. Benefits of assistive technology

Q5. Types of assistive technology

Quick Reference Guide of High-and Low-Tech Devices

Q6. Determining needed assistive technology

Q7. Whether the same AT is needed over time

Q8. How students learn to use AT

Q9. Responsibility to implement AT

Q10. Where AT is recorded in the IEP

Q11. Guide dogs or service animals as AT

Resources

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Illinois State Board of Education Special Education Department
Assistive Technology for Students Who Are Visually Impaired:
Frequently Asked Questions and
Advisory
This document is intended to provide non-regulatory guidance on the subject matter listed above.
For specific questions, please contact the Illinois State Board of Education.
Dr . Carmen I. Ayala, State Superintendent
May 2021

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Assistive Technology for Students Who Are Visually Impaired Table of Contents Q 1. Q 2. Q 3. Q 4. Q 5. Table 1. Q 6. Q 7. Q 8. Q 9. Q 10. Q 11. Q 12. Frequently Asked Questions What is the standard for determination of eligibility for special education services under federal law for students with visual impairments? How can a student with visual impairments access the general education curriculum? What is assistive technology? How can assistive technology benefit students with visual impairments? What types of assistive technology are available for use by students with visual impairments? Quick Reference Guide of High-and Low-Tech Devices How do I determine what kinds of assistive technology my student with a visual impairment needs? Will my student need the same assistive technology throughout his or her educational career? How does my student learn to use the assistive technology provided to him or her? Whose responsibility is it to implement assistive technology in the classroom? Where is assistive technology recorded in the IEP? Is a guide dog or service animal considered assistive technology? How can I learn more about assistive technology and how to use the technological supports my student needs? Resources Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 3 Page 4 Page 4 Page 6 Page 6 Page 6 Page 7 Page 7 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Question 1: What is the standard for determination of eligibility for special education services under federal law for students with visual impairments? A student who has low vision or is blind is eligible for special education services under the visually impaired eligibility defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) . The visual impairment must adversely affect the student’s educational performance. “Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness”( 34 CFR 300.8) . The student must be evaluated for special education services in accordance with 34 CFR 300.304 through 34 CFR 300.311. | Question 2: | How can a student with visual impairments access the general education curriculum?
Students with visual impairments require supports in the educational environment to access and make progress in the general education curriculum. For students with visual impairments, much of this support is provided via assistive technology (AT) which can be applied for use in and outside the educational environment. | | --- | --- | | Question 3: | What is assistive technology?
IDEA defines an AT device as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device”( 34 CFR 300.5) . | Question 4: How can assistive technology benefit students with visual impairments? Students with visual impairments may require specific supports to access instructional and en

FAQs

What is the eligibility standard for special education services for students with visual impairments under federal law?

A student with low vision or blindness is eligible under the visually impaired eligibility defined by IDEA, when the visual impairment adversely affects educational performance. The guidance references the regulatory evaluation requirements in 34 CFR 300.304 through 34 CFR 300.311.

How can a student with visual impairments access the general education curriculum?

Students need supports in the educational environment to access and make progress in the general education curriculum. The guidance emphasizes that much of this support is provided through assistive technology that can be used in and outside the educational environment.

What types of assistive technology are available for students with visual impairments?

Assistive technology is described as a spectrum of high- and low-tech supports. Examples include braille supports, tactile writing tools, and devices that support environmental information such as maps, color identifiers, tools, and orientation needs, alongside high-tech options like braille technology, talking calculators, text-to-speech, and CCTV.

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr