Definition
Performs professional-level instruction/consultation in academics, orientation and mobility, social, and life skills to students. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind, have visual impairments, students who are deaf, or have hearing impairments. Instruction can be in-classroom, at local schools, or at home.
May collaborate with Area Education Agencies (AEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs), using an itinerant model, to provide appropriate support, instruction, or orientation and mobility services to students with visual impairments, in their local school and home settings. Support is also provided to parents and local school personnel.
Collaborates with ISD teachers, school counselors, and professionals in other disciplines (e.g. mental health specialists, DHS personnel, and other AEA professionals) to assist students in meeting their goals. Implement data-driven, standards-based, comprehensive school counseling programs that address the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students; performs related work as required.
The work examples and competencies listed below are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be the primary basis for position classification decisions.
Work Examples
Instruction
- Assumes responsibility for providing a quality educational program.
- Formulates appropriate educational objectives, activities, and evaluations.
- Reports student growth and programs to parents periodically.
- Facilitates implementation of the School’s Communication Policy.
- Maintains discipline and a safe environment for students to strive to meet their needs in the classroom.
- Documents lesson plans.
- Sets up classroom materials or equipment.
- Develops instructional materials.
- Plans educational activities.
In partnership with the AEAs and LEAs, works with students, parents, and professionals throughout the referral, evaluation, staffing, and plan development phases.
In partnership with AEAs and LEAs, provides appropriate vision services, including the use of technology, to students on either a direct or a consultant basis, according to the IEP and documented needs.
Supports and adheres to the Statewide System for Vision Services’ mission, programs, policies, and procedures.
In partnership with AEAs and LEAs, assists with NIMAS procedures for required textbooks.
Obtains or prepares required textbooks and consumable materials in an appropriate medium.
Ensures expanded core curriculum areas are addressed as appropriate.
Teaches compensatory skills necessary for academic success and life skills leading to independence. Collaborates with classroom and resource teachers, para-professionals, and others to monitor and instruct in the area of compensatory skills.
Work Experience Coordinator
Works with students 1:1, in small groups, or teach structured classes skills needed to obtain and maintain employment such as job searches, job applications, resume writing, interviewing skills, and other soft skills.
Provides job coaching and training for students as necessary
Develops and maintain positive partnerships within the community including area agencies and businesses. Has regular ongoing contact with employers.
Contacts employers and develop community-based opportunities for students to job shadow, have short-term exploratory job placements, and longer-term work experiences.
Assists employers and businesses with guidelines for accommodating people with disabilities according to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws and policies.
Meets regularly with job site supervisors to ensure successful work experience placements
Orientation and Mobility
Provides orientation and mobility evaluations and instructional/consultation services for children and youth ages birth through 21, including those with additional disabilities.
Provides orientation and mobility educational programs to other professionals, parents, and the general public.
Provides direct instruction including concept development, orientation skills, pre-cane and cane skills in outdoor and indoor environments, and assists with teaching adaptive skills when appropriate.
Consults with regular classroom teachers regarding appropriate classroom methods, technology, and adaptations to ensure equal educational opportunities.
Consultant – Math, Literacy, Low Vision, Assistive Technology, Deafblind Project Coordinator
Assists educators and service providers in making appropriate adaptations and accommodations for visually impaired students to help with concept development in mathematics.
Observes students with visual impairments and shares considerations with TVIs, paraeducators, and regular classroom teachers on how to better meet the student’s needs in mathematics.
Keeps up to date on new assistive math technology (i.e. calculators, apps, software, screen readers, etc.)
Keeps up to date in the area of mathematics education and mathematics testing including curriculum.
Organizes additional math/science opportunities for visually impaired students (i.e. Expanded Learning Opportunities).
Searches for grant funding and writes grants to help obtain special equipment for math/science activities and labs.
Using a collaborative model, examines the literacy needs of children in Iowa who are blind or visually impaired and makes recommendations to Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs), regular education teachers, special education teachers, and AEA staff on how to better meet the needs of students in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Provides on-site consultation services to TVIs, LEA staff, and AEA-related service providers.
Coordinates and conducts Low Vision Clinics.
Effectively plans and conducts training in low vision for AEA staff, LEA staff, IESBVI staff, and parents.
Coordinates services provided through the Assistive Device Center including selection, demonstration, and distribution.
Collaborates with staff from the Iowa Department for the Blind to facilitate student transition from high school to adult life.
Supports planning and implementation of Extended Learning Programs for students and their families
Using a collaborative model, examines the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) needs of children in Iowa who are blind or visually impaired and makes recommendations to Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs), regular classroom teachers, special education teachers, and related service providers on how to better meet the needs of students in these areas.
School – Psychologist
Completes academic, intellectual, adaptive behavior, and psychological evaluations with deaf and hard-of-hearing students from birth to 21 including students with additional disabilities.
Works with teachers and GHAEA staff to ensure ISD IEPs are compliant and of high quality.
Monitors student attainment of academic, social/personal, and emotional competencies. Counsels students in the personal/social, academic, and emotional domains.
Assists with student intakes: tours, contacts, requests for records, attend IEP meetings, and completes initial evaluations.
School – Speech Language Pathologist
Completes speech and language evaluations with deaf and hard-of-hearing students from birth to 21 including students with additional disabilities.
Provides ongoing consultative services to staff regarding communication methodology and strategies needed by students for effective instruction.
School – Counselor
Provides services and instruction in support of the counseling curricular goals.
Academic Achievement and Educational Planning Lessons.
Personal/Social Guidance Lessons.
Career Exploration and Planning Lessons.
Works closely with the school psychologist in student observations and developing behavioral intervention plans.
Counsels students in the areas of personal, social, academic, and career development.
Competencies Required
Knowledge:
- Customer and Personal Service – Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training – Principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Psychology – Human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Public Safety and Security – Relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Therapy and Counseling – Principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- Computers and Electronics – Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Administrative – Administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
- Sociology and Anthropology – Group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
- Law and Government – Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- English Language – The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Abilities:
Law and Government – Understand and adhere to applicable laws, legal codes, administrative rules, and regulations.
Clerical – Maintain complex clerical records.
Written Expression – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension – Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression – Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Fluency of Ideas – Come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Deductive Reasoning – Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning – Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
Information Ordering – Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity – Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Originality – Come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Flexibility of Closure – Identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Skills:
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Learning Strategies – Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing – Teaching others how to do something.
Social Perceptiveness – Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination – Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Negotiation – Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
One of the following current licenses from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners:
School Psychologist; or
School Counseling; or
Speech Language Pathologist.
All of the following (a and b):
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in orientation and mobility; and
Possession of a current Iowa Orientation and Mobility Specialist license.
All of the following (a and b):
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field; and
Possession of a current Iowa Teaching Certificate.
Notes
Prior to appointment, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain one or more of the following certificates, licenses, or endorsements:
Endorsement in Deaf Education.
Endorsement in Visual Impairment.
Endorsement as a Work Experience Coordinator (WEC).
Endorsement in 5-12 special education (D/HH; B/VI; Strat I; or Strat II).
Endorsement in Elementary education or English/language arts.
Endorsement in Reading.
Certification as a Low Vision Therapist
Travel may be required for positions in this class. Employees must arrange transportation to and from assigned work areas.
Pay Guidelines
In accordance with the Iowa Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise (DAS-HRE) rule 53.7(4), pay for this job class is determined by the credentials (education and experience) of the applicant/employee and the requirements of the educational program for the position. The pay grade listed for this job class is 35(-10). This extended range concept encompasses pay grades 25 through 35, and employees are paid in accordance with established ISD/IESBVI credential-based pay matrices.
Effective date: 07/23 KC