Peer-reviewed article
Tutorial: Exploring the Speech-Language Pathologist's Role in Childhood Blindness and Low Vision.
Marshall S, McLeod J, Harper L, Rose S, Silveira S ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This tutorial explores how speech-language pathologists can support children with blindness and low vision in educational settings. It combines two frameworks—the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the Expanded Core Curriculum—to identify barriers to communication and learning. Two case studies illustrate how interdisciplinary teams including speech-language pathologists, orientation and mobility specialists, and other professionals can work together to promote inclusive communication and academic participation for these children.
Key points
- Children with vision differences face unique challenges in accessing classroom communication that can affect language development and academic achievement
- The ICF framework identifies barriers and facilitators to functioning and participation for children with vision differences
- The Expanded Core Curriculum supports independence, participation, and communication through relevant interventions
- Interdisciplinary collaboration between speech-language pathologists and other specialists (orientation and mobility, physiotherapy, occupational therapy) supports optimal learning
- Children with blindness and low vision have different visual experiences and strategies that must be understood by professionals providing support
Limitations
This is a tutorial using case studies rather than an empirical evaluation of outcomes, so it cannot measure the effectiveness of the proposed approaches or demonstrate their impact on children's communication or academic results. The document does not provide evidence about which specific interventions are most effective for different groups of children with vision differences.
Abstract
Purpose Children with vision differences face unique challenges in accessing classroom communication, which can affect language development, academic achievement, and social participation. To ensure effective communication, professionals must understand each child's diverse access needs and individual preferences. Professionals must also be aware of the nature of the child's lived visual experience, including the strategies that allow the child with low vision to access sustained and meaningful vision, compared to those strategies preferred by the child who is blind. Method This tutorial discusses a comprehensive framework that is created by combining the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC). The ICF identifies barriers and facilitators to functioning and participation, while the ECC supports independence, participation, and communication through relevant interventions. Results This tutorial highlights practical strategies and interdisciplinary approaches to promote inclusive, accessible communication in mainstream educational settings using two interdisciplinary case studies (one child diagnosed with septo-optic dysplasia and optic nerve hypoplasia at 1 year of age, then a severe language disorder, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder at 6 years, and the other diagnosed with suspected cerebral vision impairment and single-sided hearing loss at 2 years of age). Conclusions Children with blindness and low vision benefit from speech-language pathologist (SLP) collaboration with their families and professionals (e.g., orientation and mobility specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists) to actively support optimal learning and engagement. SLPs can apply the ICF and ECC and insights from the case studies to inform assessment, goal setting, collaborative planning, and intervention.