Section 10-295-5 - Definitions(a) The definitions provided in Section 10-294a of the General Statutes shall govern the interpretation and application of Sections 10-295-4 to 10-295-25.(b) In addition thereto, and except as otherwise required by context, the following definitions shall apply: (1) "Agency" or "BESB" refers to the Board of Education and Services for the Blind of the State of Connecticut as authorized in Chapter 174 of the Connecticut General Statutes.(2) "BESB TVI" refers to a Teacher of the Visually Impaired who is employed by the Board of Education and Services for the Blind and holds the title Education Consultant or any related or successor title.(3) "Birth-to-Three System" refers to the state of Connecticut program which operates under the requirements of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and assists and strengthens the capacity of families to meet the developmental and health-related needs of infants and toddlers who have delays or disabilities.(4) "Blind" or "Legally Blind" refers to "legally blind" as defined in section 10-294a of the general statutes. The terms "blind" and "legally blind" are interchangeable for the purposes of these regulations.(5) "Children's Services Division" refers to that division of the Board of Education and Services for the Blind which provides services to children who are blind, deaf-blind and visually impaired.(6) "Children's Services Supervisor" refers to that BESB employee who has been designated by the Executive Director to supervise all education professionals employed by the agency to serve children.(7) "Deaf-blind" refers to having combined vision and hearing losses which challenge a person's ability to communicate and interact with others, to access information and to move about safely.(8) "Director" refers to the Executive Director of the Board of Education and Services for the Blind or the Director's designee.(9) "Education Plan" refers to any of the following: an Individualized Education Program (IEP), an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), a Section 504 Accommodation Plan and a Services Plan.(10) "Expanded Core Curriculum" or "ECC" refers to a curriculum of instruction that encompasses the knowledge and skills that are needed by students with legal blindness or visual impairment in addition to a traditional academic core curriculum. The ECC includes orientation and mobility, social interaction skills, independent living skills, recreation and leisure skills, career education, use of assistive technology, sensory efficiency skills, self-determination and compensatory or functional academic skills, including communication modes.(11) "IEP" refers to an Individualized Education Plan or Program developed in accordance with the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state special education requirements.(12) "IFSP" refers to an Individualized Family Service Plan developed in accordance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.(13) "Guardian" refers to a person having the authority and obligations as defined in Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 45a-604(5) and (6).(14) "Learning Media Assessment" refers to an assessment tool used by the Teacher of the Visually Impaired to assist in identifying the best learning and literacy media for a student including print, Braille, audio, objects or any combination thereof.(15) "Local TVI" refers to a Teacher of the Visually Impaired who is employed by or contracted by a Local Education Agency or LEA.(16) "Local Education Agency" or "LEA" refers to a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within Connecticut for either administrative control or direction of or to perform a service function for public elementary schools or secondary schools in a town, city, school district or other political subdivision of the state or for such combination of towns, cities or school districts as are recognized in Connecticut as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools.(17) "Parent" refers to a person who stands in relation to a child as defined in Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 45a-604(1)-(3).(18) "Professional Staff" refers to Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Education Consultants, Rehabilitation Technologists, Rehabilitation Teachers, Educational Projects Coordinators, Orientation and Mobility Teachers, Education Consultants-Mobility and any other related or successor titles that address the education or Expanded Core Curriculum of children who are blind or visually impaired.(19) "Reading Rate Assessment" refers to an assessment administered and used by the Teacher of the Visually Impaired to track the rate, accuracy and fluency of a student's reading skills.(20) "Section 504 Accommodation Plan" or "Section 504 Plan" refers to a plan for a child who does not have a learning disability but who has a disability which requires accommodation in the educational setting.(21) "Services Plan" refers to a written statement that describes the special education and related services an LEA will provide to a parentally placed private school child with a disability.(22) "Support Staff" refers to Quality Control Reviewers, Administrative Assistants, Office Assistants, Secretaries, Clerks, Clerk-Typists, Special Assistants to the Blind and any other related or successor titles for those job classifications that assist educational professionals in the execution of their duties and assignments.(23) "TVI," "Teacher of the Visually Impaired," or "Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments" refers to a person who is certified under Connecticut State Department of Education guidelines to instruct students with legal blindness and visual impairment and is employed for the purpose of providing such special services and instruction.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-295-5
Effective October 25, 1989; Amended May 9, 2011