La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CI-1505

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section CI-1505 - Orientation and Mobility

A. Definition. Orientation and Mobility means services provided to blind or visually impaired students by a university or agency trained and certified professional to enable those students to attain systematic orientation to and safe movement within their environment in school, home and community. These include teaching students appropriate skills:

1. spatial and environmental concepts and use of information received by the senses (such as sound, temperature and vibrations) to establish, maintain, or regain orientation and line of travel (e.g., using sound at a traffic light to cross the street);

2. use of the long cane as a tool to supplement visual travel skills or as a tool to safely negotiate the environment for students with no available travel vision;

3. the understanding and use of one's remaining vision and distance low vision aids;

4. other concepts, techniques, and tools.

B. Criteria for Eligibility

1. Evidence of criteria listed in Subparagraphs a and b must be met:

a. the student must be classified and eligible under federal or state law as an individual with a visual impairment; and

b. there is documented evidence that orientation and mobility services are required to enable the student to benefit from special education.

C. Procedures for Evaluation. The assessment shall be conducted by an orientation and mobility instructor recognized by the state Department of Education. The assessment shall include the following information:

1. an assessment of the student's ability to travel safely and efficiently in a variety of environments and situations with or without the use of special mobility devices and visual aids;

2. a listing of the student's observed strengths and weaknesses in the area of travel safety and mobility skills;

3. recommendations concerning the student's demonstrated need for formal orientation and mobility training within the specific areas. These recommendations should be addressed by the IEP Team in planning the student's educational program.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CI-1505

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 35:921 (May 2009), effective July 1, 2009.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:1941 et seq.