Eligibility

Eligibility
Eligibility requirements for services are taken from the State of Alaska's Special Education Handbook. Children need to qualify under "visual impairment." To be eligible for special education and related services as a child with a visual impairment, a child must:

Exhibit a visual impairment, not primarily perceptual in nature, resulting in measured acuity of 20/70 or poorer in the better eye with correction, or a visual field restriction of 20 degrees as determined by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, that even with correction, adversely affects educational performance; or

Exhibit a physical eye condition that affects visual functioning to the extent that specially designed instruction is needed; and

Require special facilities, equipment, materials, or methods to make his or her educational program effective as determined by a teacher of students with visual impairments; and

Be certified by a group consisting of qualified professionals, which includes a certified teacher of students with visual impairments, and a parent of the child as qualifying for and needing special education services.