Description:

We all know the importance of early intervention. For children with CVI, providing appropriate support and interventions is essential to the development of functional vision skills during the time a child’s brain is especially plastic. If you have questions about how a young child is using their vision but there is no clear diagnosis; if one day they seem to see pretty well, and the next week they seem like a different kid; if they have CP, developmental delay, prematurity, a seizure disorder . . . pretty much any syndrome, it’s pretty likely that CVI is also part of the picture. This workshop will cover key CVI behaviors for the 0-3 population, the developmental impact of CVI, and strategies for the Early Intervention setting, including collaboration with the DT-V.

Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify at-risk factors for children ages 0-3 for Cortical Visual Impairment including key visual behaviors
2. Understand the developmental impact of Cortical Visual impairment
3. Identify basic environmental interventions and strategies for the EI setting, including using a collaborative approach with the DT-V

Speaker:

Jean Deptolla, M.S. Ed.

Jean Deptolla has worked in the field of Visual Impairment and Blindness for 38 years.  She spent her first four years as an itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired in the East Aurora School district, and after completing her Master’s Degree in 1990 Orientation and Mobility and obtaining an endorsement in Special Education Supervision, she moved to the Northwestern Illinois Association. There she supervised Vision Teachers and Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and began her tenure as a DeafBlind Specialist with the Illinois DeafBlind Project. 

Since 1990, Jean has served on state committees and presented at local, regional, Illinois, and out-of-state conferences.  She has taught classes at Northern Illinois University for the Vision teacher training program, served as Chair of the Illinois Vision Leadership Council, and served on the ISVI Advisory Council. Over the years Jean has worked with children from early intervention through transition age, trained and coached teachers, and supported families.

Jean’s passion is advocating for the underserved and underrepresented and improving services to children with visual disabilities, including DeafBlindness, through educating professionals, empowering families, and effecting systems change. Not a day goes by that she does not learn something new, often from the students she serves.