What are example IEP goals for low vision?

IEP goals are based on assessment recommendations and are tailored to each child's specific needs. They may include specialized instruction for using assistive technology or reading with visual accommodations, such as increased spacing or high-contrast text. Since low vision affects each child differently, IEP goals will vary to reflect their individual learning and access needs. Find more information on IEP goals in our article A Parent's Guide to IEP Goals.

Here are some example IEP goals for vision:

• While in the classroom, [Student] will develop active listening skills by using speech to text to decipher who, what, when, why and how information from audio sources, including live lectures with 80% accuracy in 4/5 opportunities as measured by work samples by (date).

• [Student] will independently demonstrate skills for using a magnifier by holding the magnifier properly, communicating the purpose of the device, cleaning the magnifier appropriately, initiating use of the magnifier, and storing the magnifier in a convenient location with 80% accuracy in 4/5 opportunities by [date].

• By [date], during structured literacy and play-based activities, the student will demonstrate emerging braille pre-writing skills by creating tactile marks or representations using braille-related tools (e.g., screen board, raised line drawing kit) and indicating meaning by “reading” or explaining the marks, in 4 out of 5 observed opportunities, as measured by teacher or related service provider observation and data collection.

  • Objective 1, Awareness of Purpose: The student will demonstrate awareness that braille is used for communication by attending to and exploring braille materials created for different purposes (e.g., notes, lists, labels, letters), with adult modeling, in 3 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by observation.
  • Objective 2, Tactile Mark-Making: The student will pretend to write by producing raised tactile marks or representations using a screen board, raised line drawing kit, or similar tool, with physical or verbal support, in 3 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by work samples and observation.
  • Objective 3, Meaning-Making (“Reading” Own Writing): The student will indicate meaning from their tactile marks by “reading,” describing, or otherwise communicating what the marks represent (e.g., naming an object, action, or message), with no more than verbal prompts, in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by observation and communication attempts.

Note that these are just samples. Goals will be different for each child and each situation.

For more information, see our full article about low vision and blindness.