Supporting Students with CVI Through Technology:

with just one activity aligned to a known visual behavior, such as adding movement, using a familiar image, or reducing the number of items within the array. Starting small and reviewing session data together allows teams to learn what works before expanding use. A high school student using CViConnect PRO once told her team, “These activities are so calming. I find my body relaxing when I watch these.” Her team now uses visual warm-ups and preview features as part of her orientation and mobility lessons. Here are a few tips I often share with teams who are just be- ginning: • Begin with what you already know elicits visual attention from the child. • Select an activity from our library that mimics these visual characteristics. • Repeat activities to gather consistent data. • Sessions may need to be longer than you think to accom- modate for visual latency. • Review the data from these sessions to see if it matches your observations. • Based on the data, change one factor at a time (ie. position- ing, target, or environmental complexity). If you change more than one of these you won’t know which is needed or not. • Share session insights with the team. Use the insights to in- form decisions about accommodations and routines, and begin to create an accessibility schedule for how the child will participate throughout their day. CVI is complex, and no tool can replace professional judg- ment. By supporting documentation, pattern recognition, and collaboration, CViConnect PRO helps educators feel more pre- pared to meet the needs of students with CVI. CONCLUSION The work of supporting students with cortical visual impair- ment is deeply individualized. It requires us to recognize how vision functions differently for each learner and to adapt our instruction accordingly. Technology like CViConnect PRO does not replace that work. It supports it by making our observations more visible, our planning more intentional, and our collabora- tion more focused. Across all the stories and strategies shared in this article, one theme stands out. When we listen closely to what the data tells us, and more importantly, to what the student is showing us, we begin to build an educational experience that is both accessible and empowering. These learners deserve nothing less. Whether you are just beginning to explore CVI or already im- mersed in supporting this population, tools like CViConnect PRO can help guide next steps. The most important part is choosing to look more closely and respond with intention. Note: CViConnect PRO does not use eye-gaze control tech-

nology. The system estimates visual attention using the iPad's camera and does not support navigation or device control. RESOURCES Chang, M. Y., & Borchert, M. S. (2020). Advances in the evaluation and management of cortical/cerebral visual impairment in children. Survey of Ophthalmology, 65(6), 708–724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.survophthal.2020.03.001 Lehman, S. S., Yin, L., Chang, M. Y., Ortube, M. C., Good, W. V., & Pineles, S. L. (2024). Diagnosis and care of children with cerebral/cortical visual impairment: Clinical report. Pediatrics, 154(6), e2024068465. https://doi.org/10.1542/ peds.2024-068465 National Eye Institute. (2024, November 19). NIH-led scientific team defines elements of brain-based visual impairment in children [Press release]. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news- releases/nih-led-scientific-team-defines-elements-brain- based-visual-impairment-children

Roman-Lantzy, C. (Eds.) (2018). Cortical Visual Impairment Advanced Principles, Louisville, KY: APH Press.

Roman-Lantzy, C. (2018) Cortical visual impairment: An approach to assessment and intervention. Second Edition. New York, NY: AFB Press.

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