Inclusion for Students with Visual Impairments: Overcoming Barriers Together with Jonathan Hooper

Jonathan Hooper is a distinguished educator and a certified teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) and an assistive technology professional (ATP). With 13 years of experience as an itinerant vision teacher in New York City, Jonathan currently contributes his expertise at Pediatric View at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. There, he specializes in Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and complex support needs alongside Dr. Christine Roman Lansky. His journey into the field was driven by firsthand classroom experiences with a student with visual impairments, which inspired him to transition from a general education role to a specialized advocate for inclusive education.In this insightful episode of Think Inclusive, hosted by Tim Villegas, listeners explore the essential aspects of creating inclusive environments for students with visual impairments. Jonathan Hooper shares his journey from a general education teacher to a specialist in visual impairments, emphasizing the separation of vision from cognition and the significance of presuming competence. The discussion broadly encompasses the value and implementation of accessibility in educational contexts, ranging from academic subjects to everyday social interactions in lunchrooms and playgrounds.Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/inclusion-for-students-with-visual-impairments-overcoming-barriers-together-with-jonathan-hooper-1334/