Support for students with visual impairments

Access to resources for students in Alberta’s K to 12 education system who are blind or visually impaired.

Overview

Supports for students with visual impairments (SSVI) provides resources to schools in the K to 12 education system for students who are blind or visually impaired.

Students accessing these services need to be assessed and registered with SSVI. Assessment is completed by a qualified specialist educating students who are visually impaired. Contact your school jurisdiction to learn how to schedule an assessment.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to borrow alternate format resources or student equipment, a student with a visual impairment is required to be assessed and registered with SSVI by a qualified specialist in the field of educating students who are visually impaired. The individuals who are able to do this work can be accessed from the school jurisdiction or the local Regional Collaborative Service Delivery office.

Educator resources

SSVI through the PASI Learn Alberta log in account provides support personnel for registered students with the ability to search for and request resources in alternate format, specialized technology or specialized learning kits.

How to access services

If you are a superintendent or principal, the PASI system offers a dashboard that tracks equipment being used in your schools, use the contact information below for more information.

Textbook options

LearnAlberta is a repository that supports teaching and learning in Alberta schools, the collection offers digital textbooks to support the learning of students with identified print disabilities. To access them search digital textbooks in the search bar.

LearnAlberta also has a select number of resources in DAISY and MP3 formats. These files are restricted for students with identified perceptual disabilities whose educational programming is governed by an Individualized Program Plan (IPP).

Government also manages the braille transcription of authorized student basic textbooks in the 4 core subject areas (language arts, mathematics, social studies and science). Learn more about Braille supports for students.

Contact

Connect with the SSVI area:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-4681
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Advocate for Persons with Disabilities

If you are part of the disability community in Alberta and need advocacy support to navigate and access government or community resources, contact the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities at 780-422-1095.