blind or visually impaired (including children 
who may have additional disabilities) for special 
education and related services shall include 
evaluation of such children’s unique learning 
needs, including needs for instruction which 
may be needed by children without disabilities 
or with other disabilities but which must be spe-
cifically designed, modified, or delivered to meet 
the unique learning needs of children who are 
blind or visually impaired. Such assessments 
shall also include widely recognized and re-
search-based evaluations (including Learning 
Media Assessments, Functional Vision Evalua-
tions, and other similarly well-established eval-
uation methodologies and tools) administered by 
the highest qualified personnel in the State spe-
cializing in blindness or visual impairment. 
‘‘(B) CONTENT
OF
EVALUATIONS.—The 
evaluations described in subparagraph (A) shall, 
at a minimum, include evaluations assessing the 
need for instruction in Braille, proficient use of 
assistive technologies (both at home and in 
school and which includes low vision devices as 
determined appropriate), orientation and mobil-
ity (provided and exercised in a variety of envi-
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ronments including at home, in school, and in 
community), self-determination, sensory effi-
ciency, socialization, recreation and fitness, 
independent living skills, and age-appropriate 
career education.’’. 
SEC. 204. CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL FACTORS. 
Section 
614(d)(3)(B)(iii) 
(20 
U.S.C. 
1414(d)(3)(B)(iii)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(iii) in the case of a child who is 
blind or visually impaired— 
‘‘(I) provide for instruction in 
Braille and the use of Braille unless— 
‘‘(aa) the IEP Team deter-
mines (after a properly adminis-
tered Learning Media Assess-
ment, Functional Vision Evalua-
tion, and any additional assess-
ment administered or overseen by 
a teacher of students with visual 
impairments, including an assess-
ment of the child’s future needs 
for instruction in Braille or the 
use of Braille) that instruction in 
Braille or the use of Braille is 
not appropriate for the child; and 
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‘‘(bb) the parent has given 
specific written informed parental 
consent; and 
‘‘(II) provide instruction meeting 
the child’s unique learning needs, in-
cluding instruction which may be 
needed by students without disabilities 
or with other disabilities but which 
must be specifically designed, modi-
fied, or delivered to meet the unique 
learning needs of children who are 
blind or visually impaired, which in-
struction includes proficient use of as-
sistive technologies (both at home and 
in school and which includes low vi-
sion devices as determined appro-
priate), orientation and mobility (pro-
vided and exercised in a variety of en-
vironments including at home, in 
school, and in community), self-deter-
mination, sensory efficiency, socializa-
tion, recreation and fitness, inde-
pendent living skills, and age-appro-
priate career education;’’. 
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SEC. 205. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PARENTS AND EDU-
CATORS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE 
BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. 
Section 616 (20 U.S.C. 1416), as amended by section 
108 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(k) MAINTAINING CURRENT POLICY GUIDANCE FOR 
PARENTS
AND EDUCATORS
OF CHILDREN WHO ARE 
BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act 
(and periodically thereafter but not less than once every 
5 years), policy guidance concerning the provision of spe-
cial education and related services to children who are 
blind or visually impaired (published at 65 Fed. Reg. 
36586 (June 8, 2000)) is reviewed and updated (with par-
ticular attention to explanation of relevant amendments 
to the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act or to 
its implementing regulations) and is published in the Fed-
eral Register.’’. 
SEC. 206. RELATED SERVICES. 
Section 602(26)(A) (20 U.S.C. 1401(26)(A)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘vision rehabilitation therapy,’’ 
after ‘‘rehabilitation counseling,’’. 
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SEC. 207. PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE SERV-
ICES AND RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH 
BLINDNESS OR VISUAL IMPAIRMENT. 
Section 662(c)(2)(D) (20 U.S.C. 1462(c)(2)(D)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(D) Preparing personnel to provide the 
complete array of specialized instruction and 
services appropriate to children who are blind 
or visually impaired (including children with oc-
ular or brain-based visual impairment), includ-
ing instruction in Braille, proficient use of as-
sistive technologies (both at home and in school 
and which includes low vision devices as deter-
mined appropriate), orientation and mobility 
(provided and exercised in a variety of environ-
ments including at home, in school, and in com-
munity), self-determination, sensory efficiency, 
socialization, recreation and fitness, inde-
pendent living skills, and age-appropriate career 
education to fully serve and support such chil-
dren and their families and to improve early 
intervention, educational and transitional re-
sults.’’. 
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