A project to establish postgraduate diplomas specialized in visual impairment

This is the first continuing education program in Egypt in the field of visual impairment with international standards that will be adapted to suit the Egyptian environment, and translated from English into Arabic. With the aim of making a shift for people with visual disabilities in Egypt by graduating qualified professional specialists to deal with people with visual disabilities and help them rely on themselves in professional ways that lead to their integration into society and obtain their rights to independence.

About the planned diplomas that will be offered:

• Low Vision Therapist (LVT) Diploma

About the Diploma: The role of the visually impaired specialist is like physical therapy for a person who has lost a limb but does not necessarily have to be a doctor, and its purpose is to develop the necessary strategies by developing a rehabilitation plan for each case, the services that are provided are not considered or prescribed as a treatment of the causes of visual impairment, but they help the visually impaired person to learn how to maximize the benefit of the remaining vision and employ it to the maximum extent possible to find the best ways to use the different senses such as:: Developing visual ability through visual arousal in the presence of the remaining eyesight, in addition to exploring different types of materials by touch, being aware of the sounds that come from people and familiar sounds in the house and elsewhere, and knowing the best visual aids that he needs, to find alternative ways in order to raise the functional efficiency of the person.

• Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Diploma
• About the Diploma: Orientation and movement is a basic system in the field of rehabilitation of the visually impaired and blind as it teaches people with visual impairments to move safely and allows them to be independent in their community. Orientation is the process of mentally organizing the spatial environment and locating the individual within that environment. Movement is the act of moving in a safe and correct way. The Orientation, Movement and Mobility Specialist teaches the visually impaired and the blind to move by:

• • Training on using their remaining eyesight and other senses to recognize places and make a spatial map.
  • Evaluating current skills and discuss goals, and help them choose the educational program that allows for achieving the best results in self-reliance.
  • Teaching the use of the white cane and distinctive signs in places in mobility and movement.

• Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT)

About the Diploma: Visual rehabilitation specialists provide blind or visually impaired adults with the information and resources they need to live a successful, productive and independent life, through specialized methods or adaptive techniques to communicate and deal with the requirements of daily life; and rehabilitation includes skills to teach how to use the latest technological programs in writing, listening, recording, arithmetic and using the computer, such as: Braille, computers, handwriting, listening and recording technology, the use of visual impairment technology, mathematical calculation procedures, keyboard use.  Teaching in daily living skills also includes food preparation, house management, leisure and recreation activities, and orientation and movement in the familiar indoor environment.

• Diploma for Teachers of Visually Impaired Children (TVI)

About the Diploma: The teacher teaches the skills that children with visual impairments need to benefit from studying, and these skills are divided into two main areas:

• Skills to support full participation in the academic curriculum, including working in multiple ways with the classroom teacher to ensure that a visually impaired student can access the curriculum in inclusion schools, copying materials into Braille or large print, modifying materials so that they can be read manually, and modifying tests to accommodate information not available through the visual channel.
• In addition to modifying the curriculum, specialists are responsible for teaching children with visual impairments basic life skills, including teaching daily living skills, social skills and recreational activities, as well as helping parents support children in learning these skills.”

The duration of each diploma is a full academic year, and the target is to graduate approximately 220 cadres within 3 years

Thus, cadres with high professional ability are graduated specialized in the rehabilitation of persons with visual disabilities (blind and blind) at the educational and social levels.