Angela and Elayna working hard during a recent vision session.

This month’s Guest Blogger is Angela Mancini. Angela began her career nearly 20 years ago as a Mary Cariola Teacher’s Aide, later taught in the classroom, and now serves as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired. She holds a Master’s Degree from Roberts Wesleyan University and an Advanced Certificate in Blindness and Visual Impairments from Hunter College.

Angela loves working with our diverse and dynamic students and thrives in the collaborative, creative environment that defines our program. She’s passionate about the problem‑solving and innovative thinking required to support complex learners, and she values the constant opportunities for growth as an educator.

Mary Cariola's Vision Department is made up of three Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI) and a department supervisor who is also a TVI and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS). Deb Stewart works primarily in the preschool program while Angela Mancini and Heather Collazo have school-age students. Jamie Grant is the Department Supervisor. We provide direct and consultation service to students in addition to conducting evaluations, providing instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum, and connecting families to agencies such as the NYS Commission for the Blind and the NY DeafBlind Collaborative.

Deb and Maddie use the iPad during their session.

We are teachers by trade, providing highly specialized instruction! Our goal is to teach skills so students can access information in order to participate in their school curriculum. If you walk by our office, you will likely hear us typing away on braillers, making tactile cues, or using materials to find creative ways to adapt lessons. The students we serve have a variety of visual impairments ranging from low vision to blindness, dual sensory loss (combined hearing and visual impairments), and Cortical Visual Impairment. Visual impairments are a low-incidence disability category, however, Cortical Visual Impairment is the leading cause of visual impairment in children.

Heather and Kyleigh enjoy the lighted pull and pop tubes.

Our department recently had two exciting collaborations! We co-hosted a 2-day conference with the NY DeafBlind Collaborative at the end of February all about Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI). The conference brought together parents and professionals. Presentations highlighted communication strategies, curriculum modifications, and a new topic from Chris Russell, Project Coordinator for the New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative, on DeafBlindness and CVI.

We had a panel of parents and professional with two Mary Cariola parents and were able to promote an online CVI resource library. A DeafBlind student on the East Avenue campus, along with her family and team, began receiving intensive technical assistance from a consultant with the NY DeafBlind Collaborative. This specialized technical assistance with Rhonda Voight-Campbell had an immediate impact on everyone involved. Rhonda spends one-on-one time with the student and meets with the parent and team to provide training and recommendations for best practice.