Minnesota's BVI Advisory Committee Recommends Enhancing Accessibility in Education

The Minnesota Department of Education's Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) Advisory Committee has released recommendations to improve outcomes for students who are blind or visually impaired. The committee highlighted the need for expanded use of accessible educational materials, noting that many resources do not align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. They urged Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to include accessibility requirements in their purchasing practices and called for publishers to provide materials that meet accessibility standards at the time of adoption. Additionally, the committee emphasized the importance of providing adequate time for teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), which addresses essential skills for students with visual impairments. To support this, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has created an ECC resource list and encouraged Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired (TBVIs) to incorporate ECC-related goals into Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). (education.mn.gov)