OT and Vision in Schools

When you look at the intersection of vision and reading in schools, the gaps are impossible to ignore.

Consider the data:

• Two-thirds of American fourth graders cannot read at grade level.

• One in four school-age children has a vision problem.

• School vision screenings miss up to 75% of children with vision problems.

To make matters worse, standard school vision screenings frequently miss the functional vision deficits—ocular-motor and visual perception issues—that directly impact a student’s ability to sustain near-work in the classroom.

As occupational therapists, understanding how vision impacts functional tasks like reading, writing, and navigating the classroom is central to our holistic approach. We have the foundational textbook, clinical frameworks, and trainings help to address these issues.

So why isn’t the full skillset of OTs being utilized to support functional vision in schools?

In this course, we sit down with Jaime Spencer, an OT who has been at the forefront of successfully integrating vision into school-based practice. Together, we explore the systemic barriers she has encountered and the practical solutions she has proven to work—from assessment and direct intervention to teacher education.

This course is designed for any school-based professional who knows the current system isn’t working well enough, and is ready to explore how OTs can deliver deeper, more impactful support for students.

1. You will be able to identify occupation-based assessments to utilize with students who may be having vision differences impact their school participation.

2. You will be able to recognize treatment interventions for visual processing or ocular motor deficits.

1. Tell me your story of how you became interested in school OT & vision.

2. Tell us about your current work – how do you incorporate vision into your practice?

3. Why is the ocular motor misunderstood so often in schools?

4. What did you think of the journal article I sent over?

5. How do you get looped when there is a concern that might be related to vision?

6. What barriers do you see to getting students the services they need in the school?

7. What assessments are typical for you to perform?

8. What are typical treatment areas you cover?

9. What student/parent/teacher/admin education do you typically provide?

10. What do you think a generalist OT can do and what do you think needs special training?

11. What would you change in the school / vision OT industry, if you could wave a magic wand?

• Hiding in plain sight: children with visual perceptual difficulties in schools

• Exploring Performance Skills in the Occupation of Learning to Read

• Full article: Vision Evaluation Processes Described by Pediatric Occupational Therapists: A Qualitative Study

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Jaime Spencer is the author of several books for practitioners, teachers, and parents, including FUNctional Visual Perception, and sells materials through MissJaimeOT.com.