Product Detail

1. Discuss the various vision skills which are required for learning and the signs and symptoms of vision disorders in the school-aged child.
2. Implement screening strategies to better identify individuals with vision disorders and more effectively communicate to others the impact of vision deficits on academic performance and behavior.
3. Develop higher level of skill with integrating visual activities when working with children with functional vision delays, particularly those with various developmental challenges.
4. Demonstrate how to build visual skills from the ground up, starting at a level that is achievable for each individual student.
5. Describe how specialized lenses, prisms and vision therapy may be used to develop visual function and eliminate visual deficits for both children and adults struggling with learning-related vision disorders.
6. Create a supportive and knowledgeable environment through improved communication skills when speaking to teachers and families of children with developmental vision problems.

Vision Development and Its Relationship to Learning and Behavior

• Vision as a total process combining sensorimotor, perceptual and cognitive functions
• Signs and symptoms of developmental vision disorders in school-aged children
• Commonly seen vision disorders in children with developmental delays and other special needs (autism spectrum disorders, AD(H)D, cerebral palsy)
• Current research in vision development

Integrate Developmental Vision Strategies with Children

• Vision screening techniques to identify children with undiagnosed vision disorders; Free screening tools to take with you!
• Vision development activities to integrate into your program
• Recommendations for optimal visual performance in the classroom

Impact of Vision Deficits on the Child and the Family

• Identify when a certain “behavior” is merely a need to address a visual delay
• How to effectively support the child with a vision problem both in school and home
• Developmental vision strategies for the family and the child’s teachers
• The emotional consequences of undiagnosed and untreated vision disorders

Screening Tools and Techniques

• Review of varied symptom checklists for teachers and parents
• Screening tests for oculomotor delays
• Screening tests for binocular disorders
• Screening tests for visual perceptual function

Demonstrations of Vision Therapy Activities to Develop:

• Controlled oculomotor accuracy and planning
• Body knowledge and control, and bilateral coordination as a precursor to binocular vision development
• Improved visual-motor integration
• Strong visualization and visual memory skill
• Improved spatial awareness and visual spatial relations

Michele R. Bessler, OD, FCOVD, is a developmental optometrist who is board certified in Vision Development and Vision Therapy and is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. As the owner and director of Long Island Optometric Vision Development, PLLC, Dr. Bessler provides developmental vision care for both children and adults. She has been in practice for over 20 years and lectures extensively on vision therapy for learning-related vision disorders, and on the visual effects of acquired head trauma and their remediation.

She was assistant clinical professor at SUNY College of Optometry for 12 years, teaching optometry students in the Pediatric, Vision Therapy and Learning Disability Clinics. Dr. Bessler has also worked extensively as clinic supervisor for the Vision Clinic for Children with Special Needs at the University Optometric Center, working with children struggling with a variety of developmental and medical challenges.

Dr. Bessler is a member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), American Optometric Association (AOA), NY State Optometric Association (NYSOA), and Optometric Extension Program (OEP). She received her Doctorate in Optometry from the State University of NY State College of Optometry, and completed a residency in Vision Therapy and Vision Rehabilitation from SUNY College of Optometry.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Michele Bessler maintains a private practice. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.

Non-financial: Michele Bessler has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclosure.

Save time and $10 off the price of other submission methods – purchase & take the CE test online for $9.99 USD per participant. Additional processing fees apply for other submission methods (i.e. mail, fax, etc.). Please contact our Customer Service at 1-800-844-8260 for more details.

Listed below are the continuing education credit(s) currently available for this non-interactive self-study package. Please note, your state licensing board dictates whether self study is an acceptable form of continuing education. Please refer to your state rules and regulations.

Certificates of Successful Completion are available for email, download and/or printing from your online account immediately following the successful completion of the post-test/evaluation.

**Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of mental health professionals. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your professions standards.

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

---

Educators/Teachers
This course consists of 6.5 self-study clock hours. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from this self-study activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements.

Illinois Educators:
6.5 ISBE Professional Development (PD) Clock Hours will be made available through Quincy University. Those requesting ISBE PD Clock Hours will need to complete an Evaluation for Workshop, Conference, Seminar, in order to receive the ISBE “Evidence of Completion for Professional Development” form. Instructions and form will be made available under the “Materials” tab. Expires: 06/30/2025.

Indiana Educators: 6.0 Professional Growth Points are available for full attendance of this self-study package per the Indiana Department of Education standards.

Montana Educators: This self-study package is offered for 6.0 Renewal Units. PESI, Inc. is an Approved Renewal Unit Provider with the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

Texas Educators: PESI, Inc., has been approved as a CPE Provider #500-981 for Texas Educators by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBED). This self-study package qualifies for 6.5 CPE clock hours.

---

Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistants
No CE available for this board.

Florida Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistant: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy. Provider Number 50-399. This self-study course qualifies for 6.5 continuing education credits.

---

Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants
This self-study course consists of 6.5 clock hours of instruction that is applicable for physical therapists. CE requirements for physical therapists vary by state/jurisdiction. Please retain the certificate of completion that you receive and use as proof of completion when required.

California Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants: PESI, Inc. is recognized by the Physical Therapy Board of California as an approval agency to approve providers. This self-study lecture qualifies for 6.5 continuing competency hours.

Illinois Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants: PESI, Inc. is a Registered Physical Therapy Continuing Education Sponsor through the State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation. License #: 216.000270. This self-study course qualifies for 6.5 CE credit hours.

New York Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants: PESI, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department, State Board for Physical Therapy as an approved provider for physical therapy and physical therapy assistant continuing education. This self-study course qualifies for 7.9 contact hours.

Texas Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants: This self-study activity is provided by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners Accredited Provider #2106032TX and meets continuing competence requirements for physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licensure renewal in Texas. This activity will provide 6.5 CCUs. The assignment of Texas PT CCUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by TPTA or TBPTE. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

---

Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists
This course contains 6.5 hours of self-study continuing education. It was not offered for ASHA CEUs. Please retain your certificate of completion. If audited for ASHA Certification Maintenance, you can submit this certificate of completion at that time. For state licensure, teacher certification renewal, or other credential renewal, contact those agencies for information about your reporting responsibilities and requirements.

California Speech-Language Pathologists/Audiologists: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board, #PDP 319. This course meets the qualifications for 6.5 hours of self-study continuing professional development credit for Speech-Language Pathologists or Audiologists, as required by the California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board.

Kansas Speech-Language Pathologists: Approved for 7.5 self-study continuing education clock hours for Kansas licensed Speech-Language Pathologists by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

---

Other Professions
This self-study activity qualifies for 6.5 clock hours of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

Disclaimer: **Information obtained in this course should be used within your scope of practice.
**It is your ethical responsibility to report accurate hours to your licensing board.
**All self-study participants must complete and pass (80% or better) a post-test and evaluation prior to receiving a certificate of completion. If you require a copy of the test/evaluation for CE purposes, please print at the time you take the test. Or you may call our customer service department and a copy of your test/evaluation will be emailed to you. Please allow 30-45 days.

Teachers/Educators, Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists/Physical Therapist Assistants Speech-Language Pathologists, and other Mental Health Professionals