Canvas Course and Group Descriptions

Courses and the FIMC-VI Canvas resource site are intended for any stakeholders involved in the education of students who are visually impaired and residing in Florida. After you submit the registration form, an email will be sent to you with self-enrollment links for FIMC-VI's Canvas resource site and courses. Click on those links to set up an account or log-in. You will have the opportunity to reset your password if necessary. To log in to FIMC-VI's Canvas site and your selected courses after you have self-enrolled, visit canvas.instructure.com and log in using the information you used to set up an account. If you need assistance, please contact eanderson@fimcvi.org.

Registration for all Courses and Groups

Canvas Courses

What to Do if You Are Working with a Student Who is Blind or Visually Impaired

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: This independent, self-paced training is designed for teachers (classroom, P.E., music, art, etc.) therapists, and paraprofessionals that are new to the needs of students with visual impairments. However, any school-based personnel working with students with visual impairments would benefit from completing these modules. There are a total of 5 modules, which include videos and other activities. Participants may earn up to 5 inservice credits, if approved by your district.

The Impact of Deafblindness on Learning and Development

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: The Florida and Virgin Islands Deafblind Collaborative (FAVI) and the Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired (FIMC-VI) have collaborated to create this new learning opportunity using materials developed by the National Center on Deafblindness. These are professional learning modules for practitioners who want to improve their knowledge of deafblindness and gain practical skills that are essential for working with students who are deafblind. The intended audience is teachers from a variety of areas (e.g., special education, visual impairment, deaf/hard of hearing, severe/multiple disabilities), related service providers, and administrators. Participants may earn up to 14 inservice credit hours if approved by your school district.

Early Intervention for Children Who Are Deafblind

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: Early intervention providers working with infants and toddlers who are deafblind and their families need to have a clear understanding of how deafblindness impacts learning and development. They also require knowledge of practical strategies that can be used to support a child and family during these critical early years. This course explores the foundations of early intervention with children who are deafblind and how providers can best encourage their communication and concept development. Lessons include ways of expanding a child’s world to more people, places, and things as well as important strategies for supporting the transition to preschool. Participants may earn 14 inservice credit hours if approved by their school district.

Communicating with Children Who Are Deafblind

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: Children who are deafblind must have communication options that make it possible for them to access and understand messages from others. And they must have ways to express their wants, needs, choices, thoughts, and feelings in ways others will understand. For children with typical hearing and vision, communication develops naturally as they see, hear, and interact with others. But children who are deafblind don’t have those same opportunities. They require intensive, individualized instruction from knowledgeable educators who understand their unique ways of communicating. This module examines the many ways children who are deafblind communicate. It offers essential information, strategies, and detailed examples of how to

• Develop and expand communication skills at all levels
• Provide effective access to the general education curriculum
• Create stronger connections with others
• Because the content in each lesson builds on that of prior lessons, module participants are encouraged to complete the lessons in order. 

Just Keep Swimming with JAWS

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: This course will cover basic computer concepts, Windows and JAWS keyboard commands, and the use of Microsoft 365 applications with a screen reader. There will be tips and suggestions throughout the course of how to teach these concepts to students. Participants may earn up to 10 CEU's for completion of Modules 1-8. 

Staying Afloat on the Internet with JAWS

Dates: Ongoing | October 29, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: This course will cover basic internet concepts, navigation skills, and strategies using JAWS. Navigating Google Workspace with JAWS is included. Participants may earn up to 5 CEU's. 

By the end of this course, participants will: 

1. Learn at least 5 web navigation commands and hotkeys for efficient internet navigation and exploration. 
2. Learn 2-3 web navigation strategies and instructional techniques.
3. Learn about and utilize 3-5 resources for teaching web navigation. 

Accessibility Considerations and Implementation for Students with Visual Impairments

Dates: Ongoing | December 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: Participants will learn accessibility principles and best practices in popular platforms such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. This content primarily focuses on strategies and tips for creating accessible documents for people with visual impairments but benefit everyone.  Participants can earn 2.5 inservice credits, if approved by your district.

By the end of this course, participants will: 

1. Learn how to create born accessible materials through Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. 
2. Learn about and utilize built-in accessibility checkers to popular platforms. 
3. Learn 2-3 strategies to ensure content is readable to a screen reader user. 

Canvas Groups

Resource Site for School Psychologists and TVIs

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: School psychologists and teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) are invited to join this site where they will have access to resources related to psychoeducational assessment of students with visual impairments. This site includes a list of cognitive and processing subtests to consider when assessing students with visual impairments, a risk list for combined vision and hearing loss, relevant webinars from the American Printing House for the Blind, and a discussion board to post questions to the group. Upon completing an optional quiz, participants may earn 3 inservice credit hours if approved by your school district.

Braille Learning Community

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: This Canvas group is intended for individuals who wish to learn braille or improve their braille skills in order to better serve students with visual impairments in Florida. This site includes a variety of literary and math braille resources to support and extend participants' knowledge of braille codes, including both UEB Math/Science and UEB with Nemeth. A discussion board for participants to post related questions as well as a board for sharing braille files are both available. Seasoned and certified braille transcribers are welcome to join and help others become more proficient. FIMC-VI staff and a learning community of peers will support those completing literary and math Unified English Braille (UEB) modules at UEBonline.org. Participants may earn up to 50 inservice credit hours if approved by your school district.

FIMC-VI Canvas Resource Site

Dates: Ongoing | August 1, 2025 - June 15, 2026

Description: This site is designed for district and agency staff working with students who are visually impaired. Resources are divided by expanded core curriculum (ECC) or special skills category.