Even a couple years after introduction, the VistaQuest BaseKit still seems like a new-to-the world resource for literacy. I receive many requests for a specific explanation on what the BaseKit can DO for children with cortical/cerebral visual impairment. The main purpose of the BaseKit is to provide a place to start; an intervention springboard for the child, the family, and the educational team.
It is full of activities encouraging a child’s interaction with their environment. Through these activities, the teacher and family learns more about their student and child. You discover what motivates your child, what preferences of light and color, and what wait time is needed to drive visual attention and recognition. You learn how multiple sensory inputs affect your child and how to modify an activity to control these sensory inputs to support visual access.
I want to share a story of one of my students who has just entered Kindergarten this last school year. We started using the BaseKit with her when she was two years old by introducing single colored objects to her. As she gained familiarity, these items were then used to increase her interaction and communication with those around her through incorporating the activities and strategies into her daily routine.
The materials were brought from home to the classroom. Bringing something familiar into a new environment encouraged her to recognize new materials as they were paired with what she already knew. It was exciting to see the growth!
Now you can expand through integrating the knowledge and skill gained to create personal books using materials and favorite toys to encourage literacy and the beginnings of recognition of 2D pictures to 3D objects. For this student, who loves playing with a switch activated dog named Spotty, integrating this personal toy creates an even more engaging tool. Spotty will jump, bark, and walk when a switch is pressed. Visual recognition and motivation are present when Spotty is brought out, as shown through my student’s smiles and excited body movements.
By pairing a picture of Spotty with the toy Spotty, teaching the concept of 2D pictures representing 3D objects was promoted as she recognized features in both forms. We then went on a journey of looking for Spotty in several different environments throughout this book. I pulled insights gathered through previous BaseKit activities to ensure I built a story that builds on her current level of progress. For example, she has been visually drawn to shiny sparkly colors, so I mounted pictures of Spotty on sparkly paper. We focused on salient features of Spotty; his floppy ears, leathery nose, black and white spotted fur, and small tail. We explored each of these features on the actual stuffed animal. The picture of Spotty has these features incorporated so my student can feel the ears and see how they were floppy. She can feel the leathery black nose, feel the fur and see the black spots throughout the white fur.
I knew this student’s favorite color is pink. So I used the pink color to create a few pages of hide & seek in this book. Spotty hides in a pink sparkly pocket. Utilizing Velcro, Spotty can be moved on each page and hid as much, or as little, as needed for my student to visually access him. Spotty can peak out from pocket, or have most of his body showing. The overall goal, in time, is that my student will be able to find Spotty if just a part of his body is peaking out because she is recognizing salient features. As we advance, Spotty hides in the grass, among flowers, under a blanket, behind a door, etc… I use a flashlight to spotlight as needed. I continually pair the toy Spotty to the pictures of Spotty in the book.
Finally, I compare a side profile of Spotty picture to a side profile of the toy Spotty. We talk about it might even look like Spotty is hiding again because he looks different. The concept of learning Spotty is the same dog even when we look at him from different angles is an important concept. We can still feel his floppy ear, touch his leathery nose, and see the black spots on his white fur. A bonus is that we see and feel his fluffy tail when we look at him from the side!
This more advanced level of connecting with her environment all started from using the BaseKit strategies and activities. And if you happen to get through all those included in the kit, so many more activities can be created by integrating objects and materials in your students’ everyday environment, just as I did with Spotty the dog.
If you would like to see more student projects and more about the VistaQuest BaseKit, visit my website, or check out my Instagram and Facebook sites.
Please note:
We recognize that each child with CVI has their own individual visual experience and that the strategies and materials that will work for one student, will not necessarily work for all students; it is important that each student’s visual behaviors be taken into consideration. When making decisions regarding what materials and strategies to use, individualized accommodations determined by the student’s CVI evaluation should be implemented.
Paths to Literacy does not sell resources or materials. Information about third party providers, products, and services does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Perkins School for the Blind. It is the user’s responsibility to verify and investigate providers, products, and services. References to or information regarding commercial products, information, services, manufacturer, or company do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by Perkins or TSBVI.
