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Demonstrate basic knowledge of vision impairment and blindness
Level
3
Credits
3
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the effects of
vision impairment and blindness on functional vision; examine common
beliefs about blind and vision impaired people; describe an agency or support
service specifically for blind or vision impaired people; describe and
demonstrate ways to overcome barriers that blind and vision impaired people
face in accessing written information; interact with a blind or vision impaired
person; give simple verbal directions to a blind or vision impaired person; and
make simple changes to improve a physical environment for a blind or vision
impaired person.
Subfield
Community Support
Domain
Blindness, Deafblindness and Vision Impairment
Status
Registered
Status date
20 May 2008
Date version published
20 May 2008
Planned review date
31 December 2013
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and
industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Community Support Services Industry Training
Organisation Limited
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0024
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
The performance of all elements of this unit standard must comply with any relevant
cultural or legislative requirements including the rights and responsibilities of people
receiving services or supports as outlined in the Health and Disability Commissioner
(Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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2
The simple piece of information produced for element 3 can be a note or short letter,
an appointment, an item for a notice board, or similar.
The interactions required for element 5 should typically be for a period of
approximately three minutes or longer and involve exchanges of information between
the parties. However, communication with deafblind people varies considerably and
so interactions of different length or complexity may be accepted as evidence where
these clearly meet the communication needs of the deafblind person.
3
Elements 5, 6 and 7 may be assessed against using a simulated environment.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Describe the effects of vision impairment and blindness on functional vision.
Performance criteria
1.1
Description outlines the range of functional vision that a blind or vision impaired
person might have.
1.2
The description outlines the impact of personal and environmental factors on
the use of functional vision.
Range
two personal factors, three environmental factors.
Element 2
Examine common beliefs about blind and vision impaired people.
Performance criteria
2.1
The accuracy of the beliefs is examined and corrections made where
appropriate.
Range
evidence is required for a minimum of four common inaccurate
beliefs, which may include but are not limited to beliefs relating to
– demographics, use of services and equipment, skills and
abilities, appropriate interaction and language, and the impact of
vision impairment.
Element 3
Describe an agency or support service specifically for blind or vision impaired people.
Performance criteria
3.1
Services provided by the agency or support service are described in terms of
potential benefits for a blind or vision impaired person and criteria for eligibility.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Element 4
Describe and demonstrate ways to overcome barriers that blind and vision impaired
people face in accessing written information.
Performance criteria
4.1
Description outlines alternative means of access to information and their
suitability for blind and vision impaired people.
Range
4.2
any four alternatives.
A simple piece of information is provided in a form suitable for a blind or vision
impaired person.
Element 5
Interact with a blind or vision impaired person.
Performance criteria
5.1
Interaction takes into account needs arising from the person’s vision
impairment.
Range
may include but is not limited to – approaching, greeting,
identifying self, use of names to identify the person being
addressed, replacing or supplementing non-verbal communication,
giving precise descriptions, ending the interaction.
Element 6
Give simple verbal directions to a blind or vision impaired person
Performance criteria
6.1
Verbal directions incorporate indication of direction as appropriate to the
environment and the person’s needs.
6.2
Verbal directions incorporate indication of distance as appropriate to the
environment and the person’s needs.
6.3
Verbal directions incorporate identification of a landmark or clue as appropriate
to the environment and the person’s needs.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
23368 version 1
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Element 7
Make simple changes to improve a physical environment for a blind or vision impaired
person.
Range
any three changes which may include but are not limited to – lighting, contrast,
size, layout, use of colour, minimising hazards.
Performance criteria
7.1
Changes improve the accessibility and/or safety of the environment in terms of
the needs of a blind or vision impaired person.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services Industry Training Organisation Limited
enquiries@cssito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016