All Case Studies

If you are coming to this material for the first time, you may find that the most useful approach is to use the case study summaries below to identify a young person who is similar to one you are working with. By clicking on the individual's name, you can then access the full case study. In turn, that will provide you with links to the strategies employed with that young person.

Each case study is based on

• information obtained from the individual's school records
• observations by a member of the Project team over the course of an ordinary school day
• detailed discussions with practitioners who worked closely with the young person.

The names used in the case studies are pseudonyms in order to protect the young people. Because several of them attended a school in which they were the sole young person with Visual impairment and Autism, the schools are not named. Naming the school would, in effect, result in the young person being identified.

The young people are grouped into four age bands.

1. Up to age 6-7 years

Ali is aged 4 years. Ali was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 2 and a half. He then lost his sight. Ali has learning difficulties and attends a special school for young people with autism.

Charles is a pupil in a resource base for young people with autism in a mainstream school. He is 6 years old. Charles has poor sight with a number of different eye conditions. He was diagnosed as having autism at the age of 4 years.

Six year old Jivan has septo-optic dysplasia. He has a tiny amount of peripheral vision. Jivan has severe learning difficulties and a diagnosis of autism. He attends a mainstream school.

Stacey is six and has Leber's amaurosis, with light perception only. She has moderate learning difficulties and autism. Stacey attends a mainstream school.

2. Age 7-8 to age 10-11

Cecily attends a mainstream school. She is 11 and works at an age-appropriate level. Cecily is registered blind and has septo-optic dysplasia with optic nerve hypoplasia. She has a diagnosis of autism.

Jasper is 7 years old and has profound learning difficulties. Autism was diagnosed when he was three years old. He is now blind after a recent gradual loss of sight. Jasper attends a special school.

Sarah is nearly nine. She has septo-optic dysplasia and is blind. Sarah has severe learning difficulties and autism. She attends a special school for young people with visual impairment.

Sebastian is aged eight years. He has Leber's amaurosis, with light perception only. He has moderate learning difficulties and a diagnosis of autism. Sebastian attends a special school for young people with visual impairment.

3. Age 11-12 to age 15-16

Amanda is 13 years old. She has cortical visual impairment with a range of other disabilities including moderate learning difficulties and autism. Amanda attends a special school for young people with visual impairment.

14 year old Bob attends a special school. He has septo-optic dysplasia and enough sight to read print. He has autism and moderate learning difficulties.

Dominic is 13 years old. He has albinism with severely reduced vision. He attends a mainstream school that has a resource base for young people with visual impairment. He has moderate learning difficulties and a diagnosis of autism.

11 year old Tyler attends a special school for young people with visual impairment. He works at a broadly age-appropriate level. He has optic nerve hypoplasia and does not have any useful vision. Although Tyler presents as having autism, this is not diagnosed.

Winnie is 12. She has septo-optic dysplasia and is blind. Winnie has severe learning difficulties and a diagnosis of autism. She attends a special school for young people with learning difficulties.

4. Ages 16+

Archie is 17. He has Laurence Moon Bartel Biedl Syndrome (LMBBS) and a diagnosis of autism. He has severely reduced peripheral vision and his sight is deteriorating. Archie attends a special school for young people with learning difficulties.