
Vision Services
Programs for the Visually Impaired
Programs for the Visually Impaired (VI) are supported by the NIA for students aged 3-21 with mild to severe vision impairments, including multiple disabilities and blindness. Services are accessed through the local school districts and special education cooperatives.
Vision Services Contacts
Jean Deptolla
St. Charles, IL 60175
Phone: (630) 513-5012
Fax: (331) 249-8495
Email Jean
Diane Tyrrell
Sycamore, IL 60178
Phone: (815) 895-9227
Fax: (815) 205-4401
Email Diane
Additional Resources
Illinois State Ocular Report for Persons with Visual Problems is available for download.
This form requires 8 1/2 X 14 (legal size) paper.
Low Vision Clinics
One of the unique opportunities available to assist students, parents, and local school districts through the Vision Department are the Low Vision Clinics. These clinics are held throughout the year in partnership with the Spectrios Institute for Low Vision’s Seeing is Believing Program.
- Funded through grants and donations
- For students K-12th grade who have a significant loss of vision which cannot be fully corrected with medical treatment, surgery, conventional glasses or lenses
- Comprehensive low vision evaluation and upon completion, receives optical devices to maximize vision in the educational setting
- Held throughout the NIA region
- Students are referred through their vision teachers
- Evaluation and the equipment is free of charge for the family
- Resources are available for the families
Difficult To Test Clinics
In conjunction with our member districts, NIA sponsors Difficult-to-Test Vision Clinics. The clinics are located at school buildings or administration centers, and are offered to the districts on a yearly basis.
- One-time-only optometric examination for students age 3-21 who are considered “difficult to test”
- Many students served have multiple disabilities, are deaf or hard of hearing, use alternative communication or have difficult behaviors
- No cost to parents
- The educational team is encouraged to attend the exam
- Possible recommendations include:
- Prescription for glasses
- Referral to the teacher of the visually impaired
- Further testing
- Does not fund glasses or other equipment
Project Reach
Project Reach is the Illinois State Technical Assistance Project. It provides free technical assistance, information, and training to address the early intervention, education, related service, and transition needs of children and youth with DeafBlindness in order to improve services and outcomes for children and their families and increase state capacity.
- Supports the activities of DeafBlind specialists
- Statewide family specialist
- Work with local school programs and community service providers and families
- Identify and provide technical assistance to children (ages birth to 21)
- Information brochures, trainings, and on-site consultation for program staff and families
- Presentations at statewide conferences
For more information contact Michelle Clyne at mclyne@philiprockcenter.org or Jean Deptolla at jdeptolla@philiprockcenter.org, or look on the Project Reach website.
Find us in Northwestern Illinois
4 Office Locations
- Sycamore
- Rockford
- St. Charles
- Sterling
5 Hearing Clinic Locations
- Aurora
- St. Charles
- Rockford
- Sterling