Low vision IEP goals for magnifiers, telescopes and screen tools

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Low vision IEP goals teach a student to use prescribed devices and settings to get print and distance information quickly and without help: magnifiers, video magnifiers, monocular telescopes, screen zoom and glare control. Each goal names the device, the task and the time or accuracy expected, and the TVI measures it in real class tasks.

Low vision means a visual impairment that glasses or contacts do not fully correct, where the student still uses vision as a main way to learn. A student with low vision may read print, but slowly, at a close distance, or for only a few minutes before fatigue sets in.

Devices help, but only if the student uses them. A common pattern: a magnifier is prescribed, sent to school, and stays in a backpack because it is slow, awkward or embarrassing. Device goals fix that. They teach the skill, build speed, and move the device from the TVI's room into every class.

Optical devices such as magnifiers and telescopes are usually prescribed after a clinical low vision evaluation. The teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) then teaches their use, using the functional vision evaluation to decide which tasks matter most. The 12 goals below are grouped by device type. Baselines and criteria are illustrations.

Choosing the right goal

If the student...	Device area	Measure	Data sheet
Holds print very close and tires within minutes	Near magnification	Rate or task analysis	Task analysis data sheet
Cannot read the board or a projected slide	Distance devices	Percent accuracy	Accuracy data sheet
Struggles with laptops, tablets or online tests	Screen magnification and settings	Accuracy or task analysis	Accuracy data sheet
Squints outdoors, avoids bright windows	Glare and lighting	Opportunities	Opportunity data sheet
Has devices but leaves them in a bag	Device habits and choice	Opportunities	Opportunity data sheet
Has CVI rather than an eye condition	Different approach	Opportunities or latency	See the CVI IEP goals

CVI is different. Magnification rarely helps a student whose visual impairment comes from the brain. Use the CVI guide for those students.

Near magnification goals

Near devices include handheld magnifiers, stand magnifiers and video magnifiers. Start with short real tasks, such as a spelling list or a menu, before moving to full pages.

#	Goal	Baseline	Template
1	Using a stand magnifier, the student will read a 6-line printed paragraph with 8 of 8 setup and reading steps independent on 3 consecutive probes.	4 of 8 steps	Read print with a stand magnifier
2	Given small print on a map, label or worksheet, the student will choose and use a handheld magnifier without a reminder on 4 of 5 opportunities.	1 of 5	Use a handheld magnifier for small print
3	Moving between 3 classes, the student will carry, charge and set up the portable video magnifier with 6 of 6 steps on 4 of 5 days.	2 of 6 steps	Carry, charge and set up a portable magnifier

Weak: "The student will use a magnifier."

Measurable: "Given small print on a map, label or worksheet, the student will choose and use a handheld magnifier without a reminder on 4 of 5 opportunities."

The weak version gives no task and no count. The measurable version tells the classroom teacher what to look for: the student reaching for the magnifier on their own.

Distance device goals

A monocular telescope or a tablet camera lets a student see the board, a demonstration or a sign. Spotting a target is the first skill; copying from it is harder.

#	Goal	Baseline	Template
4	Using a monocular telescope, the student will locate and read 4 of 5 named targets on a classroom wall within 15 seconds each on 3 consecutive probes.	1 of 5	Spot distant targets with a monocular
5	Using a tablet camera pointed at the board, the student will zoom to read and copy the day's assignment correctly on 4 of 5 days.	1 of 5	Use a tablet camera to view the board
6	In the community, the student will use a phone magnifier app to read a menu or price label and answer a question about it on 4 of 5 outings.	2 of 5	Read labels and menus with a phone magnifier

Weak: "The student will see the board better."

Measurable: "Using a monocular telescope, the student will locate and read 4 of 5 named targets on a classroom wall within 15 seconds each on 3 consecutive probes."

Distance devices also help travel. The O&M specialist may write a goal for reading street signs with a monocular. See the cane skills progression for the travel side.

Screen magnification and settings goals

Much class work now happens on screens. Built-in zoom, large text and high contrast are free and travel with the student. Teach them as skills, not settings someone else turns on.

#	Goal	Baseline	Template
7	Using screen magnification, the student will zoom and pan to find and read 4 of 5 requested items on a web page on 3 of 4 probes.	2 of 5	Zoom and pan to read a web page
8	On a new device, the student will set large text, contrast and pointer size with 5 of 5 steps independent on 3 consecutive probes.	1 of 5 steps	Set large text and contrast on a device
9	During a computer-based practice test, the student will use the built-in zoom tool on items with small print or graphics on 9 of 10 items.	4 of 10	Use built-in zoom on a computer-based test

Weak: "The student will use technology for vision."

Measurable: "During a computer-based practice test, the student will use the built-in zoom tool on items with small print or graphics on 9 of 10 items."

Practice test tools before the state test. A student meeting a zoom tool for the first time on test day loses time and accuracy. The testing accommodations guide covers how tools are listed in the IEP.

Glare, lighting and device choice goals

Many students with low vision are sensitive to glare or need more light. Others have devices but pick the wrong one for the task. These goals build judgment.

#	Goal	Baseline	Template
10	When moving from indoors to bright outdoor light, the student will use a glare strategy, such as tinted lenses or a cap, on 4 of 5 observed transitions.	1 of 5	Use a glare strategy indoors and outdoors
11	At the start of a new class or seating change, the student will request seating and lighting that fit their vision on 3 of 4 opportunities.	0 of 4	Request preferred seating and lighting
12	Given 5 different tasks, the student will choose print, magnification or audio and explain the choice, with 4 of 5 choices matching the TVI's judgment.	2 of 5	Choose print, magnification or audio

Weak: "The student will advocate for visual needs."

Measurable: "At the start of a new class or seating change, the student will request seating and lighting that fit their vision on 3 of 4 opportunities."

How to measure progress

Device routines: task analysis for setup, charging and settings. Score each step as independent, prompted or not done.
Using a device without reminders: opportunities. Count each time small print or the board comes up and the student uses the device unprompted.
Spotting and reading: percent accuracy on a fixed set of targets, plus seconds per target.
Reading rate with a device: 1-minute probes in words correct per minute on the reading fluency data sheet.

Record the device, the magnification setting and the lighting on each probe. A rate taken at 8x on a video magnifier cannot be compared to one taken with a 4x handheld magnifier.

Classroom teachers see the student daily and the TVI may not. A simple tally of "used device without reminder" on the opportunity data sheet gives the TVI real-world data at each visit. Paste drafts into the goal checker.

Adapting by grade

Grade band	Device focus	Example
K to 2	Working distance, bold-line paper, simple stand magnifier	Sets work at a comfortable distance
3 to 5	Handheld magnifier, monocular spotting, tablet zoom	Spots wall targets with a monocular
6 to 8	Portable video magnifier across classes, screen settings	Carries and sets up the magnifier
9 to 12	Phone apps, test tools, choosing tools, community use	Reads menus with a phone magnifier

For academic and travel goals that go with these, see IEP goals for students with visual impairments. For the full set of skill areas, see expanded core curriculum goals by area. Accommodations such as large print and enlarged tests belong in the accommodations section; see accommodations for visual impairment. The team must consider assistive technology for every student, which includes these devices.^[1] The American Foundation for the Blind publishes background on low vision devices for families and teachers.^[2]

Frequently asked questions

Who teaches a student to use low vision devices?

The TVI teaches device use in school. Devices are usually prescribed after a clinical low vision evaluation. The O&M specialist teaches distance devices for travel, and classroom teachers prompt use during lessons.

Should low vision device use be a goal or an accommodation?

Both, often. Access to the device is an accommodation. Learning to use it quickly and without reminders is a skill, so it gets a goal until the student is independent.

What if the student refuses to use the magnifier in class?

Ask why. Common reasons are speed, discomfort and not wanting to look different. Practice in private until the student is fast, try a less visible tool such as a phone app, and add a goal for choosing the right tool.

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Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
American Foundation for the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.