The role and mission of the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired to provide statewide services to meet the educational needs of sensory impaired children from birth through twenty-one in South Dakota by serving in a dual leadership and resource role in the statewide efforts to serve these students.

This mission shall be carried out through cooperative efforts with all appropriate state agencies, educational cooperatives, local education agencies and college and universities. It is recognized that the mission of the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a significant part of the continuum of services in the statewide delivery system for children in need of special education OR special education and related services.

The South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired understands this responsibility to include:

• Direct educational programs and services to blind and visually impaired students including the multi-handicapped and deaf-blind, in Aberdeen and at other designated locations, with appropriate emphasis on the "disability specific skills" of Braille, orientation and mobility, technology, daily living, leisure, community interaction and work experience;
   
• Residential services for those students whose needs are better served in such an environment;
   
• Educational evaluations and interpretation of results for parents and public school teachers and recommendations for appropriate educational programming and placement;
   
• Consultative services for local school districts, cooperatives and parents to assist them in developing child identification procedures and an appropriate education program;
   
• Supplementary services, including summer programming to reinforce educational growth, provide for special skills training and assist students in understanding their vision loss and their own abilities;
   
• Development of the school in Aberdeen as a resource center for information about vision loss, educational materials, methods and equipment to serve educators, parents and the public;
   
• Parental and family involvement in all aspects of the child's educational program with a full explanation of parental rights and responsibilities as well as an understanding of vision loss;
   
• Cooperative efforts with the Division of Education in the identification of visually impaired students and the delivery of appropriate educational programs and services as a part of the continuum of services;
   
• Cooperative efforts with the colleges and universities in personnel preparation and staff development in the field of vision loss through internships, seminars, research projects and other professional development activities;
   
• Cooperative efforts with the Office of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired in the development and implementation of transition plans and vocational readiness;
   
• Cooperative efforts with the South Dakota State Library in the provision of curriculum and support materials for students, teachers and parents; and
   
• Cooperative efforts with blind consumers through the S.D. Association for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota to increase public knowledge and acceptance of blindness and to support quality programs and services.