Expanded Core Curriculum Assessments
What is an Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) Assessment?
An Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) Assessment evaluates a student with a visual impairment in areas that go beyond the standard academic curriculum. These areas, collectively known as the Expanded Core Curriculum, include critical life skills such as independent living, orientation and mobility, social interaction, career education, assistive technology, and more.
Students who are blind or visually impaired often miss out on incidental learning, which is the kind of learning that sighted peers pick up by observing the world around them. The ECC is designed to close that gap. An ECC Assessment identifies strengths, needs, and appropriate goals in these skill areas to help students function independently and confidently at school, at home, and in the community.
The assessment process is individualized, comprehensive, adapted to every age and functioning level, and driven by both observation and interviews with real-world or simulated settings. These assessments should be done yearly when preparing for the annual IEP meeting, but can be done as frequently or infrequently as the team decides.
Why Are Expanded Core Curriculum Assessments Important?
The Expanded Core Curriculum is essential for helping students with visual impairments develop the skills they need to thrive, not just academically, but socially, emotionally, functionally, and practically. Without deliberate instruction in ECC areas, students may fall behind in everyday skills that are critical for lifelong success.
An ECC Assessment helps answer questions like:
- Can the student navigate their school, neighborhood, and public spaces safely and independently?
- Does the student know how to cook, clean, manage money, manage time, organize materials, and take care of personal needs?
- Is the student able to use assistive technology effectively for communication, organization, or schoolwork?
- How confident is the student in social situations or group settings?
- What skills will the student need for future college, vocational, or employment success?
By identifying areas of need and potential in the ECC domains, these assessments support IEP teams in creating meaningful, personalized goals. ECC instruction plays a critical role in preparing students for full, independent adult lives.
How Will Virtual TVI Perform Expanded Core Curriculum Assessments?
At Virtual TVI, we recognize that every child’s path to independence looks different. Our ECC Assessments are designed to capture the whole picture of a student’s functioning, taking into account their other challenges, and provide clear guidance on what skills to develop next.
We offer two models of delivery:
- In-Person Assessment: A certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired travels to your school or home setting to observe and interact with the student across various ECC domains. Travel costs and availability vary by location.
- Remote Assessment with Onsite Support: Our TVI conducts the assessment via secure video call, while a school staff member assists onsite. Virtual TVI provides all materials and guidance necessary for smooth facilitation.
Our Process
- Review of relevant educational, functional, and medical records
- Input from the student, family, and educators
- Structured interviews and surveys
- Observations in real-life or simulated tasks (e.g., using technology, cooking, social role-play)
- Use of ECC-aligned assessment tools and checklists
- A detailed written report with prioritized skill areas and clear, actionable recommendations
Virtual TVI makes the ECC assessment process easy to navigate, deeply informative, and highly relevant to your student’s real-world future, no matter the student’s functioning level.