The Expanded Core Curriculum: What is it, and why do occupational therapy practitioners need to know about it?

The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) was developed in 1996 by Phil Hatlen to be used in supplement with the standard academic curriculum for students with blindness or visual impairment [3]. It is supported nationally by the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), and internationally by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) as a method to provide specialized instruction. While all students should develop proficiency in the nine areas of the ECC, students with blindness or visual impairment require explicit instruction due to the lack of incidental exposure that sighted individuals receive.

Areas of the ECC

Compensatory Access Skills: This area ensures students have access to academic content. This may include various learning media (Braille, large print, audio), as well as organizational systems or other needed accommodations.

Social Interaction Skills: Explicit instruction in social skills concepts is provided including understanding tone of voice, making eye contact, and social integration.

Recreation and Leisure Skills: Students should be exposed to a variety of leisure activities. Examples include board games, card games, sports activities, or any meaningful way to spend time not devoted to school, work, or daily living tasks.

Assistive Technology (AT) and Technology Skills: This area includes introducing and developing proficiency with the technology needed to access the general curriculum as well as social and leisure skills. Examples may include magnifiers, screen readers, accessibility features that allow students to access online learning, internet searching, calendars or homework organizers, as well as social media, communication with teachers and other students or friends.

Orientation and Mobility Skills (O&M): Developing skills for people who are blind or have a visual impairment to travel safely, efficiently, and independently throughout any environment.

Independent Living Skills: This includes any area an individual must perform to have a successful, independent life. Examples include daily living skills (hygiene, dressing, bathing, feeding oneself), money management, food preparation, household chores, etc.

Career Education: This area facilitates the development of job readiness skills such as basic job skills, job searching, work ethic and etiquette, as well as exploring interests and strengths of the individual.

Sensory Efficiency Skills: Students develop available vision, as well as enhance the use of other senses for optimal function.

Self Determination Skills: Explicit instruction is provided to facilitate the development of self-awareness, self-control, assertiveness, and problem-solving skills. [3]

Importance for Occupational Therapists

General education teachers, teachers for the visually impaired, and O&M specialists are referred to most often as ECC instructors [2] [3]. Little reference is made in the initial ECC documents, by Phil Hatlen and others [3], to support the use of occupational therapy for students who require ECC instruction. However, our unique ability to view students holistically, with a focus on meaningful occupation, to address client and contextual factors that may inhibit progress in a particular ECC area provides the perfect background for occupational therapy practitioners to become involved in the implementation of the ECC. This can occur through program development, indirect service, and also through the assessment, development of IEP goals if indicated. In fact, according to a study of young adults aged 18-22 with deafblindness, occupational therapy was reported to be the number one service they did not receive that may have increased independence upon graduation[1]. Additionally, many teachers of the visually impaired and O&M specialists report that for multiple reasons, they have difficulty finding time to address many of the ECC areas [2] [3]. Using the assistance of as many trained professionals as possible, including occupational therapy practitioners, would increase opportunity to address ECC specific goals in addition to academic goals.

It is likely that many students with blindness or visual impairment may benefit from general program support from occupational therapy. An example may environmental modifications to improve universal design and access to materials. It is important to become familiar with the ECC to provide the best practice possible!

References

[1]Cmar, J. L., & McDonnall, M. C. (2019). Effectiveness of a job search training program for youth with visual impairments. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 42(4), 214-224. 10.1177/2165143418792238

[2]Lohmeier, K., Blankenship, K., & Hatlen, P. (2009). Expanded Core Curriculum: 12 Years Later. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 103(2), 103-112. https://ezproxy.bu.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Fexpanded-core-curriculum-12-years-later%2Fdocview%2F61885622%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D9676

[3]Sapp, W., & Hatlen, P. (2010). The Expanded Core Curriculum: Where We Have Been, Where We Are Going, and How We Can Get There. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 104(6), 338-348. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X1010400604

[4]United Nations (1990). Conventions on the rights of the child. Retrieved on 7/06/22 from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/crc.pdf

[5]U.S. Department of Education (n.d.) Every Student Succeeds Act Retrieved on 7/06/22 from https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn