The expanded core curriculum includes the subjects and skills that students who are visually impaired need to learn in school because of their disability in order to be able to study the rest of the educational curriculum along with their sighted classmates.
· Compensatory academics—critical skills that students need to be successful in school, such as concept development, organizational skills, communication skills, and literacy skills.
· Orientation and mobility—skills to orient the child to his or her surroundings and travel skills to allow him or her to move independently and safely in the environment.
· Social interaction—skills needed to access social situations appropriately and prevent social isolation of students with visual impairments.
· Independent living—skills needed to function in school and at home as independently as possible, such as personal grooming, time management, cooking, cleaning, clothing care, and money management.
· Recreation and leisure—skills to ensure students’ enjoyment of physical and leisure-time activities, including making choices about how to spend leisure time; actively participating in physical and social recreational activities.
· Visual efficiency—these skills include skills needed to use low vision devices, magnifiers and other optical and non-optical aids that help people make maximum use of their vision.
· Use of technology—skills to use devices such as computers or electronic equipment.
· Career education—focus on the acquisition of special skills that the student would need as a working adult, making career choices, and assuming responsibilities.
· Self-determination—skills to be used in advocating for one’s own needs and desires.
[The Expanded Core Curriculum is currently NOT implemented in Singapore. There is a need to create an awareness of the importance of these skills for students with visual impairments.]
