Who we are

The Council of Schools and Services for the Blind (COSB) is a consortium of specialized schools and agencies in Canada and the United States whose major goal is improving the quality of services to children who are blind and visually impaired.

 

What we do

We provide resources for parents and caregivers of students who are blind or visually impaired; for schools, agencies, and TVI professionals  who teach these students; and for those who seek  careers in this exciting and innovative field of education.

COSB schools and agencies are an excellent example of why the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) calls for a range of educational placement options so that the learning opportunities of students are not restricted by the limitations of any one type of educational setting. Under IDEA students should have the option of attending a school that best matches their  learning needs at a particular time in their educational career. An ideal balance is achieved when a student’s local public school and that state’s COSB school collaborate to allow the student to freely move between settings based upon educational need.

 

Who we serve

COSB members educate a diverse population of learners in environments that promote the highest academic standards as well as meeting the needs of students with significant learning challenges. Throughout our agencies and schools, specialized approaches to instruction in small group settings ensure that the curriculum is fully accessible to each individual student. COSB members excel at teaching the unique skills that students use to gain independence at the same level as their sighted peers. Known as the Expanded Core Curriculum, these skills such as Orientation and Mobility (travel and movement skills) and the use of Assistive Technology become the tools students use to maximize learning in school and to be fully engaged in their homes and communities.