Who we are…

Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) is the only agency in Indiana specifically dedicated to meeting the critical early intervention needs of infants and toddlers who are blind or visually impaired and their families. VIPS anticipates providing vision-specific early intervention services to 250+ Hoosier children this year alone and will travel to all of Indiana’s 92 counties as children are referred to VIPS.

The mission of Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) is to empower families by providing educational excellence to young children with visual impairments in order to build a strong foundation for reaching their highest potential.

Our services…

VIPS provides services across the entire state of Indiana serving children and families in any county where needed

VIPS makes house calls! Services to infants and toddlers are typically provided in the home where children and parents are most comfortable and ready to learn.
VIPS provides direct services to VIPS children enrolled in childcare and preschool programs.
VIPS offers consultation to child care centers and preschools where VIPS children are enrolled to help staff adapt to the environment and teaching techniques to better meet the needs of visually impaired children.
VIPS provides specialized diagnostic assessments of development, functional vision, and orientation and mobility skills for VIPS children.
VIPS provides instruction in orientation and mobility for VIPS students to help them learn how to get where they want to go and to do so safely with the use of a white cane or pre-cane device.
VIPS has a broad parent education and support program inclusive of welcoming gatherings and training opportunities, newsletters, retreats, and bi-weekly informational email blasts.
VIPS provides preschool transition services when the child is ready to age out of our program at the age of three.
VIPS offers advocacy guidance to parents as they learn how to become the voice for their child and her specialized needs.
VIPS opened a new Family Resource Center to support families as they come into our program.

How would a donation to VIPS help?

$1,000 provides five children access to the Summer O&M Camp
$500 ensures a child has a successful transition to Kindergarten/Public School
$350 delivers two early intervention home visits to a child
$250 provides a child with one orientation and mobility session
$100 supports a training session for a teacher
$50 covers braille books, large print books, and other early literacy tools for a child