OTD Capstone Projects

Abstract

Blind Early Services Tennessee (BEST) is a nonprofit organization providing early intervention services to children with visual impairments and their families. Through a partnership with BEST, this doctoral capstone project aimed to raise awareness of visual impairments and promote the use of the Neonatal Assessment Visual European Grid (NAVEG). The NAVEG is a validated, non-invasive screening tool designed to identify neurological risk for Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) in infants. The project aimed to educate healthcare providers and establish partnerships with Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), to ultimately increase early referrals to ophthalmology and early intervention services. A secondary focus of this project was to create and disseminate educational resources for BEST families and providers. Outcomes included outreach to four NICUs, development of a NAVEG flyer, and the creation of an educational resource archive. Additional efforts included distributing approximately ten sensory “little rooms” and registering eligible children for American Printing House for the Blind’s Federal Quota program. This capstone reinforces the role of occupational therapy in interdisciplinary collaboration, advocacy, and education to promote early and equitable access to vision-related supports and services.

Publication Date

Spring 4-18-2025

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Teresa Plummer

Department

Occupational Therapy, School of

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Grantor

Belmont University

Keywords

Visual Impairments; Cortical Visual Impairment; CVI; Early Intervention; Vision Services; Vision Screening; NAVEG

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