MS HB960

Requires blind and visually impaired students to receive services from certified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI) and Orientation and Mobility specialists, contingent on appropriated funding for teacher scholarships.

Establishes presumption that Braille proficiency is essential for blind and visually impaired students, and prohibits denial of Braille instruction based solely on residual vision; requires research-based learning media assessments for all students.

Mandates textbook publishers selling to Mississippi school districts provide accessible electronic files (NIMAS, ASCII, or Braille-compatible formats) for all textbooks and supplementary materials published after December 2008.

Requires State Board of Education to establish regulations, policies, and procedures for the Mississippi Instructional Resource Center to ensure blind and visually impaired students receive textbooks and materials on the same timeline as sighted peers by January 1, 2013.

Establishes that Braille and Orientation & Mobility are core subject areas for blind students, and requires teachers of the blind certified after January 1, 2010 to demonstrate competency in Literary Braille and Nemeth Code through the Mississippi Praxis II Braille Competency Exam.