A Brief Description of VISTA

In its current form, VISTA (Vermont Interdependent Services Team Approach) is described in a manual (approximately 160 pages) which includes sections on the purpose and rationale for the process, current issues in related services, ten guidelines (as listed above), directions for using VISTA (including "To Do Lists"), several examples, a facilitator's guide, and blank forms. The VISTA process includes four major activities:

(a) general preparation (e.g., forming a team, learning about team members' skills, getting to know the student, reading the VISTA manual),
(b) getting ready for the VISTA Meeting (e.g., determining the components of the student's educational program),
(c) having the VISTA meeting (e.g., considering potential support services as a team, evaluating suggestions based on criteria, reaching consensus on educationally necessary services), and
(d) next steps after the VISTA meeting (e.g., subgroups do more refined planning, implementing team decisions, evaluating the impact of support services)

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