SSCO logo SSCO title

 


Pathway to Licensure in Visual Impairment:

 

The Ohio Department of Education funded a program through SSCO to address the shortage of professional personnel for students who are visually impaired. This program, at The Ohio State University, prepares Intervention Specialists who obtain licensure in visual impairment and is part of a total preparation program for teachers of children with disabilities.

Currently, in the State of Ohio, there are approximately 100 licensed teachers
of children with visual impairments/blindness. According to outreach data compiled by the Ohio State School for the Blind, (OSSB), there are high numbers of school age children who are not receiving services for which they would qualify. Data was collected as part of an OSSB Outreach effort for a five-year period from September 2005 through December 2010. With the largest concentration of teachers located around major Ohio cities, the lack of service is particularly in the southeastern section of the state (Fast & Cuniak, 2010). Nearly 50% of all current teachers of students with visual impairment will be eligible for retirement within the next five years; thus, the personnel shortage issues can be expected to become even more critical.

Since the inception of this program, approximately 85 Intervention Specialists have earned licensure. There has been a high level of placement for all who earned licensure and sought teaching positions.

  • Many courses in the training program are available online; thus there is capacity to serve statewide needs. Students enrolled in the program receive tuition support for coursework leading to licensure. Students not enrolled in the licensure program can still take the courses for credit.

  • Active recruitment has been ongoing with the development of a website (SSCO) and brochures which have been widely distributed at local sites as well as state and national professional meetings.

  • Client satisfaction surveys and impact evaluations are conducted by SSCO.

  • Project meetings, held in Columbus, provide opportunities for updates, problem solving, sharing of ideas and strategies.


Visual Impairment - ESC Job Postings

For a descriptive OSU Vision Intervention Specialist brochure
or detailed information about the OSU Program in Visual Impairment.

To review the annual 2011 report.

The following links are resources regarding Visual Impairment:

American Council of the Blind
Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students
American Printing House for the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
American Foundation for the Blind

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Thomas M. Stephens - Project Director (614) 785-1163 x 115
Kathy Richards - Project Assistant (614) 785-1163 x 111