PROFILE OF PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROGRAMS AND THEIR FACULTY IN BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT 20072

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PROFILE OF PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROGRAMSAND
THEIR FACULTY IN BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
2007-2008

• by
• Grace Ambrose-Zaken, Ed.D.
• Hunter College CUNY
• and
• Laura Bozeman, Ph.D.
• University of Massachusetts at Boston

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Surveyed University VI Programs US / Canada

• 2007-2008
• Demographics
• Instructional Models
• Funding Formulae

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Background

• VI Professionals Require Unique, Specific
  Preparation
• Graduate/Undergraduate University Programs
• Need Continues to Grow with the Increase in
  Numbers of Individuals with VI

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National VI Data

• Numbers Severe VI Increasing (all ages)
• Children, Baby Boomers, Veterans
• Shortage of Qualified VI Personnel
• Continues

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Life Impact

• Visual Impairment Affects Across the Lifespan
• Congenital delayed developmental milestones
• Acquired linked to increased unemployment

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University-Prepared Professionals

• Lessen Impact of VI Congenital/Acquired VI
• Improved Overall Skills
• Improved Independence
• Than those who received services from
  paraprofessionals

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University VI Programs

• Growth has been slow
• Difficulties recruiting into low incidence
• Lack of access in rural areas

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Federal, State, Private Funding

• Grant monies help initiate VI programs
• Challenge
• sustain low incidence program
• foster university buy in

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5th in a Series of Studies

• Evaluate Status of University VI Programs
• 2007-2008
• Improvements
• Challenges

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Method

• Contact information on each university (n52) was
  obtained
• previous study databases
• public websites (e.g., American Foundation for
  the Blind and Texas School for the Blind and
  Visually Impaired)
• Word of mouth

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Method

• A request to complete the Personnel Preparation
  Program (PPP) Survey was emailed to 52
  coordinators.
• The 52 Coordinators completed the 7 part survey
  and provided contact information full-time
  faculty (n43).

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Method

• Subjects were contacted
• email request to complete the on-line, accessible
  surveys.
• email included letter of consent and URL link to
  the surveys.
• Subjects who did not respond to the initial email
  received follow-up phone contacts.
• Often resulted in updated contact information.

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Method

• Personnel Preparation Programs (PPP) Survey
• Part I Demographic Information (Faculty Survey)
  
• Part II Program Demographics
• Part III Availability of Programs
• Part IV Instructional Model
• Part V Funding
• Part VI -- Doctoral Students and
• Part VII -- Open-ended Questions.

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Results

• Types of Programs
• 47 of 52 programs in the US (including Puerto
  Rico) and Canada responded with a completed
  survey or confirmation that the program had
  closed (response rate 90.4).

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Results

• Types of Programs
• Seven programs (3 Canadian) completed the survey
  for the first time in 2008.
• Five programs did not complete surveys confirmed
  active at the time of data collection.

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Results

• As of 2008
• 48 active university programs in 31 states,
  Puerto Rico and Canada with at least one program
  in VI specialization.
• 19 states and DC had no university prep programs
  in VI
• Alaska Delaware Hawaii Connecticut
• Idaho Kansas Maryland Maine
• Georgia Minnesota Montana Rhode Island
• Iowa Nevada Virginia New Hampshire Washington
  Wyoming Vermont

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Results
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Ten Greatest Challenges

• Number
• Cited Ten Greatest Challenges to Personnel
  Preparation Programs in VI
• --------------------------------------------------
  -------------------------------------------
• 19 Funding
• 13 Consequences of Low Enrollment
• 12 Recruiting Candidates
• 7 Recruiting Qualified Leadership
• 5 Distance Learning
• 4 Collaboration with Local Education Agencies
  (LEA)
• 4 Need for Balance Scholarship, Teaching,
  Service
• 3 Certification versus Masters Degree Programs
• 2 Need for More VI Programs
• 2 Adjustment to Program Content to Reflect
  Advances

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Trends Across the Five Studies

• Decrease in new programs although increase in
  numbers of people with VI
• Over 80 use some form of distance learning
• Increase in grants decrease in those paid from
  hard money
• Number of doctoral students remained
  constant-still unable to meet current/future need
  
• FTE nation-wide trend of understaffing in VI
• Faculty Demographics increase in women faculty
  decrease in tenure/tenure track