[nabs-l] Studying to be a Teacher of the Visually Impaired

[T. Joseph Carter]

I offer warning that not all teaching programs out there are friendly to 
the idea of blind people receiving a teaching license.  You can discover a 
whole pattern of abuse and discrimination and still essentially lose 
everything if the right people don't take the decisive actions at the right 
time.

I know first hand, but I'm honestly tired of telling the story, so I will 
not tell it here.  Trust me: Just because it seems that we as people with 
disabilities seem ideally suited to working with others with disabilities 
and just because the people who run these programs are supposed to be in 
the position of helping people like us achieve our potential...  None of 
that means they won't have the same prejudices everyone else has.

Joseph

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 06:47:46PM -0500, Jedi wrote:
> Hmmm. I'd recommend at least a Bachelor's in Special Ed at the very  
> least. If you can shake it, I'd also recommend getting a Master's in  
> Special Ed. Afterward, I'd highly recommend getting your TVI training at 
> Louisiana Tech through their TBS/O&M program. The generalized Special Ed 
> programs are always a good idea because some of your students will have 
> multiple disabilities, and you'll want to know the current philosophies 
> on disability that your colleagues will operate under. That way, you'll 
> have an idea of what to expect in your colleagues for good or ill. You'll 
> also know what laws affect your practice, especially in the way of 
> writing IEPs and the like.
>
> -- 
> REspectfully,
> Jedi