[nabs-l] Fwd: [Cabs] TVI Braille Training

Fri Oct 11 18:29:46 UTC 2013

Whoa whoa.  To be a certified TVI program you have to include coursework in braille.  I would be very surprised to discover any programs that don't include a braille course.  The quality of these courses will vary from program to program and some programs include more braille courses than others.  This kind of project would be done much easier if the student already had a relationship with a program, either knew a student or a professor who indicated there was a need in the area.  Teachblindstudents.org used to maintain a list of the teacher prep programs in the country but I did not see it at first glance on the website.  You would really need to look at the course catalog for each program to determine the number of braille courses.  To determine their quality you would have to get a syllabus or talk to people who had gone through that program.  

I would recommend jointing the professionals in blindness education list and asking if there are professionals who have recently graduated who would be willing to discuss their preparation in the area of braille.  

And… Vanderbilt indeed still has a program.  I graduated from it last August.  :)

Greg Aikens, M. Ed.
Teacher of students who are blind and visually impaired
Cobb County School District
gpaikens at gmail.com

On Oct 10, 2013, at 10:34 PM, minh ha <minh.ha927 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Arielle,
> 
> On the same thought, who does the accrediting anyway? Is it a group
> comprising of prominent authorities in the field that actually know
> what they are talking about? I know UMass Boston has a TVI/O&M program
> that, from what I heard is fairly decent. Another possible research
> topic that JJ could look into is actually collecting personal opinions
> from TVI's to see if they feel like their program effectively prepared
> them to teach students braille.
> Minh
> 
> On 10/10/13, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Can I just ask, How can a TVI training program be accredited in this
>> country that doesn't even teach the teachers Braille? Isn't Braille
>> like the whole essence of specialized instruction for the blind?
>> Arielle
>> 
>> On 10/10/13, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Also, what he might do is look at TVI training programs and examine
>>> how much braille they actually teach.
>>> 
>>> The TVI I had from kindergarten through the 8th grade was very old
>>> school in her teaching and knew her stuff really well.  She went to
>>> vanderbuilt to study braille, (I am not sure Vanderbuilt has a program
>>> any more) and said that when she was tested on the code she was
>>> blindfolded and told to braille signs on the Perkins Brailler.  That
>>> was how the professors at Vanderbuilt made sure their students were
>>> proficient in braille.  I don't know if she had to read it with her
>>> fingers or not, but she could write it really well even years later as
>>> a TVI.  She was fabulous, and I'm not saying there aren't fabulous
>>> TVIs out there today because I know a lot who are, but I'm not sure if
>>> that kind of proficiency is being stressed in all schools.
>>> 
>>> It also might be interesting to consider the decline of standards in
>>> TVI education, or research that even if it's just one part of the
>>> report.
>>> 
>>> Just a thought.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 10/10/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I think North Carolina does not teach braille; but be sure I am right
>>>> before
>>>> you use that.   I remember hearing something to that effect.  If I am
>>>> wrong,
>>>> someone please correct me.
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
>>>> Silverman
>>>> Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 7:49 PM
>>>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Fwd: [Cabs] TVI Braille Training
>>>> 
>>>> Anyone have any ideas for JJ?
>>>> 
>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>> From: JJ Aragon <mistyluna at fastmail.fm>
>>>> Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 14:40:22 -0600
>>>> Subject: [Cabs] TVI Braille Training
>>>> To: cabs at nfbnet.org, jbeecham at cocenter.org, slabarre at labarrelaw.com,
>>>> Lisa
>>>> Bonderson <lbonderson at labarrelaw.com>
>>>> 
>>>> Hello Friends,
>>>>  For my English class I have been asked to write an 8-page  researched
>>>>  proposal. This proposal must address an educational issue within a
>>>>  specified school/state/district. I would like to find a TVI college
>>>>  training program that lacks in Braille training and propose an
>>>>  improved curriculum. I'm having trouble narrowing down and finding
>>>>  such a program, though. Can any of you think of a TVI program that I
>>>>  could write about? Your input would be greatly appreciated.
>>>>  Please know that this paper is for my and my teacher's use only. Feel
>>>>  free to share your experiences/annecdotes. I will not use anything you
>>>>  share without your permission. Also, please forward this message to
>>>>  anyone you think could help.
>>>> Best,
>>>> JJ Aragon - University of Northern Colorado ...Addicted to the written
>>>> word...
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Kaiti
>>> 
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>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
> their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
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