KY Grant to Train Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Kentucky Grant to Train Teachers of the Visually Impaired - 2015 Abstract This state funded grant is to train Teachers of the Visually Impaired, due to a critical shortage of qualified teachers in this area. In year four of the grant, the majority of the monies for the Teacher Preparation Program in Visual Impairments will go towards salaries. A full-time clinical assistant professor will act as Program Faculty Chair, expand programs in blindness and visual impairment, teach courses, supervise students, provide service to the field, engage in research, and provide technical assistance and outreach to districts across the state. A clinical instructor will work four days a week to teach courses, supervise students, and provide technical assistance and outreach to districts across the state. A part-time instructor will also be utilized to assist in providing mentoring to students in the alternate certification program and supervise student teaching/field experience. In addition, monies will also go towards program materials, equipment, travel, and programming for students. The first cohort of 15 students started in the fall of 2013 and will complete their coursework this May. The second cohort of 13 students started in the fall of 2014. A third cohort of students will start in the fall of 2015, which is expected to be about 15 students, but no more than 20. These graduate level students continue to represent diverse backgrounds and locations across the state. The program reaches all students by offering both face-to-face and online classes in the evenings and weekends