Teacher Preparation Program in Visual Impairments
There is great need in Michigan schools for teachers of children with blindness and visual impairment. This is a program for teachers who wish to add an endorsement for Visual Impairment to their teaching certificate.
In Michigan
- Students in Michigan are eligible for partial tuition reimbursement. Contact us to learn more.
- This program is open to anyone with a valid or pending Michigan teaching certificate.
- If you are not certified in special education, you may also have to take some special ed foundational courses.
Certification
In this program, you will become skilled in assessment, planning, intervention and collaboration in the area of visual impairment. As a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI), you will be certified to work with students who are blind or who have low vision, assuring accessibility to the general curriculum and the expanded core curriculum.
Once you complete the program, you may apply to add a Visual Impairment endorsement to your Michigan teaching license.
Practicum
Your teaching practicum will be supervised by a licensed TVI. The practicum includes 180 hours where you will demonstrate the minimum competencies and dispositions expected of successful teachers of children with visual impairment.
More information
To request an application or to learn about tuition reimbursement, contact Judy Moguel at judith.moguel@wmich.edu or by phone at (269) 387-8395.
For information regarding the academic requirements of the program, contact the program advisor, Dr. Dawn Anderson at dawn.l.anderson@wmich.edu or by phone at (269) 387-5944.
Required courses
- BLS 6320 - Teaching Children With Visual Impairments
- BLS 5910 - Braille and Other Tactual Communication Systems
- BLS 5900 - Physiology and Function of the Eye
- BLS 5840 - Computer Technology in Rehabilitation
- BLS 5440 - Educating Individuals with Severe Impairments
- BLS 5912 - Teaching Math & Specialty Code
- BLS 5945 - Itinerant and Effective School Collaboration
- BLS 6080 - ECC and Assessment for Children with Visual Impairments
- BLS 5970 - Principles of Low Vision – on campus only
- BLS 6955 - Practicum
More information about courses available at WMU and the other three partner institutions can be found on the MDE website.