Blindness and Low Vision Studies

Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5218 USA
(269) 387-3455

Vision Certificate for Teachers

This graduate-level certificate program is designed for Michigan-certified teachers to add a VI endorsement to their existing certifications. This certificate program is provided through a four-state consortium with WMU, UMASS Boston, the University of Arizona, and the University of Kentucky. The collaboration allows students to take classes in an online manner to obtain their State of Michigan VI endorsement.

Admissions Criteria:

  1. Candidates must have a valid or pending Michigan Teaching Certificate.
  2. General education teachers without a special education endorsement must complete a set of approved foundation courses in addition to the required courses.
  3. Partial tuition reimbursement is available to eligible certified teachers in Michigan.
  4. Teachers holding a teaching certificate from outside of Michigan can be admitted to the consortium and complete the program but will not receive tuition support.
    1. Out-of-state teachers: contact Western Michigan University (WMU) for approval to register for a course.
    2. Consortium students get priority status in registration.
    3. Out-of-state teachers need to check with their own states to determine whether the consortium course offerings will satisfy that state’s VI certification requirements.

More information

For information about the graduate vision certificate for teachers program, contact Dr. Dawn Anderson at @email or (269) 387-5944.

Courses required to complete the certificate

Students who complete seven of the nine courses at WMU qualify for the BLVS Vision Certificate for Teachers.

  • BLS 5440 - Educating Individuals with Severe Impairments - Credits: 2 hours
  • BLS 5840 - Computer Technology in Rehabilitation - Credits: 3 to 4 hours
  • BLS 5900 - Physiology and Function of the Eye - Credits: 2 hours
  • BLS 5970 - Principles of Low Vision - Credits: 2 hours
  • BLS 6080 - Expanded Core Curriculum and Assessment for Children with Visual Impairments - Credits: 3 hours
  • BLS 6320 - Teaching Children with Visual Impairments - Credits: 3 hours
  • BLS 6610 - Itinerancy and Effective School Collaboration - Credits: 3 hours
  • BLS 6955 - Practicum in TCVI - Credits: 2 hours
  • BLS 5910 - Braille and Other Tactual Communication Systems - Credits: 3 hours
  • BLS 5912 - Teaching Math and Specialty Codes - Credits: 2 hours

Notes:

In order to apply to add a VI endorsement to an existing certificate through MOECS, students must successfully complete the BLVS Vision Certificate for Teachers graduate program, the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification vision subject area test, and 180 hours of supervised clinical experience. Endorsements must be added within five years of program completion and testing. Failure to be certified within this time period will require a program review and a retake of the VI subject area test.