Teacher Preparation in the Education of Visually Impaired Children: A Multi-Competency Approach

For more than a decade, the University of Northern Colorado has been preparing teachers of visually impaired children with full and equal competencies in both academic instruction and orientation and mobility. This dual competency approach was developed in response to needs in the sparsely populated states of the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains region. Increased emphasis on services for the deaf-blind and other multiply handicapped visually impaired children resulted in the development of an additional component of teacher training. In 1978, UNC's graduate program expanded to include a third competency with severely/profoundly handicapped blind children. This article discusses the rationale and development of each competency area, follow-up studies of effectiveness, and program options.