Lisa Moses, PhD, COMSUniversity of Alabama at Birminghamlisamoses@uab.edu256-335-1080

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Some Things to Think About During Presentation What are your state’s needs

concerning low incidence personnel prep?

What are the challenges in your state?

Have you seen some of the following strategies work in your state?

What are some other strategies that have worked or could work for you?

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My Journey: O&M in Alabama2001-Last year of PhD (met a dreamer: Mary Jean)2002-While finishing; added Adm. Certificate2004-Texas Tech 30 days anticipating collaboration (compare to FSU)2005-Texas Tech at UAB/ me support2006-Me Adjunct at UAB/ Texas Tech support2007-Quit tenured job; accepted full time in

Oct2008-OSEP grant>>>60 COMS

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My Journey: Personal Challenges Pay for Adm. Certification and PhD Pay for Texas Tech and to live there 30

days Live 125 miles away from UAB Quit tenured job; UAB non-tenured Initially made less money (9mts/12 mts) Dependent on soft money…economy… 2008 notified of OSEP grant a couple of

weeks prior to a 30 day notice

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Challenges: Recruiting

Time to recruit Where to find prospective students How to find qualified students from

underrepresented areas What techniques work /are efficient?

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Possible Solutions: Recruiting *Finding Time

Get involved with colleagues and divide state Use current and past students Talk everywhere you go Recruit everywhere you go Design a written plan

*Where to find prospective students (underrepresented groups)

Other universities Conferences Word of mouth Teach current and past students to recruit Job fairs Parent groups Wal Mart

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Possible Solutions: Recruiting (con’t)

What techniques are efficient? Have to collect data to confirm opinion Colleague and I disagree (conferences) Brochures & flyers (rate of return) Press (paid ads and articles) Entry interviews indicate word-of-mouth

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Challenges: Training

* What system meets students’ needs best? Internet based Face-to-face instruction Combination

* What sequence meets students’ needs best?

• Traditional schedule• Summer courses• Weekend college

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Possible Solutions: Training * Students’ Feedback for System

Students like combination Skills class direct instruction Seminar class on-line (with 2 hr/wkd

college for direct instruction)

*Students’ Feedback for Sequence Started with summer courses (4 weeks-

skills) Weekend college was preferred by

students

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Challenges: How To Teach It All

Limited time: credit hours Competencies to be taught Have only one full time O&M faculty Increasing requirements from

Association for interns

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Possible Solutions: How to Teach It All

Find ways to allow others to teach Resources on campus (university) Guest speakers with expertise Other instructors in specialty areas

(deafblind/ multiple disabilities, current COMS) Collaborate with other weekend classes when

appropriate Use available national resources (ex The

Seeing Eye) Use resources in community (ex. VA, Mass

Transit Superintendents…ADA presentation)

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Possible Solutions (Con’t) Web links Resource notebooks Hands-on with students Use of remote video conference

teaching sites to allow for training from other geographical areas

Send students to specialized conferences

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Challenges: Practicum & Internship Sites

In Alabama, we began with less than 10 COMS

COMS have to practice for 3 years before they can be supervising teacher

Many school systems have not provided O&M services for their students with visual impairments

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Possible Solutions: Practicum & Internship Sites

Think differently about internship (not all in one place)

Build “projects” into internship requirements

(camps for various populations across state)

Work to maintain every project as continue to build new ones

Collaborate with out-of-state programs (meet a need of theirs) even out-of-country programs

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Possible Solutions: Practicum & Internship Con’t

State school for the blind…worked with special sessions to provide staffing Transition camps Assessment camps

Weekends with students who live on campus (ex. students with multiple disabilities)

Rehab-developed 2 week camps for Seniors

Rehab-transition camp for pre-college15

Possible Solutions: Practicum & Internship Con’t

Continue to build intern sites through partnerships (students’ special interest)

Helen Keller NationalPerkins

Work with professional conferences that have large numbers of participants with VI…provide sighted guide services

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Challenge: How to Support Students During Training

Retention is a problem…MA in TVI first

Students get tired and don’t want to go another year

Student’s generally have families and work full time

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Possible Solutions: Support Students During Training

Rethinking TVI requirement…possibly MS in O&M; certification for those in related fields

Support financially through OSEP Grant Available at non-office hours Use cell phones and texting as well as

email Allow flexibility in due dates (take of

minimal pts) to allow for family/work commitments

Allow student input into scheduling

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Possible Solutions: Support Students During Training

Have alternate ways of making up missed class time if needed

Allow for frequent student input and respond to that

Be creative and empathetic

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Challenges: How to Support Students After Training

Right now retention after training is not a problem

Students are often lonely…no peers in system or even area

New graduates don’t have colleagues to readily ask questions of or work with on difficult issues

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Possible Solutions: Support Students After Training

*Mentoring-on site assistance With technical issues With challenging students , parents, or

teachers With assessments With any problems

*Remain accessible*Pay for professional membership *Encourage developing networks in

class and in field21

Closing Thoughts

Always rethink and often go to plan B Out-of-state, as well as in-state

partnerships are imperative Out-of-country partnerships are

possible and expand our knowledge and insight

Always look for ways to increase awareness of project

Key words: Flexibility, Faith, & Focus Perseverance, Persistence, Passion

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I choose not to simply live my life; I choose to invest it.

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Helen Keller