45
VIDBE - Q Volume 6 4 Issue 1
Parsons, 2007; Young, 2011). For the purposes of this article, the term dual
licensure program will be used.
The Need for the Program
According to federal mandates, states are required to provide all
students with a free, appropriate public education (FAPE). Critical
shortages of special education teachers represent a serious challenge to
achieving this goal for students with disabilities (Billingsley, 2003). In
providing services to students with low - incidence disabilities, the availability
of qualified special education teachers is limited; this is especially true
when a direct focus is placed on the education of students who are blind or
visually impaired. Nationally, the field of visual impairments has a teacher
shortage. According to S ummers, Leigh, and Arnold (1996), "The ability to
ensure that children with disabilities, especially those with visual
impairments, receive an appropriate education may be compromised
because of the critical shortage of highly qualified personnel." Mason,
Davidson, and McNerney (2000) estimated that by the year 2000,
approximately 5,000 new teachers would be needed to meet the needs of
students with visual impairments; however, according to Ferrell (2007) the
United States was only producing about 250 new e ducational personnel in
visual impairments each year.
