46
VIDBE - Q Volume 6 4 Issue 1
The state of Ohio is experiencing the same trends. Currently 1,935
Ohio students are registered with the American Printing House for the Blind
(2016) through the federal quota system, this number only includes
students with the definition of "legal blindness." According to the Ohio
Department of Education database system, 98 teachers are licensed as an
Intervention Specialist in Visual Impairment (ODE, 2013) in the state of
Ohio. Data from the Ohio Sta te School for the Blind Outreach team indicate
that from 2005 - 2010 approximately 70% of students with visual
impairments in the state were not receiving services due to funding or lack
of qualified personnel (Fast, 2011). In addition, the service team fou nd that
the largest concentration of teachers were located around major cities in
Ohio, with large portions of the state, specifically the entire Southeastern
portion, identified as having low numbers of teachers of students with visual
impairments.
ECEV I Program Development
Creation of the integrated ECEVI dual licensure program at OSU
involved extensive collaboration among university faculty and staff in the
departments of Teaching and Learning and Educational Studies, as well as
staff from the Office o f Educator Preparation. An integrated model was
utilized in initial discussions among the team, when faculty and staff came
