VIDBE-Q Volume 68 Issue 3
65
MLFTC graduated its first cohort of 11 undergraduate students in May 2022
and a second cohort of 3 undergraduate students in May 2023. Although small, this
program works to address the shortage of TVIs in the Phoenix area and may offer
an example to other institutions on the preparation of undergraduate students who
are able to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE) and an institutional
recommendation for teacher certification in Visually Impaired Special Education,
birth through grade 12.
The degree focuses on diagnostic assessment, orientation and
communication skills, and specific teaching methodologies for students with visual
impairments. It includes a strong focus on assistive technology to advance learning
in the classroom and in daily life. Students are taught to collaborate with parents,
classroom teachers, and related service personnel to meet the needs of learners who
are blind or have low vision. The curriculum is aligned with Arizona and national
standards consistent with the Council for Exceptional Children. Starting in the fifth
term, the program is delivered in partnership with Foundation for Blind Children
(FBC) in Phoenix, Arizona. Courses are taught by FBC faculty associates and full-
time ASU faculty to provide students with theoretical and practical perspectives on
teaching and learning for individuals who are blind or have low vision.
Over the past several years, MLFTC has revised, reenergized, and refocused
all of its teacher preparation programs to be more student-centered and attuned to
