VIDBE-Q Volume 69 Issue 2
researchers recognize that special educators must demonstrate different knowledge
and skills to be successful. Currently, few resources exist to address these
challenges. For example, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is one of
only a few agencies offering guidance for evaluating low-incidence service
providers (MDE – Low Incidence Outreach, 2022). As a result, itinerant TSVIs
and O&M specialists may be vulnerable to inadequate and/or inaccurate appraisal
feedback.
Additionally, itinerant TSVIs and O&M specialists often have one or more
supervisors with varying backgrounds and knowledge (Benson, 2001). Due to the
low-incidence nature of visual impairment, these supervisors often have little, if
any, experience serving students with visual impairments (Wilton, 2017). Districts
infrequently provide training regarding either the roles and responsibilities of
itinerant special educators and/or the evaluation process, meaning administrators
must pursue such training on their own time (Kraft & Christian, 2022).
Currently, little research exists regarding supervision or evaluation of
itinerant TSVIs and O&M specialists (Benson, 2001; Woolf, 2019). Importantly,
little is known about who evaluates these teachers, what feedback they receive, and
how they respond to the appraisal process. For this study, we wanted to know:
How are itinerant TSVIs and O&M specialists supervised and evaluated?
