VIDBE-Q 2025 Volume 70 Issue 1
an emphasis on technology-enabled coaching and rural special education. Dr.
Kimberly Avila, coordinator of the VI Consortium, principal investigator, and
professor-in-charge, serves as course lead, primary instructor, manages hiring,
accreditation, and conducts administrative tasks for licensure compliance and
program performance. Dr. Avila's research focuses on digital accessibility,
pedestrian safety, and policy development. The VI Consortium is grateful for
adjunct faculty from all over the United States who bring skilled expertise to
specialized courses across the program and for program support staff and
assistants.
Degree Options, Specialized Courses, and Collaboration
A range of degree options exist to meet the needs of teacher candidates from
undergraduate majors and minors, masters, and a graduate certificate for initial and
add-on licensure. While Virginia does not have an orientation and mobility
program (O&M), the University of Massachusetts Boston (Bozeman, 2024;
Bozeman et al., 2018) has included Virginia in multiple cohorts spanning the past
decade to train O&M specialists through online and in-person instruction
regionally in Virginia. This collaborative endeavor has allowed Virginia service
providers to meet the increasing needs of students and adults with blindness and
