Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Vision Studies at the University of Pittsburgh
George Zimmerman, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
giz@pitt.edu
The Vision Studies Program at the University of
Pittsburgh (Pitt) is beginning its 50th year of preparing teachers of students with visual impairment, O&M specialists, and doctoral leadership
personnel. The teacher of the visually impaired
certification program began in 1963 and the O&M
specialists program began in 1969, making the
Pitt program one of the first in the U.S. to offer
graduate level dual TVI and O&M certification.
The program has prepared hundreds of highly
specialized teachers and O&M specialists to
serve the education and rehabilitation needs of
children and adults who are blind or visually impaired nationwide. In addition, Pitt's doctoral
preparation program has fostered leaders in the
field of blindness and visual impairment in all capacities of service, leadership, and research.
Graduates have developed and enriched educational programs and practices; are authors and
editors of respected publications; and also have
established the need for ongoing research in the
field and forged the agenda to address that need.
50
