A quarterly newsletter from the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Visual Impairments containing practitioner tips for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and other professionals.
Issue link: http://dvi.uberflip.com/i/827904
Ms. Alsop has over 25 years of experience working with individuals who are deafblind. She has directed many federal projects, including most recently, three OSEP-funded projects, Project SPARKLE (a Model Demonstration Project for providing parent access to training on deafblindness via DVD and Internet technology in the home), Project PRIIDE (a Steppingstones of Technology Project to create simulations of vision and hearing loss using DVD technology), and Project RIITE (a Project of National Significance, for developing a DVD series on deafblind information and simulations). She was also the Project Director for a federal grant funded by FIPSE (Funds for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education) entitled Consortium for National Paraprofessional Training in Deafblindness: A Model for Distance Education in Community Colleges. With this grant, she developed and implemented the first preservice online coursework in deafblindness for interveners (paraprofessionals) serving children and youth with deafblindness. This coursework won the Blackboard Greenhouse Exemplary Course Award, which recognized it as one of the top 10 online courses in the country. Ms. Alsop served as a Clinical Professor of the Sensory Impaired Early Intervention Master's Degree Program, a Personnel Preparation grant. She was recently the principal investigator of Project STRIPES, a Paraprofessional Preservice Program Improvement grant, through which she developed new coursework, teaches deafblind courses and advises, coaches, and supervises students in that area. She has extensive experience as a practitioner working with children and youth with deafblindness. She has developed numerous curricular and training materials for use by professionals including curriculum and DVDs/videotapes related to deafblindness. She has worked closely with the Utah State Office of Education and the Utah State Legislature in systems change and in obtaining state funding for services to children and youth who are deafblind. She is recognized nationally for her development of curriculum and training and technical assistance in deafblindness. Outside of her position, she advocates nationally for children with deafblindness and works to insure individuals receive appropriate services. She received the President's Award from the Hadley School for the Blind in 2008. Currently, she leads the National Intervener Task force and is actively involved in national system's change efforts. Ms. Alsop has had an exemplary career that has focused on promoting the quality of life for individuals with 15