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VIDBE - Q Volume 63 Issue 1
Unique Features
S F A is o n e o f only t w o p ro g ra m s in T e x a s among an estimated 40 such
programs in the nation preparing students for certification to work as O&M specialists
or TVIs. SFA offers the only undergraduate O& M degree in the U.S., and those
students can earn ACVREP certification status equal to that of graduate students.
St u d en ts are taught by f a c u lty members f r o m b o th t h e O&M a n d T VI disciplines,
which provide a b ro a d e r u n de rst a nd ing o f t h e f i e ld . Texas residents who complete our
program are eligible for TSBVI mentor support for two years.
SFA's TVI track uses online instruction, interactive television and on - site
practicum observations. This program has both a fully online option and an option for
those in and around Texas to receive braille training through interactive television.
Following completion of the braille class, all remaining courses in the TVI certification
program (and in both TVI and O&M master's programs) are offered online. Most online
cl asses have synchronous meetings using online - learning platforms, including D2L,
Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate to help develop a sense of community and ensure
access to instructors.
Those seeking graduate certification or master's degrees in O&M are requir ed to
come to SFA to participate in on - campus training for approximately six weeks during the
summer. D u r i n g th is t i me , s t u den ts l i v e o n c a mpu s (with expenses typically covered by
grant funds) and pa rtic i pa t e in e x t en si v e si mu la t i o n t raini n g in which they w ea r b l i n d f o l d s
while being tau g h t guide and cane t e c hn i q u e s. Students also take part in community -
based activities to build instructional skills. The O&M undergraduate program provides
the same blindfold training during the 16 - week spring semester. Additi onal training
