The National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment:

1. USA The National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment: A Model for Consideration in Other Countries Kathleen Mary Huebner, Ph.D. Professor & Associate Dean Pennsylvania College of Optometry Pennsylvania, USA 2006

2. Overview of Presentation • National Need for Leadership Personnel • Developing the Collaborative Model • Who Comprises the Consortium • Project Objectives-Outcomes • How it Might be Applied in Other Countries

3. Need for Special Education Leadership Personnel in Blindness and Visual Impairment Research Supports Need in USA • 1995-2003 Annual Average 4 New Doctorates • 2000 Study Identified Need for 13 Annually • 2002-2003 13 University Tenure Track Positions Open or Unfilled • 2005 14 Active VI Doctoral Programs in US • 2005 72 Leaders with Doctorates needed in next 5 years.

4. Research Supports Need • Production of new doctorates remains stagnant (Sindelar, Smith & Wald 1998) • Absence of critical mass at most universities • One-forth of all VI faculty intend to retire by 2005 (Corn & Silberman, 1999) • More than 60% of full-time faculty are over the age of 50 (Silberman, Ambrose-Zaken, Corn, & Trief 2005)

5. Developing the Collaborative Model

6. MILESTONES June-July 2003 -Huebner, Smith and Wormsley develop Consortium concept paper July 2003 -First presentation of Consortium concept paper to Federal officials by Huebner and Smith October 2003- University Personnel Preparation Division of AERBVI votes to support PCO Consortium concept November 2003-March 2004 Unsolicited proposal preparation March 2004 Proposal submitted October 2004 - Collaborative Agreement Funded

7. Objective 1: Develop Collaborative Model

8. NCLVI Collaborating Components

9. California State University Florida State University Northern Illinois University Ohio State University San Francisco State University Teachers College, Columbia University Texas Tech University at Lubbock University of Arizona University of Louisville University of Northern Colorado University of Pittsburgh University of Utah Western Michigan University Vanderbilt University 14 Universities Comprise Consortium

10. States with VI Doctoral ProgramsNCLVI 2006-07 Cohort Group of 21

11. American Council of the Blind American Foundation for the Blind American Printing House for the Blind Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the B/VI Association of State Education Consultants for the VI Council of Schools for the Blind Early Intervention Training Center for Infants and Toddlers with VI Gallaudet University Higher Education Consortium in Special Education National Association for Parents of Children with VI National Association of State Directors of Special Education National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities National Council of Private Agencies for the B/VI National Federation of the Blind National Organization of Parents of Blind Children NCLVI Public Advisory Council

12. Developing the Collaborative Model Communication: NCLVI Face-to-Face Meetings

13. University Consortium Meeting • December 2004 • OSEP • Guiding Principles • Mission • Decision Making • Fellowships • Tuition, stipends • Application • Recruitment • Enrichment Program • Committees • Communication

14. Public Advisory Council Meeting • January 2005 • National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, MD • Guiding Principles • Recruitment • Higher Education • Leadership Qualities • Enrichment Program • Residencies and Internships

15. Developing Collaboration through Communication Other Communication Vehicles: • Project website http://www.pco.edu/nclvi.htm • Listservs • Blackboard

16. Objective 2: Facilitate Preparation of Leadership Personnel

17. Facilitating the Preparation of Leadership Personnel Recruitment of Fellows Dissemination of Information about NCLVI Fellowship Application Process Selection of Fellows

18. Fellowship Application Process • Application Form Committee -Application -Application Evaluation Form • Application Review Process • Application Reviewer Panels • Notification of Fellowship Awards

19. Objective 3: Enrich Preparation of Leadership Personnel

20. March 2005 • Consortium Developed Tentative Charts of Competencies / Activities / Evidence for: • Public Policy (Project Years 2 and 5) • Issues (Infused Through Project Years 2 through 5) • Collaboration (Infused Through Project Years 2 through 5) • Research (Project Year 3) • Higher Education (Project Year 4) • Internships (Project Year 5 for 1st cohort, Project Year 6 for 2nd cohort)

22. 2005 –06 Face to Face Meetings • NCLVI Fellows Orientation • Intro to Public Policy • Enrichment Three Day Workshop, Washington, DC included visits to legislatures & development/ publication of Issue Papers I JVIB • Final Face to Face end of Year 1

29. Objective 4: Evaluate NCLVI

30. Evaluating NCLVI: Accomplishments and Future Activities Evaluation by Objective -- and by Evaluation Questions

31. Enhance training of leadership personnel with value added enrichment activities – an example • Do graduates or enrolled participants feel that their doctoral program was enhanced by the participation in the cohort activities? • What types of experiences have Fellows had as a result of the project? Were enhancement activities successfully conducted? • Did enhancement activities meet the needs expressed by doctoral fellows in the program?

32. Objective 5: Disseminate Information about the NCLVI Model

33. Disseminating Information about the NCLVI Model: Accomplishments: • Website • Presentations • Articles • Flyers • Listserv discussions • Word of Mouth

34. Disseminating Information about the NCLVI Model: • Announcements and updates to legislators • Updated flyer and press releases • Website additions (ours and others) • Presentations within and external to the field • Additional articles (journals and newsletters) • Student presence/projects • Listserv discussions • Involving others to expand community of practice • Reports and monographs

35. Ease of determining policies and procedures Overwhelming consensus Willingness of PAC and Consortium to work together Generosity Survival – Staff, Fellows, Consortium, PAC, and volunteers Steering Committee – Rotation of members? True partnerships – no joint meetings budgeted Surprises and Challenges

36. Question and Answers • Applying the model to other countries • For Doctoral degree • For Masters or post initial degree

37. For further information:National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairmentwww.pco.edu/nclvi.htmorkathyh@pco.edu