National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment: An Investment for the Future

1. National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment: An Investment for the Future Kathleen Mary Huebner, Ph.D. Diane P. Wormsley, Ph.D. Program Directors Pennsylvania College of Optometry

2. The State of Leadership Training in the United States

3. Need for Teachers and Orientation and Mobility Specialists • NPTP identified the need for 5000 TVI’s and 10,000 O&M Specialists by 2010 • Documented annual production totals only 400 per year at this point

4. Shortages in Leadership Personnel • Since 1980’s – decreases in faculty at IHE’s • Disappearance of faculty lines • Retirement of current faculty

5. Exacerbated by: • Closings of University Programs • Since 1989 16 programs closed including 6 doctoral preparation programs • 11 new programs but only two of them with doctoral programs.

6. Goal for Leadership • NPTP estimated the need for 13 new graduates annually – not being met • 1996-1997 – last graduates supported by a leadership training grant specifically in blindness and low vision completed their programs. • Grants received since then have supported only 2 students with emphasis in BVI

7. Summary • Number of institutions preparing doctoral students with emphasis in BVI is dwindling • Production of new doctoral level personnel has remained stagnant at around 4 per year maximum • Absence of a critical mass of doctoral students limits capability to have a community of practice. • Universities are already unable to fill faculty positions

8. Weaknesses to Address • 1. Weakness in capacity – • 2. Weakness in critical mass – • 3. Weakness in the lack of a community of practice • 4. Weakness in financial assistance • 5. Weakness in scientifically based research • 6. Weakness in cultural diversity

9. Weaknesses to Address • 7. Cultural Competence • 8. Doctoral Student-Faculty Program Characteristics • 9. Recruitment • 10. Collaboration