Recruiting Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Recruiting Teachers of the Visually Impaired

by | Sep 28, 2018 | Americans with Disabilities Act, higher education, special needs, Texas, Texas Education Agency

Do you worry about being able to hire VI teachers? Do you have to search high and low to fill vacancies?  If so…

It’s the time of the year to recruit teachers of the visually impaired!  To address the shortage of VI teachers and the needs of a growing number of students with visual impairments, think about the opportunity to “Grow Your Own VI Teacher” .  The Texas Tech University on-line program is a great opportunity for teachers to get certification as a teacher of the visually impaired.  Funds are available through the Reach Across Texas Grant to assist with the cost of tuition.  The Texas Tech application deadline for Spring 2019 is November 1, 2018.  Once one university VI course is completed and the teacher is enrolled in another course, he/she is eligible to be the TVI of record with an emergency permit!  For information, see VI and O&M Preparation in Texas on the TSBVI website.

For information contact Debra Leff at Region 13 debra.leff@esc13.txed.net

New Rule Lets Civil Rights Office Ignore Cases From Serial Complainers – Education Week

New Rule Lets Civil Rights Office Ignore Cases From Serial Complainers – Education Week

by | Mar 23, 2018 | Americans with Disabilities Act, Education Week, K12 Education, National, Title IX, US Department of Education

Education Week logoThe U.S. Department of Education’s office for civil rights has started dismissing hundreds of disability-related complaints, following new guidelines that say such cases will be dismissed when they represent a pattern of complaints against multiple recipients.

The office enforces laws such the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, both of which prohibit public entities from discriminating against individuals based on disability. It also enforces Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, and other laws that prohibit discrimination based on age, race, color, or national origin.

Marcie Lipsitt, a special education advocate in Franklin, Mich., estimates that over the past two years, she has filed more than 2,400 complaints to the Education Department over educational entities that have websites that are inaccessible to those who are blind or visually impaired, or who cannot use a mouse to navigate a website. Lipsitt’s targets have included school systems, universities, library systems, and state departments of education.

Read full article here. May require subscription to Education Week.