Become a hero for our visually impaired youth by helping them to reach their full potential.
The National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut presents the following information and web resources for students or current educators considering a rewarding career as a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI).
By choosing a career as a TVI, you'll enhance the educational experiences of visually impaired children by instilling self-confidence and determination through your own belief in their abilities. As a TVI, you'll have the opportunity to improve the lives of our blind and visually impaired youth, providing the necessary specialized instruction, support services, and encouragement to enhance the educational experiences of Connecticut's visually impaired children.
In addition to the resources you'll find on these pages, the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut offers the Brian Cummins Memorial Scholarship as an incentive for current education majors to pursue specialized certification to meet the shortage of qualified TVI professionals in Connecticut.
Why should you consider a career as a teacher of the visually impaired?
Across the country, there is a shortage of certified teachers of the visually impaired. If you haven't yet considered a career as a TVI, we urge you to do so. Here in Connecticut, there are many open positions with too few qualified applicants to fill them. Half of the current TVIs are expected to retire in the next ten years and the demand for qualified teachers of the visually impaired is long term.
Starting salaries for TVIs in Connecticut are among the highest in the nation. These jobs come with great benefits, job security, and the opportunity to help improve the lives of our visually impaired children.
What is a TVI?
Teachers of the visually impaired provide the educational experiences that will enable each visually impaired student to become a life-long learner, master the necessary skills for success, and achieve academic and personal potential. TVIs provide assessment, information and advice for educational planning for children and young people with visual impairments. This includes recommendations for Braille instruction, large print or audio taped materials, determining what suitable adaptive technology is necessary, and providing classroom management strategies.
TVIs collaborate with parents, classroom teachers and other professionals in order to ensure that the visually impaired child receives quality education and instruction.
Some TVI's specialize in the development of pre-school children, while others train to work with children at the elementary and secondary level of education. Some training programs are even more specific and offer training opportunities to work with deaf/blind children or offer dual certification programs, combining training for teaching the visually impaired with an orientation and mobility specialist certification.
How can you become a TVI?
A teacher of the visually impaired must hold a valid certificate to teach in the state with the additional teaching certification for TVI.
The Connecticut Department of Education web site has information regarding certification and resources for potential teachers, including incentive grants for persons interested in special education and teaching the visually impaired. Financial aid and other scholarships are available to fund college training.
Where can you get TVI training?
Though there are no schools in Connecticut that offer certification for teachers of the visually impaired, several of the programs on our list are within commuting distance of Connecticut.
As a teacher of the visually impaired, you can change a child's life. With a proper foundation in alternative techniques, the visually impaired student can maximize their educational opportunity. The TVI helps the child to develop social skills and overall confidence and independence. A TVI can instill the confidence needed to turn a child onto the pathway of success.