State Certification of Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired Students: Report of a National Study

Abstract

Certification officers of the state departments of education were surveyed during the winter of 1985/1986 about certification requirements and policies for teachers of blind and visually impaired children. The survey revealed that 45 states offered vision-specific certification and that requirements and policies varied greatly from state to state. In this article, the similarities and differences among the state requirements are highlighted, emerging trends are identified, areas for further study are suggested, and recommendations for action are addressed.