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This article describes the components of the courses and gives examples of activities that one professor used in a program to prepare teachers of children with visual impairments using a combination of live and Internet delivery.

This article reports on a study of 10 adolescents with visual impairments and their best friends. It found that each adolescent had a unique perspective on the impact of visual impairment on family, school, and peer relationships but that all valued their friendships.

This study of 40 adolescents with visual impairments and 23 of their best friends found that adolescents with visual impairments are successful in establishing and maintaining reciprocal, intimate best friendships. The friends engaged in activities together that were typical of adolescents without disabilities. Although some participants stated that the visual impairments affected the activities the friends could do together, they also noted that these limitations did not have a strong negative impact on their friendships.

Introduction The purpose of the study presented here was the initial validation of a comprehensive set of competencies focused solely on the Nemeth code. Methods Using the Delphi method, 20 expert panelists were recruited to participate in the study on the basis of their past experience in teaching a university-level course in the Nemeth code. The Delphi method uses multiple iterations or "rounds" to develop a consensus. The panelists were given the list of competencies developed by a focus group and were asked to rank their importance and the level of resources they would expect a beginning teacher of students with visual impairments to use. With each round, the panelists were provided with the statistical results and comments on the previous round, so they could make an informed decision on their next rating. Results Only three rounds were necessary for the panelists to reach a consensus. For writing, the panelists reached a consensus on 12 (41%) statements for importance and 17 (59%) for reference. For reading, they reached a consensus on 19 statements (66%) for importance and 23 (79%) for references. Comments from the panelists focused primarily on the fact that teachers of students with visual impairments need to use resources more often for writing to ensure the quality of their transcriptions, but that they should be able to read without resources. This difference may be due to the panelists' perception that teachers of students with visual impairments need to be more equipped to back-translate from the Nemeth code into print than to transcribe from print into the Nemeth code. Discussion On the basis of the scoring and the comments, the panelists had different expectations for their students. These differences may have been due to their own level of understanding of the Nemeth code or mathematics in general. Implications for practitioners This study is the first step in developing a comprehensive set of Nemeth code competencies for the field of special education for students with visual impairments. These competencies will become the benchmark for all university programs as they develop their courses on the Nemeth code. They may also be used for the framework for professional development for in-service teachers of students with visual impairments.

Introduction This article presents a study that gathered data from 66 teachers of students with visual impairments about their preparation to work with children who are visually impaired and are learning English, and their knowledge of instructional strategies and methods of instruction. Methods An online five-part survey was available to teachers of students with visual impairments in the United States and Canada for a month-long period in the spring of 2012. Results The 66 participants had various levels of knowledge of strategies for teaching English language learners. Many used common instructional strategies for English language learning when meeting their students' learning needs. When they taught braille to the students, they almost always taught in English. Thirty percent of the teachers did not feel qualified to work with students who are visually impaired and English language learners. Discussion The participants were rich in their knowledge of strategies for teaching English, indicating that this group of self-selected individuals may have chosen to participate because the topic was of interest to them. Two-thirds of them felt qualified to work with students who are visually impaired and English language learners. Implications for practitioners Teachers of students with visual impairments are often knowledgeable about educational strategies used with students who are learning English. They reported an overlap in strategies used with students who are visually impaired and students who are English language learners. When they teach braille, they most often do so in English braille. There is a need to duplicate this study with a wider cross section of teachers of students with visual impairments to ensure that the data reported here are representative of the population.

Introduction This study gathered data on methods and materials that are used to teach the Nemeth braille code, computer braille, foreign-language braille, and music braille in 26 university programs in the United States and Canada that prepare teachers of students with visual impairments. Information about instruction in the abacus and the preparation of tactile graphics was also gathered. Methods A faculty representative from each university completed a 39-question online demographic survey during fall 2011. Frequency counts for each item were tabulated, and comments were reviewed and categorized. Results All 26 university programs provided instruction in the Nemeth braille code. Most also provided introductory information on foreign-language braille, computer braille, and music braille. There was a high rate of consistency across the programs in what constituted a braille error. The university programs required students to prepare tactile graphics and learn computation on the abacus. The delivery of courses through a hybrid model was most common. Discussion University programs are providing instruction in the Nemeth braille code, though there is variability in the topics that are covered, the books that are used, and the assignments that are required. Most university programs are also exposing their preservice students to specialized braille codes and are teaching them to produce tactile graphics and to perform computations on the abacus. Future studies are needed to look at the quality of instruction and, if the amount of instruction in the different topics is sufficient, to prepare future teachers of students with visual impairments adequately. Implications for practitioners Data gathered from this study will assist university programs to evaluate the content of their courses on the topics that were studied. Adjustment in the content of courses may result, which may subsequently affect the skill set of practitioners as they complete university preparation.

Data were gathered from 166 participants regarding their qualifications for and training in preparing mathematics materials for tactile learners. The participants shared information about the courses and workshops they had attended, the books and resources they used, the amount of time they spent preparing mathematics materials, and information about the production of tactile graphics.

This study examined the preparation in and use of the Nemeth braille code by 135 teachers of students with visual impairments. Almost all the teachers had taken at least one course in the Nemeth code as part of their university preparation. In their current jobs, they prepared a variety of materials, primarily basic operations, word problems, tactile graphics, and fractions.