Imagine a student living with congenital glaucoma attending a local school, not having access to academic material in their preferred medium. Such a student would benefit from having a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) as the lead subject matter expert to ensure they are learning Braille or have access to large print and other tools and strategies to reach their academic potential.
According to the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), there were over 385,000 New Yorkers living with vision difficulties in 2019. But at the same time, there’s a shortage of TVIs, according to the U. S. Department of Education & Office of Post Secondary Education. The American Association for Employment in Education said many more TVIs are needed in the U.S., the 15th highest demand position needed to be filled to ensure students living with a visual impairment live up to their academic potential. According to the AFB, there are an estimated 890 TVIs and there are no figures on how many work in Brooklyn.
Now take older Americans. A grandmother’s love language is baking her lemon cake. However, due to vision changes diagnosed as diabetic retinopathy, it's challenging for her to see the degrees on the oven dial, read the recipe or notice the changes in color of the cake. A vision rehabilitation therapist could instruct her on increasing her safety, confidence and efficiency despite the changes to her vision so she can continue baking those delicious cakes. In New York City, there are only 50 Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists.
So, how do we address the nationwide shortage of vision rehabilitation and education professionals? The Blindness and Low Vision Studies program at Drexel University employs a hybrid learning model, primarily featuring online classes, hands-on learning experiences and internships that often lead directly to employment opportunities. With starting salaries of up to $80,000, being a vision rehabilitation professional isn't just a job; it's a gratifying, necessary career that empowers individuals to live up to their potential efficiently.
Moreover, the career can help hundreds of people with low vision and blindness live long and healthy lives in Brooklyn.
Kinshasa A. Coghill MS, CLVT, CVRT, COMS, is a Brooklyn resident, a vision rehabilitation professional and a Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) Recruiter at Drexel University.
