Amy McKenzie

Assistant Professor, School of Teacher Education

FSU Special Education Program Receives $800,000 Visual Impairment Grant

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services has awarded faculty members within the Florida State University College of Education a four-year, $800,000 grant to support teacher education in the field of visual impairment.

Amy McKenzie, an assistant professor in the college’s Special Education Program, is principal investigator of the grant, which is intended to support programs for training undergraduate and graduate students to become teachers of students with visual impairments. Teacher preparation in this field is in high demand throughout the United States.

“There is an essential need for teachers of students with visual impairments, both on a national and state level,” McKenzie said. “The Florida Department of Education recognizes teachers of students with visual impairments as a critical teaching need area.”

The primary goal of the program is to increase the number of highly qualified, diverse personnel necessary to provide appropriate services to people with visual impairments. Research efforts will focus on four initiatives:

Graduate preparation for orientation and mobility specialists
Support of interdisciplinary graduate teacher preparation
Aggressive recruitment efforts
A mentoring program

The Special Education Program is part of the School of Teacher Education at Florida State University.

Related Materials: FSU Headlines - FSU Not Turning a Blind Eye


				Amy McKenzie Assistant Professor, School of Teacher Education FSU Special Education Program Receives $800,000 Visual Impairment Grant The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services has awarded faculty members within the Florida State University College of Education a four-year, $800,000 grant to support teacher education in the field of visual impairment. Amy McKenzie, an assistant professor in the college’s Special Education Program, is principal investigator of the grant, which is intended to support programs for training undergraduate and graduate students to become teachers of students with visual impairments. Teacher preparation in this field is in high demand throughout the United States. “There is an essential need for teachers of students with visual impairments, both on a national and state level,” McKenzie said. “The Florida Department of Education recognizes teachers of students with visual impairments as a critical teaching need area.” The primary goal of the program is to increase the number of highly qualified, diverse personnel necessary to provide appropriate services to people with visual impairments. Research efforts will focus on four initiatives: Graduate preparation for orientation and mobility specialists Support of interdisciplinary graduate teacher preparation Aggressive recruitment efforts A mentoring program The Special Education Program is part of the School of Teacher Education at Florida State University. Related Materials: FSU Headlines - FSU Not Turning a Blind Eye