TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The University of Arizona is introducing a new program designed to increase the number of teachers serving K-12 students with visual impairments.
Project COMPASS—an acronym for 'Culturally Responsive Orientation and Mobility Professionals and Specialists in Sensory and Severe Education—is built around a holistic approach that brings together graduate students in three different specialties: Visual impairment, severe and multiple disabilities, and orientation and mobility.
A $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will bolster the program, allowing the recruitment for up to 30 graduate students, beginning this spring.
"We're really excited about it. I'm really glad that I have my colleagues, Dr. Stephanie McFarland and Dr. Sunggye Hong, who have been faculty here for a very long time leading these programs. And now this kind of grant bringing the three of us together. " shared Garrison Tsinajinie.
Tsinajinie is one-third of the three-person team of faculty, and principal investigator, set to lead Project COMPASS. He says part of the coursework is designed to help give their graduate students an understanding of the diverse landscape of communities that make up the region they'll eventually be serving.
"...and me bringing in the culturally responsive component. Thinking about and supporting communities of color," added Tsinajinie.
The program is multi-faceted, designed not only to help future educators develop specialties, but to prepare specialists who can work with K-12 students who are visually impaired with additional disabilities.
"What we're trying to do is give students from these different programs more opportunities to work together and to complete assignments to increase their awareness of other professionals," said Sunggye Hong.
"We hope that the outcome, when they are placed in schools, is that they will have a more productive and easier time collaborating and providing services as a team to these students who are visually impaired and happen to have other disabilities.," said Hong.
In addition, the professors hope their new program can help address the teacher shortage Arizona schools have felt for several years.
Interested students can contact Tsinajinie at garrisot@arizona.edu.
RELATED TEAM COVERAGE:
- Future teachers can earn a degree for free in Arizona
- Arizona Teacher Residency takes aim at educator shortage
——
Anne Simmons is the digital executive producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
