Enriching Doctoral Preparation: The National Leadership Consortium in

Sensory Disabilities

Brooke Smith, Ph.D., COMS, Salus UniversityLou Tutt, Executive Director AERBVI

Stacy Kelly, Ed.D., Northern Illinois UniversitySean Tikkun, M.S.Ed., M.S.Ed. COMS, NLCSD Fellow, Northern

Illinois University

AFB Leadership ConferenceNew York, NY

February 28, 2014

The contents of this publication were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #H325V090001. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government Project Officer, Glinda Hill.

To increase the number and quality of leadership personnel competent in the areas of higher education and research to improve educational and support services.

o for all individuals with sensory disabilitieso through specialized doctoral training

NLCSD Mission

NLCSD History

• Expansion of National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment (NCLVI) started 2005.

• NLCSD Began 1/2010

• Salus University is the coordinating center and fiscal agent.

NLCSD Community• 23 Universities with doctoral programs in

DB, DHH, BVI (18 have Fellows)• 27 Fellows in 2 cohorts (4 DB, 11 DHH, 12 BVI) • 24 Public Advisory Council members

(advocacy, policy, parent & education groups)• 4 Leadership Team members

o Audrey Smith, BVIo Brooke Smith, BVI o John Killoran, DBo Heather Hayes, DHH

• OSEP Officer is Ms. Glinda Hill

NLCSD Collaborative Model

NLCSD Community : Fellows

NLCSD Community: Leadership

NLCSD Community: Consortium & PAC

Project Objectives

1. Produce doctoral leaders in D/HH, DB, B/VI 27 doctoral leaders

2. Create a working Consortium to design and implement a national, doctoral-level, leadership preparation program focusing on sensory disabilities

3. Develop and implement a Research-Based Enrichment Program

4. Create an inclusive Community of Learners!

Projected Outcomes

•Program focus is low incidence sensory disabilities.•Target population is children who are:

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Blind and Visually Impaired • Deaf Blind

Opportunities for Interactions

Fellow-to-Fellow

Faculty-to-Faculty

Fellow-to-Faculty

PAC

Enrichment Program

• Focus on research and leadership in sensory disabilities

• Year 1: Research in Low Incidence Populations

• Year 2: Development of a Research Topic

• Year 3: Grant Writing

• Year 4: The Professoriate

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A Fellow Perspective…

•Opportunities to have colleagues in Sensory Impairments. (Fellows)

•Opportunities to learn from the BEST! (Universities)•Seeing the process of a well managed national initiative.

(SALUS)•Feedback from passionate advocates! (Advisory Council)•Access to funding and grant knowledge.

(OSEP)

An Consortium Perspective…

• Access to funding for students and value-added enrichment activities, recognition, and support. (OSEP)• Collaboration and partnerships that create new possibilities and strengthen existing efforts. (Advisory Council)• Leadership of a well managed national initiative. (Salus)• Opportunities to work together on a unified projects. (Universities)•Opportunities to mentor, share, and grow our profession in new ways. (Fellows)

Project Perspective…

A PAC Member Perspective…

•Access to the passionate future of the field.(Fellows)•A formal place with universities, where some parties have

connections, but not all. (Universities)•The Opportunity to share, but not organize. (SALUS)•Active consideration of diverse perspectives(Advisory Council)•Bringing advisor and stakeholder views to process.(OSEP)

Collaboration and Networking

Collaboration and networking…o Fellows

Diverse backgrounds, experiences and research interests

o Leaders/professors/researcherswho understand the challenges of

research on low-incidence populationso Universities resources

Beyond program of enrollmento Research opportunitieso Internships

Impact of NCLVI & NLCSD

• Upon graduation, there will be: o 27 doctoral leaders trained in sensory disabilities

(BVI, DB, DHH) through NLCSDo 19 doctoral leaders were previously trained in

vision impairment (NCLVI)

• A total of 46 highly qualified leaders in our field

NLCSD Collaborative Model

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Questions for Discussion

• How can this model be used for vision professionals, parents, and students?

• What would enrichment look like for this model?

• If you could have one ‘why’ or ‘how’ question answered about your student, what would it be?