INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIP: ESTABLISHING EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR BLIND YOUTH IN SCIENCE

The educational environment of the twenty first century is marked by high standards, rising expectations, and an increased focus on technology related competencies. Despite efforts to encourage minorities to enter fields related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), some individuals, particularly the blind, are still largely left behind. Unfortunately, this often has little to do with the inherent abilities of the individuals but rather can be linked to a lack of understanding about effective instructional techniques and a paucity of resources available to communicate complex scientific principals to a group of diverse learners. In particular, most science teachers and college science educators have little or no direct experience in teaching disabled students and often hold stereotypical views of what students with disabilities can and cannot do (Stefanich and Norman, 1996, p. 51). Because blindness is a significantly low incidence disability, educators are likely to have much less exposure, if any exposure at all, to students with visual impairments compared to other students with disabilities. Add to this the fact that these same educators learned and, today, teach science largely using visual methods, what we find is that students with visual impairments are at a significant disadvantage in science related subjects and careers. It has become clear that the most effective way to change this persistent problem is through a concentrated national effort.

Thus, this presentation is offered to highlight how the problem is being addressed by the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute (NFBJI). In this session, the presenters will first discuss the problems faced by students who are visually impaired in accessing and excelling in STEM subjects and, ultimately, careers in STEM areas. Secondly, an innovative approach to the problem, the establishment of a national level center of excellence for the advancement of blind youth in science, will be explored. Finally, the presentation will turn to how the geosciences field can engage its talents and imagination to the effort to enhance opportunities for the blind and bring a unique, largely untapped, perspective to the field of geosciences.