Association for Education and Rehabilitation
of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Psychosocial Services Division
"An Umbrella of Opportunities"
Spring 2011 Newsletter
The Psychosocial Services Division Welcomes Lou Tutt
As New AER Executive Director
Lou Tutt Expected to Breathe
New Life into Future of AER
By Debbie Willis, Chair-Elect
Psychosocial Services Division
“It is not in the stars to hold our
destiny but in one’s self.”1
Early in Lou’s career, he requested a
leave from teaching physical
education in Virginia in order to
pursue a Master’s Degree at Michigan
State University (MSU). While at
MSU, Lou visited the Michigan
School for the Blind (MSB). He was
immediately captivated by the
students and intrigued with the idea of
teaching physical education and
motor skills to students with visual
impairments. Lou’s heart, mind and
spirit were hooked; he never returned
to Virginia. Lou recalls feeling “I
was in the right place at the right
time” with Lou Alonzo and Janet
Wessel mentoring him onto a new
career path. AER is glad they did that!
AER’s New Executive Director,
Louis W. Tutt, M.S., M.Ed.
In the APH Hall of Fame
1
After completing both a Master’s Degree in physical education, as well as one in
blindness education in the early 70s, Lou saw that MSB was in need of a motor
skills teacher for their rubella deaf-blind students. Graduate students and experts
in deaf-blindness mentored Lou to “be consistent and repetitious” in his teaching
of children who were deaf-blind. Lou began to see progress with these students
and found this personally and professionally rewarding. The need for similar
services in schools across the country was great and Lou soon found himself
presenting at other schools for the blind and helping them to develop similar
programs. In the mid-80s, Lou partnered with Dr. Betty Kratz and Dr. Laura Black
to co-author the book, Movement and Fundamental Motor Skills for Sensory
Deprived Children, which was published in 1987.
Lou served as Superintendent of the Missouri School for the Blind for 9 years and
as President and CEO of the Maryland School for the Blind for 13 years. He is
proud to have been the first person of African-American decent to hold these
positions. During these years, both of the schools were moving toward serving
more students with deaf-blindness and multiple disabilities. Lou’s early
experiences in Michigan helped him implement programs to effectively serve these
students.
From 1991-1994 Lou served as president of Council of Schools for the Blind
(COSB) and was awarded COSB’s prestigious William English Leadership Award
in 1996. Several times throughout Lou’s career, he willingly and enthusiastically
served on each of the American Printing House for the Blind’s (APH’s) two
primary advisory committees, the Educational Services Advisory Committee
(ESAC) and the Educational Products Advisory Committee (EPAC). At the spring
2004 ESAC Meeting at APH, Committee Chairman Lou Tutt, representing the
Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, led the group through two days of
discussion with APH staff responsible for developing services in support of APH
products. Customer communications, accessible tests and textbooks, and training
opportunities were among the topics addressed.
In May of 2005 at the Council for Exceptional Children - Division for Visual
Impairment (CEC-DVI) business meeting, special recognitions were presented and
among those honored was Lou Tutt, APH Ex Officio Trustee (EoT) and Principal
of the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind. Lou was awarded DVI’s
coveted Distinguished Service Award for his exemplary 30+ years of service to the
field of visual impairment. The award was in recognition of an illustrious
career…which is still going strong!
2
In June of 2008, Lou participated in a special workshop on “Strengthening the
Bonds: Training for EoTs.” Eighteen EoTs from around the country gathered at
APH for a 2-day immersion into the world of APH. The EoTs met with key APH
staff to learn about the departments at APH, the federal quota program, student
registration system, ordering and dispensing APH products, how products are
conceived, researched and developed, Annual Meeting, Advisory Committees, and
much more. One of the highlights of this event was the opportunity for trustees to
meet and learn from each other. Lou was among the three veteran EoTs who
joined APH staff to mentor the new EoTs and offer perspectives on the
responsibilities and rewards of being a trustee. Lou spent time during the training
workshop sharing his wisdom, humor, and experiences, but also left the event
feeling richer himself by listening and learning from the perspectives, experiences,
and concerns expressed by the new EoTs.
Lou recently made time to return to APH for a special program in honor of 2011
Black History Month. APH museum staff hosted a presentation on the integration
of the Kentucky School for the Blind. Guest speaker Lou Tutt, Principal of the
Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, talked about how schools for the blind in
other states dealt with integration issues.
Lou considers himself to have patience, perseverance, flexibility, and tenacity; to
be a good listener; to have a good sense of humor; and to have good organizational
skills. These qualities, along with Lou’s people skills, a lifetime of experiences, a
love for students with visual impairments, and enthusiasm and dedication to
working to enable the best outcomes, will shine through and breathe new life into
AER. He will need our assistance and support to effectively and successfully
address the AER mission and the goals established through AER leadership.
Under Lou’s leadership, let’s “Shoot for the moon; even if we miss it we’ll land
among the stars.”2 Please join the Psychosocial Services Division in giving a
hand, a hug, and a warm welcome to Lou Tutt as our new AER Executive Director.
[Ed. Note: Debbie Willis, pictured at left, gathered information for the above
article from the Council of Exceptional Children’s 2005 Division of Visual
Impairment Quarterly and from various monthly newsletters published by
American Printing House for the Blind. Scott Blome, Director of the
Communications Department of APH, provided the photo of Lou Tutt
taken in the APH Hall of Fame. We should all visit APH one day.]
Quote 1 by William Shakespeare
Quote 2 by Les Brown
3
Thoughts from Your Division Chair, Julia Kleinschmidt
Julia Kleinschmidt, Ph.D.
Dear Psychosocial Services Division Colleagues:
By the time you read this, spring with its colors, fragrances, and all its glory, will
be in full swing. But as I write this mid-March, spring is only a promise, but a
promise so close we can sense it, smell it, and feel it. Our Utah Wasatch
Mountains are still gorgeously snow-covered, but in the Salt Lake valley buds are
abundant. I saw my first pansy today! The anticipation does the heart glad, and
promises of renewal and re-growth have me moving through my days on a natural
high.
As I bask in the anticipation of the renewal and re-growth that nature provides, it
seems that we are on the brink of renewal and re-growth in AER as well. The
announcement of Lou Tutt as AER’s Executive Director seems to be universally
hailed as a smart move. I have not yet had the opportunity to meet him, but I find
it impressive that, without exception, all of my AER contacts and colleagues hail
his longtime leadership experience in our field, his friendliness and collegiality,
and his passion for, and absolute commitment to, the population that we serve.
4
This truly feels like the brink of a spring time for AER. On behalf of the
Psychosocial Services Division, I welcome Lou to his new position and look
forward to future endeavors with him.
A few weeks ago our division secretary/treasurer, Janet Winsett, announced her
resignation from that position as she anticipates graduate school. Thank you,
Janet, for your many contributions to the operation of our division. We’ll miss
you, but we wish you well in accomplishing your very worthy goal. Karen Wolffe
has graciously offered to fill in as secretary/treasurer for the remainder of this term.
Thank you, Karen!
You will find in this newsletter a report on Joan Chase’s very successful workshop
of March 11th and 12th. Congratulations, Joan, and thank you for your commitment
to and efforts on the much needed Tactile Assessment of Performance (TAP).
You will also find articles on two very special Psychosocial Services Division
projects for which we solicit your input and collaboration: Karen Wolffe will be
taking the lead on producing a webinar related to her excellent work on career
exploration for those with visual impairment and blindness. I will be spearheading
a project to compile a Directory of Visually Impaired Role Models on a Shelf.
This is a project that will need input, not only from our division members, but from
everyone in AER, and we encourage you to join us in this valuable collaborative
effort. (Editor’s Note: Julia’s article on the Directory Project follows this article.)
As always, your Psychosocial Services Division Executive Committee encourages
your comments and questions. Our newsletter editor, Martha Simmons, always
includes our contact information on the last page of each newsletter, so please feel
free to get in touch. And in the meantime, HAPPY SPRING!
Julia
A New Psychosocial Services Division Project:
“A Directory of VI Role Models on a Shelf”
By Julia Kleinschmidt, Ph.D.
Those of us who work with individuals who are experiencing visual impairment or
blindness are very aware of the immense positive impact of exposing our students/
clients to successful VI/Blind role models. Those who “have been there” and who
5
“have walked the road” can be particularly effective in reaching and teaching those
struggling with the realities of vision loss. They can convey the message, “I did it,
and so can you!” in ways that those of us who are sighted cannot. We sighted
professionals may be darned good, and we can be effective in our work, but there
is something unique and particularly efficacious about input coming from those
who are successfully living visual impairment and blindness.
Depending on our practice area and setting, some of us will have ready access to
these role models, but for others of us, providing good role models in person may
be a challenge. However, all of us have materials on our office shelves - books,
DVDs, films, etc., which can provide a plentiful supply of role models. We are
suggesting that sharing descriptive and how-to-access information on those
materials on our shelves will be a nice, collegial way to support each other as we
provide for our populations. Our computers are not generally on our shelves, but
we’ll stretch the point a bit and include websites of VI/blind individuals who are
good role models.
This Psychosocial Services Division project will include soliciting input from our
division members and from all of AER. Your executive committee will then
compile the information to produce a Directory of VI Role Models on a Shelf,
which we will post online.
So let’s get going! You have two options for submitting resources. 1. You can use
this link to Survey Monkey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VIRoleModels, or
2. If you prefer the old fashioned paper way, please check out the form that follows
this article (page 7). Run as many copies as you need, and then survey your office
shelves. Please provide the information on as many role model resources as you
can. Then fax your forms to Dr. Julia Kleinschmidt, 801-581-3357, or if you can
send them as an email attachment to Julia.kleinschmidt@hsc.utah.edu, or mail
them to her at Moran Eye Center, U. of Utah. 65 Mario Capecchi Dr., Salt Lake
City, UT 84132.
This promises to be a valuable, usable, fun project. Let’s all join together to share
and support each other in our incredible, often challenging, work of serving those
with visual impairment and blindness. If you have any questions or comments,
you can reach your executive committee members as noted on the last page of this
newsletter.
“It is not the load that breaks you down; it is the way you carry it.” Unknown
6
VI Role Models on a Shelf Project
AER Psychosocial Services Division
Title:
Author/Producer:
Publication Date:
Format: Book: ____ Magazine/Journal: ____ Video: ____ Website: ____ Other:______
Alternative Format (such as braille or electronic text)?
Ordering Information (if you have it) OR Website Address:
Brief Description:
Submitted by:
Tel. #
Email Address
FAX to Dr. Julia Kleinschmidt, 801-581-3357
Email Attachment to Julia.kleinschmidt@hsc.utah.edu
Mail to Dr. Julia Kleinschmidt, Moran Eye Center, 65 Mario Capecchi Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84132
VI Role Models on a Shelf Project
AER Psychosocial Services Division
Title:
Author/Producer:
Publication Date:
Format: Book: ____ Magazine/Journal: ____ Video: ____ Website: ____ Other:______
Alternative Format (such as braille or electronic text)?
Ordering Information If You Have It OR Website Address:
Brief Description:
Submitted by:
Tel. #
Email Address
FAX to Dr. Julia Kleinschmidt, 801-581-3357
Email Attachment to Julia.kleinschmidt@hsc.utah.edu
Mail to Dr. Julia Kleinschmidt, Moran Eye Center, 65 Mario Capecchi Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84132
7
Psychosocial Services Division Webinar on Career Preparation
By Karen Wolffe, Ph.D.
This fall, the Psychosocial Services Division will offer a webinar focusing on
career counseling for youth and adults who are blind or have low vision entitled
The Professional’s Role in Career Preparation for Youth and Adults with Visual
Impairments. The webinar will be held on September 14, 2011, at 2pm Eastern.
As soon as the final details on how to connect and participate are available, they
will be posted on the AER web site home page under Calendar of Events. The
information about the webinar will also be sent to those of you who are subscribed
to the Psychosocial Services listserv. If you are not subscribed to the listserv,
please consider doing so. It’s easy as an AER member: visit the Psychosocial
Services Division listed under Divisions on the AER web site and below the
listserv option choose Subscribe.
The webinar will be facilitated by Dr. Karen
Wolffe, Ph.D.,who maintains a private practice
as a career counselor and consultant in Austin,
Texas. Prior to establishing her private practice,
Dr. Wolffe worked as the Director of
Professional Development at the American
Foundation for the Blind, taught correspondence
courses for the Hadley School for the Blind and
the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and
was on the faculty at the University of Texas
teaching rehabilitation counseling and special
education courses.
Karen Wolffe, Ph.D.
Dr. Wolffe is the author of Career Counseling for People with Disabilities: A
Practical Guide to Finding Employment and editor of Skills for Success: A
Career Education Handbook for Children and Adolescents with Visual
Impairments. She has written and spoken extensively on career preparation, job
seeking, and employment.
This webinar will cover content relevant to mainstream career counselors,
vocational rehabilitation counselors, school guidance counselors, teachers of
8
students with visual impairments, and other professionals providing career-related
services to individuals with visual impairments. Specific topics will include:
 Career assessment tools appropriate for students or clients with visual
impairments
 How to help students or clients match themselves to jobs in a chosen
career field via self-awareness and career exploration activities
 How to assist students or clients establish action plans to achieve their
career goals
If you would please share the information about this upcoming webinar with
colleagues, we would appreciate it. If you or your colleagues have any questions or
would like further details, please feel free to contact Dr. Wolffe at 512.707.0525 or
(kwolffe@austin.rr.com. Thank you.
We hope that this will be the first in a series of webinars offered by the Psychosocial Services Division. Please let us know on the Division listserv what other
topics you would like to see offered.
A Long Chain of Events
By Joan B. Chase
Ed. Note: Joan B. Chase of Florida, one of
the charter members of our Psychosocial
Services Division, has been involved in work
with the assessment of students who are
blind or visually impaired for many years.
She recently conducted a workshop for
psychologists to introduce them to her new
Tactile Assessment of Performance (TAP).
Joan’s report of the TAP Workshop begins
on the next page.
Joan B. Chase, Ed.D.
9
It all began when I disobeyed a firm request. I was the children’s counselor at a
beach front hotel in Florida. It must have been spring vacation, as I was wearing
rabbit ears! A couple brought a boy over, placed him on a rocking horse, and said
to me: “Don’t worry if he slides off, just put him back on the horse. He will be
fine! We’re going for brunch.” Off they went into the restaurant.
Never being one to follow instructions, I went over and asked the boy, who had a
knuckle firmly wedged in his eye socket, “What is your name?” “Bobby” said he,
and I realized, as he didn’t raise his head, that he was probably blind. “Well,
Bobby,” I said, “come over and meet my friends.” By the time his parents
returned, I was teaching him to use the kindergarten scissors, as the group was
busy with arts and crafts (still my favorite activity to share with youngsters!).
Those parents insisted that I meet Miss Rowe. Emma Rowe was his preschool
counselor, and she became my mentor. She was surprised that I was still in high
school, and arranged to have me earn credit for volunteering in her classroom.
That credit, and the incident I described, allowed me to graduate ½ year early and
begin college knowing the career path I wished to follow. Emma remained a
friend and inspiration until the end of her life. There have been many other steps
along the way that helped me reach a string of goals, and I am grateful to all the
professional colleagues (many in the Psychosocial Services Division group) who
have been there for me. I also deeply appreciate the meaningful interactions with
children, family members, and others who have taught me to listen, to inquire, and
to employ an array of methods that encourage understanding.
I will refrain from waxing sentimental about my life as an itinerant teacher,
psychologist, researcher and faculty member. I wish to set the stage, however, for
the workshop that was held in mid-March, 2011, just about 60 years (imagine!)
after I ignored the request of Bobby’s parents. I have always been curious as to
how people draw conclusions about the world and the people in it. I have tried to
employ a scientific approach to questions raised. For example, how does a child
who has never seen construct concepts needed to become an aware, capable adult?
I have known many such people. There are those who have difficulties in many
domains. I believe we can assist in formulating strategies that encourage positive
outcomes.
When assessing children who have visual impairments, I look for strengths. Take,
for example, the administration of cognitive evaluations. Verbal scales alone are
only part of the picture, and reports that provide numbers in one domain are not
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consistent with the abilities of the students as I observe them in the classroom. As
I engaged in research, I became convinced that we could develop methods that had
greater scope and more appropriate application.
Joan at the TAP Workshop
The Tactile Assessment of Performance (TAP) is one result. Over the years, I
refined a battery of five subtests designed to be administered along with verbal
methods. The greatest challenge in TAP development was finding a sample. The
measure is intended for tactile learners (those with no vision, light perception or
less), a very low incidence population. The sample was accrued over many years,
often as part of a comprehensive evaluation. The sample is far from random, as a
result, and far smaller than those usually obtained to gain statistical results.
However, as you now know, I have only limited time to complete the task, with
minimal hopes of ever sampling in a far more “traditional” way. I had a statistician
evaluate the measures for validity, reliability and scoring factors. To my surprise
and pleasure, I was able to demonstrate age gradients and meaningful findings for
all five subtests.
Kay Ratzlaff and Suzanne Dalton of the Florida Instructional Materials Center for
the Visually Impaired (FIMC-VI) provided the next impetus to have the TAP
distributed to psychologists. I had asked Kay if there was a TVI who also trained
to be a psychologist, as I wished to “pass the torch” and train others to use
materials I found helpful. As I had been on a circuit of assessing students around
Florida and elsewhere, she often lent me materials for achievement, etc.,
evaluations. She said, “If you can give your test, others can too! Let’s train
psychologists to use the TAP.” That was about three years ago.
In the intervening years, we faced many obstacles. Constructing the kits turned my
condominium into a factory. I never realized how creating 100 of something takes
space and time! In addition, a number of the items in my prototype kit were no
longer available. I embarked on the scavenger hunt of the century! Gradually, and
with the help of some great workers and a man who employs lasers to etch
11
materials, I was able to complete enough kits to satisfy the FIMC-VI order. In
addition, I included CD’s of an antique auditory projective measure, clay for
having students demonstrate skill at ideation, and other methods and materials.
Each participant now has a kit that includes about 10 approaches, in addition to the
verbal methods already in wide use, that are intended to provide comprehensive
insight into the learning ability, potential and style of those young people who rely
on tactile/auditory input.
The participants practiced with the materials, and eyeshades were available for
those who wished to try things out using senses other than vision. The group was
extremely responsive and we had a good time during our two days together! I was
very gratified, and I know Emma Rowe would be, too. Thanks, Suzanne, Kay and
all who helped to make the workshop such a meaningful event. We now plan to
repeat it in 2012. If any of you were unable to attend but wish to have the training,
please e-mail me at jbchase@gte.net and I will add your name to the list! Yes, you,
too, can be part of the long chain! Thanks to all the flowers that are already there.
TAP Workshop
By Carol Evans, Ph.D.
Carol Evans, at left, school psychologist of Utah and a
past chair of the Psychosocial Services Division, was
in attendance at Joan’s TAP workshop and submitted
her impression of the workshop for our newsletter.
The large room slowly filled with psychologists
and teachers. The teachers were attending training
for the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement
in Braille, and the “psychs” were eagerly anticipating
training for the Tactile Assessment of Performance, a
development for which we waited, not always
patiently, for years.
From the moment it began, we were impressed with the level of planning and
consideration evident in the opening presentations by Dr. Lynne Jaffe (WJ-III)
and Dr. Joan Chase (TAP). After a tag-team opener, the groups separated; the
psychologists moved to the room next door, where we found our assigned seats
by looking for the boxes labeled with our names. We had been strategically seated
across from our assigned partners so we would have an opportunity to practice the
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tactile subtests with one another, using blindfolds to simulate the experience our
students would have with the assessment.
Designed to compliment the Wechsler Verbal (Verbal Comprehension) Scales, the
TAP meets a need in the blindness field for a tactile analog for the skills measured
by the Wechsler Performance (Perceptual Reasoning) Scales for individuals who
are sighted. While there have been many efforts over the years to create tactile/
haptic tests for the blind, almost all of them have failed to achieve expected levels
of technical adequacy for one reason or another. The TAP is the first test to come
along in many years that has real promise for meaningful assessment of skills in
this critical domain of functioning.
The need for this test should be obvious on the face of it. If it is important to assess
the visual-spatial ability of sighted individuals, it is equally important to measure
similar abilities in those who are blind. After all, many of our students and clients
will eventually be employed in fields in which manual skills are critical.
We applaud Dr. Chase’s years of research and dedication to the development of
this instrument. The TAP meets a critically important need in the assessment of
individuals who are blind.
Meet-A-Member
Mary Helen Pearsall
Mary Helen Pearsall of North Carolina (pictured at left) is
the subject of this edition of our division’s Meet-AMember column. Mary retired, due to medical conditions,
in 2006 after 30 years as a Rehab Counselor at the North
Carolina Center for the Blind in Raleigh. She was born a
twin, 2 months prematurely in 1948 and spent time in an
incubator. Her visual impairment was discovered by age
5, but her parents did not find out the exact cause until she
was about 10 years old. At that time her mother heard
about her symptoms on a medical radio program, took her
to a different ophthalmologist, and a diagnosis was made.
Mary attended public schools before that was the norm. She later went to college
and majored in religion, with minors in philosophy and sociology. She then earned
a Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling. She worked briefly at a community
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college in North Carolina and then as a guidance counselor at a school in Puerto
Rico. She says that even though it was a different cultural setting, she loved it and
made good friends there, but the 1974-75 recession ended that employment.
Mary says that she had retinal hemorrhages during her years in college but didn’t
know there were services available from the general vocational rehabilitation
agency until she was a junior. Before that time she had been receiving some
services from the then Commission for the Blind.
Mary reported that when she received her Fall Newsletter from our division she
really enjoyed the personal information people gave. She said it made them and
AER as an association more personable and friendly. She reported that she has
been a member of AER since its beginning. She was even a member of AAWB
before that. She said that she wasn’t really looking for work within the blindness
field when she first started, but employment with Services for the Blind became
her best and only option. She said she found the work difficult because she had
wanted to go to the seminary, but was not encouraged to do so due to her vision
loss. She admitted struggling with depression, rejection, loneliness, and culture
shock in the job. She felt that it was not the world for which she was ready.
Mary indicated that when she read our last newsletter she was also concerned that
we are still struggling with the same issues that we were 30 to 40 years ago, or
historically since the blindness movement began – adjustment, social acceptance,
and work issues (agency survival). She says that she sees the importance of our
concern for children, but is very concerned about adults and our aging population.
She says she is an example of the problem - with her vision and hearing loss,
balance issues, heart condition, etc. She is glad she is able to obtain disability
payments to supplement her state retirement because her medical issues and need
for special equipment, such as glasses, hearing aids, a stair chair, etc., take it all.
Mary suggested that what she would like to see in the profession are better
working conditions for professionals, safer environments, and more concern for
workers as well as consumers. She misses the profession, the people she worked
with – both staff and professionals – but is glad to be retired. She would love to
mentor and help others to avoid some of the pitfalls she made and to encourage
them. She says the job may be rough at times, but all professions are tough – that’s
why they call it “work”. Mary feels blindness professionals are a great group to
know because they care, they encourage, and they can admit their failings. She
thinks “they should be appreciated more to let them see how much they do and
14
how needed they are - because they are.” She says that we/they need to appreciate
each other and work as a team, not against each other.
Mary admits that from work and life she has learned that “she is not the smartest
person in the world or even for one block!” She says, “I have learned humility,
patience, appreciation for everything - from warm or cool offices, people and their
ingenuity, humor, hope, discipline, motivation to continue when despair seems to
be the best response, a wider appreciation for others, other cultures, thankfulness
for each day, a desire to grow in new areas, and that life is precious - others and
mine.” According to Mary, these come with experience and are helpful in a field
like ours.
Mary says, “I went into the helping profession to help, and learned how much I
needed help and how or when to give or not to give it. I found I could not meet
everyone’s needs, but I could care. I could share. No one has all the answers for
another, but we can walk with them if they will let us; if not, we still try to do
good, if possible. There is a gentle way to deliver bad news and to care, even
when the news is not good. In our business we see much sorrow and life has much
sorrow, but there is also much that is good, encouraging, and up-building.”
Mary reported that “often people would arrive at the center very unsure of
themselves and their ability to learn skills, but as their mobility and other skills
increased, their confidence increased. They often started caring and helping each
other and found out they had skills to use in living. Their families saw the changes
and reported to them and to us of the changes in outlook. Our job is to give hope,
maybe not in huge doses all the time, but in small ways. A little hope goes a long
way.”
Mary says that she now volunteers for the North Carolina Regional Library for the
Blind, does talks on library services at DSB mini centers or wherever she can, like
V.I. support groups or the NC Lions VIP Fishing Tournament. She says that since
retirement she has been able to increase her artistic skills…watercolors, knitting,
and now jewelry making, and enjoyment of friends. As Mary says, “you can see,
there is no grass growing under my feet, as I participate in church and other
activities - besides keeping the doctors in business!”
Mary adopted a rescued poodle/part bichon (pictured with her in the photo at the
beginning of this article). She says “he has taught me how impatient I am and
what love can do for him and for me. He and I have been together for two years
15
and he is about 10 years old.” Mary says that she has found that some things are
no longer important, but others become more important – like gratitude, prayer,
hope in this life, and the next. She says if she can help us in any way to let her
know.
Ed. Note: We invite any of our members who would like to share their story, to submit their
article for the Meet-A-Member column in our next division newsletter. You may send it to
Martha Simmons, Newsletter Editor at Grannymms@aol.com.
Role Playing As a Tool for Assertive Speech
By Hannah Fairbairn, Carroll Center for the Blind
Roll-playing can be used as a tool for developing
skills in many areas, including the area of speech.
In her article below, Hannah suggests ways in
which this can be done.
In Interpersonal Skills classes of 3-5 participants (either adults new to vision loss
or young adults with congenital vision loss) the members often act out scenarios
including disclosing their vision problem, asking for help in a store, introducing
themselves, and finding out who is present in a room.
Here are some of the reasons why role playing works so well:
 The group can try out different wordings and move quite freely because
everyone has shared the awkward experiences
 When you play the part, you practice saying hard things like “I can’t see
where to put my jacket” and it gets easier
 Once the group gets comfortable together they often come up with great
solutions very quickly
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 Group members all contribute, building on each other’s ideas as they change
roles and repeat the scenario
 The embarrassment of asking for help AND NOT KNOWING WHERE
THE LINE IS gets relieved by saying funny and rude things that you
wouldn’t actually say but…
 Standing up and acting the various parts has most members much more
energized and lively and shows how important it is not to sit and be passive
 Taking turns in acting as the blind person, the anxious host with a million
things on her mind, and the cousin who is scared of disability, helps people
get a bit of perspective on what happened at that terrible Holiday party.
News from Hadley
By Billy T. Brookshire
Ed. Note: Billy T. Brookshire, pictured above, is a former Chairman of our
division and a Past President of AER. He has written two articles for the
newsletter about opportunities being offered by the Hadley School for the Blind.
He thinks that more people would take advantage of some of the programs if they
knew about them. He hopes that putting this information in our newsletter might
provide a means of spreading the word to the people to whom it could make a big
difference in their lives. Billy’s articles follow on the next several pages.
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High School Diploma at Hadley
By Billy Brookshire
A teacher with the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind recently emailed
Hadley with a thank you for helping one of her students earn a high school
diploma. She noted, “My student had enrolled in an online school last fall to
obtain some high school credit, and things unraveled quickly and it didn’t look like
that would work. We tried to set up a distance learning course in braille, and the
next day I wondered why we were attempting to create a course when I knew
Hadley existed for this purpose!”
Since the 1930s, The Hadley School for the Blind has offered an accredited High
School Program to students with visual impairments, age 14 and up, who live in
the United States. Hadley customizes a student’s high school program to his or her
needs, and instructors and student services representatives are available for support
via email and a toll-free phone number. Learning materials are accessible in a
variety of formats including braille, large print and audio and online, and students
study at home, at their own pace. Best of all, courses are free of charge to people
with visual impairments.
Like the student from Colorado, many turn to Hadley because they have had
challenges fulfilling high school requirements through their local school district.
According to the American Foundation for the Blind, five million people with
visual impairments over the age of 25 have not completed their high school degree.
To help students obtain the skills they need to succeed, Hadley not only fulfills the
requirements for a diploma but offers award-winning braille instruction and
courses focused on access technology and independent living skills, among others.
Students may receive their diploma directly from Hadley or they may apply
Hadley course credits toward graduation from their local high school. Homeschoolers can also supplement their educational program with courses from
Hadley. Students who complete Hadley’s High School Program are invited to a
commencement ceremony each June in Winnetka, Illinois, where the school is
headquartered. Hadley even pays the travel expenses.
In Texas, Hadley is collaborating with DARS Division for Blind Services and the
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired on a “Graduate Texas Initiative”
to reach out to anyone desiring a High School Diploma in Texas. We are looking
at the possibility of holding the graduation ceremony right here in Texas. If you
know of anyone who might be interested in completing their High School
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Diploma, please contact Billy Brookshire, Hadley Texas Outreach, at 512-5659690 or email bbrookshire@austin.rr.com for more information. And please
encourage all teachers, counselors, or others who work with blind or visually
impaired high school students to visit www.hadley.edu or call 800-323-4238 for a
more detailed description of the Hadley High School Program.
Seminars@Hadley: The Fast, Convenient, and Free Way to Learn
By Billy Brookshire
Did you know that The Hadley School for the Blind offers two free web seminars a
month?
That’s right. From the convenience of your office or home, you can listen to
recognized experts in the blindness field talk about the issues of the day.
The seminars are fast: 1 to 2 hours in length with ample time provided for question
and answer.
And it’s easy to register. Just go to www.hadley.edu and follow the
Seminars@Hadley link.
On the day of the seminar, simply enter your name and password and you’ll be
admitted into the seminar.
If your busy schedule makes it impossible to attend a seminar, no worries. All
Seminars@Hadley are archived. You can find them organized by category under
“Past Seminars” on the Seminars@Hadley web page. You have the option of
listening to them in “realtime” or downloading them to disk or other device and
listening to them at your convenience.
Best of all Seminars@Hadley are free.
The only charge is for those desiring Continuing Education Credits. Some
seminars are approved and the charge is approximately $25 U.S. per credit. Also
required for Continuing Education Credit is the completion of a short quiz
following the seminar or after listening to the “archived” seminar.
Note: For a limited time, Continuing Education Credit hours are available free of
charge in Texas and Florida due to governmental grants Hadley has with those
states.
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Upcoming Seminars@Hadley include: SSDI, SSI, & You; Dog Guides for Multiply
Disabled People; Braille Update; Living with Diabetes and Visual Impairment; All About
the IPad; All About APH; No Cook Cooking; Focus on the Family; Home-Based SelfEmployment; Cortical Visual Impairment; and What’s Happening Legislatively in the
Blindness Field? So, want to learn more about what’s coming up on
Seminars@Hadley? Check the website (www.hadley.edu) or subscribe to Hadley
News and Announcements at: http://www.hadley.edu/9_a_mailingList.asp.
We Welcome New Members to Our Division
The Psychosocial Services Division of AER welcomes the following members
who have either joined our ranks for the first time or have come back to our
division since the Fall, 2010 Newsletter: Rhonda Amundson, Laurie Anderson,
Barbara Henderson, Dori Pratt, and Diane Yearns. We hope that you will all feel
at home in our division and want to get involved in its various projects and
activities, two of which are mentioned in this newsletter. We encourage you to
submit articles for the newsletters, to consider responding to the “Call for Papers”
for the next AER International Conference in Seattle in 2012, to start thinking of
subjects you might like to see covered in our division sessions at the conference, to
consider running for an office, and to begin thinking of other projects you would
like our division to undertake in the near future. We would love your input and ask
that you contact one of the officers listed on the last page of this newsletter.
Missing or Lapsed Members
Based on information supplied by the AER Office in Virginia, the following names
of people who were listed as members in October of 2010, are missing from the
current membership list of February, 2011: Sara Bennett, Jeanne Binner,
Stephanie Cleary, Gloria Coulston, Melinda Duggan, and Marnee Loftin. If you
feel that your name is missing from our list of current members by mistake, please
contact the AER office at 703-671-4500. If you left for reasons you would like to
discuss with us, again we ask that you contact one of the officers so we can know
your concerns. We want to make things right because we’d love to have you back
in our group.
Current Active Members of Our Division
According to the AER Office, the following are the current members of our
division, including the newest members mentioned above: Shademan Akhavan,
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Rhonda Amundson, Manuel Aregullin, Laurie Anderson, Dorothy Arensman, Janie
Blome, Billy Brookshire, Angel Bryant, Mary Beth Caruso, Brian Charlton, Joan
Chase, Denise Colton, Brigid Doherty, Joseph D’Ottavio, Nancy Druke, Carol
Evans, Hannah Fairbairn, Nina Glasner, Paul Hemmes, Barbara Henderson,
Cammy Holway-Moraros, Julia Kleinschmidt, Joan Kruse, Mary Ann Lang, Coby
Livingstone, Katja Lundgren, Wendy Lundstrum, Cathie Mason, Barry McDaniel,
John McMahon, Emilie Meadows, Marcia Moore, Teresa Pawletko, Mary Pearsall,
Bette Anne Preston, Dori Pratt, Kathy Roberts, Lisa Rosene, Kelley Rosser, Margo
Siegel, Martha Simmons, Sarah Starnes, Brendan Tedrick, Mary Terlau, Sharon
Thummel, Naomi Tuttle, Frank Vance, Annie Vanderwal, Lynn Wade, Jim
Warnke, Harold Williams, Debbie Willis, Janet Winsett, Karen Wolffe, Gina
Woods, and Diane Yearns. We look forward to working with all of you soon!
AER Calendar of Events
August 12-14, 2011 – AER Regional Conference 2011, featuring the AER Vision
Rehabilitation Therapy Division Conference Within a Conference, in Boston,
Massachusetts, at Boston Park Plaza. (Visit www.aerbvi.org. for details.)
October 13-15, 2011 – APH 2011 Annual Meeting at The Galt House, Louisville,
Kentucky. Related Meetings are held immediately before and after the Annual
Meeting. The Annual Meeting is an “open meeting” and everyone is invited.
October 28-30, 2011 - AER Regional Conference 2011, featuring the AER
Information and Technology Division Conference Within a Conference, in
Cleveland, Ohio, at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland-City Centre. www.aerbvi.org
E and Blindness special issue on Low Vision and Rehabilitation Issues. For more
information visit: www.editorialmanager.com/aerjournal.
July 18-22, 2012 – AER International Conference 2012, at Bellevue Hyatt Hotel,
Bellevue, Washington. Watch for further details on the conference, including the
Call for Papers, at www.aerbvi.org as they are released. Start making plans to join
us in Washington next summer. It should be a wonderful conference.
Submissions for Our Division Newsletter
We invite all members of the Psychosocial Services Division to submit articles for
our newsletter. The next one is scheduled for the Fall of 2011, so start planning!
We need new faces and new ideas, and we know that all of you out there can write!
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Getting in Touch with Us
The current officers of the Psychosocial Services Division for 2010-2012 and their contact
information are listed below. Included on the list are the Executive Officers of AER, and the
Chair of the Council of Division Chairs, who represents our division on the AER Board. Also
listed is contact information for the AER office in Alexandria, Virginia. Please keep the list
handy so that you may have the information if you need to contact any of these officers.
Chair: Julia Kleinschmidt – 65 Mario Capecchi Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132
julia.kleinschmidt@hsc.utah.edu
Past Chair: Carol Evans – 1389 Diane Drive, Taylorsville, Utah 84123-5302
braillepsych@yahoo.com
Chair-elect: Debbie Willis – 1839 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, Kentucky 40206
dwillis@aph.org
Secretary/Treasurer: Karen Wolffe – 2109 Rabb Glen Street, Austin, Texas 78704
karenwolffe@gmail.com
Newsletter Editor: Martha M. Simmons – 570 East Irene Road, Zachary, Louisiana 70791
Grannymms@aol.com
The International Board of Directors includes the following:
President: Pat Leader – San Jose, California
pleader@comcast.net
President-elect: Jim Adams – Nebraska City, Nebraska
jiadams@esu4.org
Immediate Past President: John Kelly -- Chester, New York
jkellyinom@msn.com
Secretary: Susan Jay Spungin – New York, New York
blindbiz@gmail.com
Treasurer: Grace Ambrose-Zaken – Wappinger Falls, New York
gambrose@hunter.cuny.edu
CDC & Chair for Related Services (Div. 1, 4, 5, 7, 17): Amy McKenzie, Tallahassee, Florida
armckenzie@fsu.edu
AER Executive Director – Lou Tutt, 1703 Beauregard St., Suite 440, Alexandria, VA 223111744. Phone: 703-671-4500; FAX: 703-671-6391; E-Mail: aer@aerbvi.org; www.aerbvi.org.
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