National Leadership Consortium for Sensory Disabilities Kathleen Mary Huebner, NLCSD Director Brooke Smith, NLCSD Coordinator NLCSD

NLCSD MISSION STATEMENT  To increase, through specialized doctoral training, the number [28] and quality of leadership personnel competent in the areas of higher education and research to improve education services for infants, children and youth who have sensory disabilities (deafness/hard of hearing, blindness/low vision, and deafblindness) including those with multiple disabilities. NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 1 Increase the number of doctoral leadership personnel in sensory disabilities by 28 within 5 years Cohort 1 = 12 Fellows Cohort 2 = 16 Fellows NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 1  28 NLCSD Fellows (contingent upon quality of applicants, finances)  Recommended range of distribution of fellows among disciplines: D/HH B/VI 6-8 DB  Minimum of 3 in each area contingent upon meeting the application criteria NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 2 Create and utilize the NLCSD Consortium of 24 IHEs to strengthen doctoral leadership personnel's preparation in sensory disability research NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 2  University Consortium Members Must have doctoral level active programs in Special Education focusing at a minimum of one of the identified sensory disabilities Will have one representative for each of the sensory disabilities for which they offer special education doctoral programs Must be committed and assist their NLCSD Fellows in completing their doctoral programs within 4 years Must actively participate in NLCSD Committee and attend required meetings. NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 3 Develop and implement a Core Curriculum to be known as the “Research-Based Enrichment Program” using various modes of technology deemed to be appropriate by the University Consortium, PAC, Enrichment Committee, Technology Committee and Leadership Team with input from the NLCSD Fellows, such as Blackboard, Wiki, Webcasts, Webinars, and Face-to-Face meetings to deliver research- based forums. NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 3  The primary foci of the NLCSD Enrichment program will be to: Strengthen the research abilities and confidence among the NLCSD Fellows Provide face-to-face training, guided discussion forums, externships, and other opportunities to work with accomplished researchers among the NLCSD University Consortium and greater community of learners Additional training will be provided in public policy, grantsmanship, and the professoriate NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 4 Establish inclusive and collaborative “Community of Learners” to “grow” the knowledge base of “what works” to enhance academic performance of students with sensory disabilities and to improve the process, collaboration, and efficiency with which research informs practice NLCSD

OBJECTIVE 4  Community of Learners is all inclusive beginning with Fellows, OSEP, NLCSD University Consortium, PAC, and Salus and expanding to all potential contributors and participants involved in the 3 Low Incidence Disability areas.  The focus on research is to increase our knowledge base and produce outcome measures for our students with disabilities through greater collaboration and more regional and/or national research efforts. NLCSD

NLCSD is a : Multidisciplinary Collaborative Effort NLCSD

NLCSD VENN CHART NLCSD

The Fellows  12 Cohort 1 2 DB 4 B/VI 6 D/HH  16 Cohort 2 1 DB 9 B/VI ( 2 to join cohort 1) 6 D/HH TOTALS ANTICIPATED  3 DB  13 B/VI  12 D/HH NLCSD

The NLCSD Consortium  24 IHE’s with on campus leadership programs leading to doctorates in visual impairment and blindness, deafblindness, and deafness and hard-of-hearing  3 addition IHE’s represented by leadership team members  16 programs in B/VI, 13 in D/HH, and 8 in DB. Some IHE’s have more than one low incidence program NLCSD

The Public Advisory Council (PAC)  23 National Organizations  8 Blind/Visually Impaired Consumer, Parent, Service Agencies  8 Deaf/Hard of Hearing Consumer, Parent, Service Agencies  4 Deaf/Blind Consumer, Parent, Service Agencies and Projects  3 General Special Education Organizations and Agencies NLCSD

What NLCSD…  Can contribute to the field… NLCSD

How the field…  Can contribute to NLCSD… NLCSD