H. Johnson1 Join Together: A Vision for the Future – A Difference for Us All

H. Johnson2 Summary of Findings:  We know that there is a critical, nation wide shortage of teachers, but…  we do not know the extent to which our teacher preparation programs are working at anything close to capacity.

H. Johnson3 … Findings We know that our students are increasingly isolated from each other and the resources that they need to be successful, but… we do not know the actual number of those students, nor the qualifications of the individuals who are teaching them.

H. Johnson4 … Findings We know that individuals who graduate from our teacher preparation programs have been taught how to assess and teach, but… we do not know if they actually become teachers, if they teach how we have preached, how effective they are, or even how long they teach.

H. Johnson5 … Findings We know that our faculty are stressed and stretched that they rarely have time to carry out research, publish or even take advantage of grant “buy-outs”, but… we do not know how we will replace them as they rapidly approach retirement.

H. Johnson6 … Findings We know that our students are increasingly diverse and that they possess the full range of abilities and disabilities, but… we do not know how to recruit a more diverse pool of teachers, nor do we know how to prepare those teachers to teach students in grades ranging from kindergarten through high school.

H. Johnson7 … Findings We know that our educational system has failed to provide most of our students with the increasing levels of linguistic, academic and social competencies that are required to become economically independent and successful adults, but… we do not know the “best practices,” proven instructional strategies and academic content of our general education colleagues who now teach many, if not most, of our students.

H. Johnson8 … Findings We know that a redesign of our teacher preparation programs must be carried out if they are to survive and to become more readily available throughout the nation, but… we lack the vision, time and collaborative will to evolve the needed teacher preparation program designs.

H. Johnson9 … Findings We know that we became educators because we value learning, know the value of becoming an effective and independent learner and become excited when we make a difference in the lives of our students, but… we do not know how to learn with our students, we do not know how to give our students practical reasons to use what we ask them to learn, nor do we know how to provide our students with the role models that they need to become the successful adults.

H. Johnson10 … Findings We know the students that we taught “way back when,” but… we are much less sure of the students that our teachers are now teaching, or the students our teachers will soon be asked to teach.

H. Johnson11 … Findings We know that No Child Left Behind, Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Challenge and A New Era in Special Education will require our students to take state proficiency test, out teachers to become content specialists and our special education programs to more flexible and accountable than ever before, but… we do not know how we will accomplish all of this when we have yet to accomplish so much that we have worked on for so long.

H. Johnson12 … Findings  Finally, we know that many, if not most of our students have not only been left behind, but essentially written off by an educational system that has come to expect, if not accept the ongoing linguistic, academic and social failure of our students, but…  what we do not know is whether or not we can use the challenges of No Child Left Behind to document, the opportunities of Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Challenge to enhance and the requirements of A New Era in Special Education to apply the technological advances of our time to reduce isolation, to increase expectations, to share resources, to recognize excellence and to increase learning opportunities for us all.

H. Johnson13 It is not just “us” The proceeding findings were drawn from: –Free and Appropriate Public Education and the Personnel Crisis for Students with Visual Impairments and Blindness by Ann Corn & Susan Spungin –U.S. Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Programs: A Look at the Past and a Vision for the Future by Harold Johnson The findings apply equally to the nation’s 71,671 d/hh, 93,600 v/i and 10,600 d/b students

H. Johnson14 A Solution for us all “Join Together” in an effort where… –three fields of sensory impairment (i.e., d/hh + v/i + d/b) are linked in a common effort to enhance both performance and opportunities; –our best teachers, interpreters and aides are linked, recognized and used as models for the preparation of the next generation of professionals; –our K-12 students are linked w/ adults that model what is possible vs. what is expected

H. Johnson15 …Solution “Join Together in a use of… –No Child Left Behind to document the academic performance of our students; – Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Challenge to enhance the academic preparation of our teachers; –A New Era in Special Education to demonstrate to the nation how the efficient and effective use of technology can enhance teaching and learning for us all

H. Johnson16 …Solution “Join Together in an effort to secure… –A $35,000,000, five year grant from the National Science Foundation that is designed to enhance the mathematics and science instruction and performance of at least 10,000 K-12 students +… develop and use rigorous curricular materials; enhance initial and ongoing professional development concerning effective practices in mathematics and science instruction; and conduct research concerning rigors and effective mathematics and science teaching and learning.

H. Johnson17 …Essential Elements - Students Grades K-3 Grades 4-6 Grades 7-9 Grades State Proficiency Tests National Competitions

H. Johnson18 …Essential Elements - Teachers A Virtual K-12 Professional Development School (Innovative & Effective Teachers & Interpreters) A Virtual Postsecondary Collaborative Network d/hh – v/i – d/b – GE M/S Virtual Community of Mathematicians & Scientists Virtual Mentors H323 Technology Preservice Teachers/Interpreters

H. Johnson19 …Essential Elements - Strategies Virtual Field Experiences, Instructional & Curricular Enhancements Actual Student Teaching Placements Actual Summer Institutes Research netTrekker Cur. Resource Lectora OnLine Dev. Tool

H. Johnson20 …Essential Elements-On-Line Community Informational Resources Interactive Resources Collaborative Resource Teams Research Performance Database