The University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS), in partnership with University of Massachusetts - Boston, has been awarded a Personnel Preparation grant from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, to administer the Pacific Vision Instruction Project (Pacific VIP) Master's Degree Program. This four-year grant aims to increase the pool of fully credentialed instructional personnel who are highly qualified to educate students who are blind or have visual impairments. Pacific VIP provides scholarships leading to a Master of Education in Special Education degree, plus dual credentials in Teacher of Visual Impairments (TVI) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M).
The Pacific VIP Master's Degree Program will utilize a blended delivery approach of on-line coursework and on-site required class/lab work on Guam, which will be enhanced by integrated field experiences coordinated throughout the academic program.
"We are so excited to offer this opportunity to educators in the Pacific," said Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D., Guam CEDDERS Director. "Together we will build local capacity throughout the Pacific to serve our students who are blind or have visual impairments."
Up to 20 scholarships will be awarded to applicants from American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau to meet each entity's responsibility to provide personnel to serve students who are blind or have visual impairments.
The University of Guam CEDDERS is now accepting applications to the Pacific VIP Master's Degree Program. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, DECEMBER 10, 2010.
For more information on eligibility and requirements, please contact Connie P. Guerrero, Pacific VIP Faculty, at 671-735-2490 or email at connie.guerrero@guamcedders.org.
To download an application packet, log on to http://www.guamcedders.org.