Bill > HR11

This Resolution urges the Department of Education to create and put into action a program designed to actively seek out and hire qualified blind professionals for roles such as orientation and mobility instructors and teachers for visually impaired students. Orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction helps blind individuals learn to navigate their environment safely and independently, and the resolution highlights the "Structured Discovery Cane Travel" method, which is based on the experiences of blind individuals and emphasizes the use of blind instructors. Historically, the Department of Education has favored a different certification, the Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS), which focuses on vision-centered approaches and often leads to the employment of non-blind instructors, limiting job opportunities for qualified blind professionals. While a recent change allows for the acceptance of the National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) credential, which aligns with the structured discovery approach, it has not significantly increased the employment of blind instructors. Therefore, this Resolution calls for a proactive affirmative action program to address this disparity and also requests a report from the Superintendent of Education detailing findings, recommendations, actions taken, and progress made in increasing the employment of blind individuals in instructional roles.