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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECOUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN DIVISION ON VISUAL
IMPAIRMENTS PRESENTS 2002 AWARDS AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN DIVISION
ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS EXEMPLARY ADVOCATE
AWARD
The Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Visual Impairments
was proud to present the Exemplary Advocate Award to Dr. Bill East at the International
Conference in
Dr. East was presented the distinguished award for his tireless work on
behalf of children with blindness and visual impairment.
As Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of
Special Education his contributions to the national training initiative Improving Educational Services for the Students with Visual Impairments
have been significant. In 2000, the
concept for a national training initiative was brought to the attention of Dr.
East and he enthusiastically embraced the project; his passion and dedication
piloted the project to its successful outcomes.
He personally provided the essential leadership necessary to turn the
concept into a reality. Specifically,
Dr. East cultivated support for the project among the Board of Directors and
membership of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education.
He organized and facilitated meetings involving key directors and
leadership personnel from the Council of Schools for the Blind and Council of
Executives of American Schools for the Deaf and successfully obtained funding
from the federal Office of Special Education Programs.
Dr. East not only promoted training to each of the State Directors, but
also participated in the national Train
the Trainers sessions held in conjunction with the 2001 Jo Taylor Institute
in Washington, DC. It is
because of Dr. East’s continuing and ongoing support to the field of blindness
and visual impairment that the training sessions have been so successful.
In addition to his leadership role, Dr. East has contributed more than a
dozen scholarly articles to the field including, The
Next 25 Years of IDEA (2000) and The
Time is Right for Action (2001). He
was the recipient the Alabama Developmental Disabilities Planning Council’s
1998 Outstanding Service Award, Award of Service to the National Association of
State Directors of Special Education, also in 1998, as well as the Alabama
Council of Administrators of Special Education 1997 Appreciation of Service to
Disabled Students Award. It is with
great pleasure that the Division on Visual Impairments awards Dr. Bill East the Exemplary
Advocate Award for 2002. * * * * * * * * * *
* * * For further information
about the Division on Visual Impairments Exemplary Advocate Award, contact Dr.
Stuart Wittenstein at (510) 794-3816. |