COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN DIVISION ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS PRESENTS 2009 AWARDS AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN SEATTLE

DIVISION ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS DISSERTATION OF THE YEAR

Pictured: Dr. Stacy Kelly, CEC-DVI Disseration of the Year Award winner with DVI Representative Dr. Derrick Smith.

The Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Visual Impairments (DVI) is proud to present the Dissertation of the Year Award to Dr. Stacy Kelly at the Council for Exceptional Children Convention and Expo in Seattle, Washington on April 2, 2009.  Dr. Kelly recently completed her doctorate with a focus on blindness and visual impairment at Northern Illinois University.

The Dissertation of the Year Award is presented to a DVI member who makes a significant contribution to the field through extensive study and research.

Dr. Kelly’s dissertation, “Correlations of Assistive Technology Use by Students Who Are Visually Impaired in the U.S.: Multilevel Modeling of the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study” was completed in 2008.  Her study was designed to estimate the assistive technology experience nationwide and investigate contextual circumstances that may contribute to the use of specialized technology by blind individuals.  Dr. Kelly’s research involved sophisticated methodology and statistical procedures. 

Dr. Kelly is held in high regard by colleagues for her contributions to the field of blindness and visual impairment.  She is a consummate teacher, researcher, advocate and emerging leader with a commitment to improved educational outcomes for students.