PART 1: HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF DVI HISTORY OF THE DIVISION ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

Submitted by Lou Tutt

In 1968 at the request of the membership, Mrs. Dorothy Bryan prepared a history of the first twenty years of what is now the Division on Visual Impairments (DVI Newsletter. Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 8-9). That history relates that the first formal meeting of persons interested in education of partially seeing children took place during the 1948 CEC Convention in Des Moines , Iowa . The small group of teachers that convened for a luncheon and discussion that year met informally at each CEC convention for the next several years to focus attention on improving services for partially seeing children. By the 1957 Convention the group, then known as the Council for the Education of the Partially Seeing, had requested and received recognition by CEC Headquarters as an official CEC unit with a membership of 123.

By 1967 the interests of the Council members had expanded to include concerns for the education of blind children, and the name of the organization was officially changed to the Division for Visually Handicapped: Partially Seeing and Blind. Membership had reached 378.

Since that time interests have broadened and encompass curriculum development, parent counseling, development and selection of appropriate materials, research needs, teacher preparation, career education and vocational preparation of infants, children and youths with visual impairments.

In 1980, the Division membership reached over 1,000 with members coming from day and residential public and private school programs, state departments of education, teacher education, and related fields. Division activity currently shows concern for federal, state and local issues and policies related to education of infants, children and youths with visual impairments. The Division continues to grow and diversify in its activity and membership and is now known as The Division on Visual Impairments.