Educational Consultant

This position is a full-time, exempt, remote, grant-funded role within the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University. The Educational Consultant will support the delivery of virtual professional development and resource creation to improve transition-related outcomes for middle and high school students with visual impairments, with a focus on rural communities.

About EMPOWERing Youth With Visual Impairment (EMPOWER VI)

EMPOWER VI is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The goal of the program is to equip transition-aged students with visual impairment in rural communities, their families, and transition professionals with virtual supports to improve postsecondary education and employment outcomes. More information is available at www.empowervi.org.

About The Department Of Special Education

EMPOWER VI is housed within Vanderbilt’s Department of Special Education, which has a history of significant impact on the field of special education and intellectual or developmental disabilities. Faculty and staff are committed to equipping students with diverse backgrounds to provide exceptional services and supports to people with disabilities and their families. More information can be found at http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/departments/sped/.

Responsibilities

• Develop online training modules for transition professionals and parents of students with visual impairments.
• Create student-facing interactive online lessons.
• Develop virtual resources for students with visual impairments, their families, and supporting professionals.
• Maintain a virtual mentorship program connecting students with visually impaired adults who have attended postsecondary education or participated in competitive integrated employment.
• Lead an advisory board of blind and low vision individuals (students and/or adults).
• Contribute to the development of online modules for professionals, as well as interactive student and family lessons.
• Identify and develop transition-focused resources to support students, families, and professionals.
• Support communities of practice on transition for students with visual impairments.
• Facilitate and support a student mentorship program.
• Develop and disseminate a monthly e-newsletter.
• Provide and receive feedback on materials and training developed by other team members.
• Assist with data collection and evaluation efforts.
• Contribute to dissemination activities through conference presentations and article submissions.
• Support the supervision of students and trainees working on the project.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in special education, rehabilitation, or other disability-related field.
• Professional and/or personal experience in the field of blindness/visual impairment.
• Strong communication, writing, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks while meeting deadlines.
• Strong computer skills.
• Interest in working with and supporting rural communities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior middle or high school teaching and/or administrative experience.
• Prior experience delivering training or professional development.

This position reports administratively and functionally to the EMPOWER VI Principal Investigator and does not have supervisory responsibility.