PSU - Visually Impaired Learner and Orientation & Mobility Programs

09/06/2026

Congratulations to Krystal Johnston for passing the COMS exam! Thanks to her mentors through her clinical practicum, Kerri and Ginny, for supporting her in the field! It takes a team! (ID: Krystal, Kerri, and Ginny stand near a sign that reads No Loitering, No Panhandling. Krystal walks backward down a school hallway, holding pool noodles in a v shape on the floor so her blind student can feel the position of his cane arc. Ginny, her mentor films the students arc from behind and records Krystal’s teaching to offer her feedback. Finally Kerri, Ginny and Krystal, 3 caucasian women wearing casual clothes, stand together, arm in arm, smiling at the camera.)

09/03/2026

Today, we celebrate one of our recent graduates Amanda Brown! Amanda was just hired as a Teacher of the Blind and Low Vision at Columbia Regional Inclusive Services programs. She joins other PSU alums who work there and is pictured with our master's cohort from the Spring, 2026 graduating class. Way to go, Amanda! (Amanda is pictured in the center wearing regalia between Shaina and Aaron who are also bedecked in master's regalia. Below, she is pictured bottom right and is joined by Shaina, Carrie, Ann and Patrick at the graduation ceremony at PSU).

09/02/2026

Today we celebrate one of our graduates, Remina Goude, who passed her COMS exam. Remina, who works at a VA hospital, is pictured in her master's robes with her cap and a green stole for PSU. Amy is pictured beside her smiling with pride, wearing doctoral robes.

09/01/2026

Yes, these are members of our 2026 Portland-based cane class!

This summer, four Portland State University students from across the country took cohort bonding to the next level — by getting matching artichoke tattoos. To understand how a leafy vegetable ended up permanently inked on a group of future orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, you have to...

08/28/2026

It is a happy day and we love celebrating our students! Congratulations to Jasmine Low who has been hired by the Washington State School for the Blind as the statewide lead for the Birth to Five Program!

Jessica Chandler, Director of Outreach, wrote: "Jasmine is new to WSSB, but she is definitely not new to this work. She brings a wealth of early learner experience from Tennessee and fortunately for us she made her way to Washington by way of Spokane! We are so excited to have her here and to have her experience and perspective as part of our team. "

https://www.wssb.wa.gov/outreach/birth-five

Brava Jasmine! ID: Jasmine is a young Caucasian woman with light pink hair. She's wearing a summer dress and WSSB lanyard next to a leafy tree. Jasmine is pursuing her O&M graduate certificate through Portland State University College of Education and she is a TODAS scholar.

08/25/2026

RIP Dolly. Dolly Parton is pictured wearing a red dress while seated on a ferris wheel in Dollywood theme park. Some know about Dolly's Imagination Library but she also partnered with the American Printing House for the Blind to make sure that books were available to children who are blind, have low vision or are deafblind.
https://www.aph.org/imagination-library-collaboration/

08/24/2026

So proud that our scholar Tina did some of her internship hours! Supporting DB teens with surfing!

HKNC’s Summer Youth Vocational Program's adaptive surfing week made the front page of the Long Beach Herald. Six SYVP participants spent a week in Long Beach with certified adaptive surf instructors from Surf For All, Skudin Surf's adaptive surfing initiative, working with boards on the sand before heading into the Atlantic each day.

"Towards the end of the week, they didn't even need the interpreter. They were just like, 'We got this,' and they figured it out." Erin Columbus, Coordinator of Vocational Services at HKNC.

Read the full cover story: https://www.helenkeller.org/adaptive-surfing-long-beach-herald-cover

ID: The front page of the Long Beach Herald featuring a large photo of a Summer Youth Vocational Program participant sitting on a surfboard in the waves, smiling, with an adaptive surf instructor swimming in the water behind her. The headline below reads "Skudin Surf offers lessons to deaf-blind young adults."

08/12/2026

Want something happy to think about? Claire Rivas passed her COMS exam! Here is Claire last summer participating in an O&M for DB workshop that was co-led by Jelica Nuccio. Claire is a shorter Caucasian-Latina woman in her 30s with long curly hair wearing a blind fold and communicating tactually with Tina, who is also using a blindfold. They are being coached by Jelica on ProTactile communication approaches that support access while navigating in the world.

08/07/2026

Love our TriMet and Oregon Commission for the Blind partners! Check out this cool story featuring deep community participation and learning!

System familiarization event held in partnership with the Oregon Commission of the Blind and Ride Connection spotlighted accessibility features Most […]

08/01/2026

Brooke Painter and Jamie Banks represented Southern Oregon very well at AER’s conference in Louisville, KY! Brooke is an alumna of the VIL program and is a Teacher of the Blind in Southern Oregon.