AER Interest Groups
AER Interest Groups
AER’s Interest Groups provide members with a collaborative forum to promote the mission and goals of the organization. These groups serve as spaces to assess and discuss key issues, share expertise, make recommendations to the Board, and support professional development and continuing education opportunities.
All AER members are welcome to join any Interest Group. Specific participation guidelines or restrictions, if any, will be outlined in AER’s Policy and Procedure Manual and approved by the Board. Each group may also establish membership dues, subject to Board approval and detailed in the Policy and Procedure Manual.
Leadership within each Interest Group is member-driven. Groups elect a chairperson-elect, secretary, and any additional officers as determined by majority vote. Leadership follows a clear succession plan: the chairperson-elect advances to chairperson, and the current chairperson transitions into the role of past chairperson. The chair is responsible for reporting to the Board and ensuring alignment with AER’s governance standards.
Interest Groups operate with accountability and structure. Each group is required to develop and submit an annual budget for Board approval, as well as maintain its own Policy and Procedure Manual. These manuals, guided by AER Bylaws, will be filed with the AER office and made accessible on the AER website.
AER Education Curriculum Interest Group
From resources on adapting general education assignments to best practices for teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) to tools to support K-12 students, this division provides educators with the latest research and guidance.
AER Aging Interest Group
Supporting older adults? This AER Interest Group offers resources, training, and tools on fall prevention, reducing isolation, and aiding those with dual sensory loss—helping you provide better care for older adults with vision loss.
AER Itinerant Personnel Interest Group
The AER Itinerant Personnel Interest Group links you with peers worldwide. Access resources on travel, caseloads, DIY literacy kits, and educational supports tailored for itinerant teachers working with children who are visually impaired.
AER Neurological Vision Impairment Interest Group
Connect with the latest resources, strategies, and information related to increasing the knowledge base of care providers and improving interventions for children and adults with vision loss due to brain injury or disease.
AER International Services & Global Issues Interest Group
Connect, grow, and explore with colleagues about services and trends impacting people with vision loss from around the globe.
AER Multiple Disabilities & Visual Impairment Interest Group
Get the latest resources for working with clients and children who have additional disabilities like hearing, cognitive, or mobility impairments. Explore topics such as sensory processing, adaptive activities, and access to information.
AER Deafblindness Interest Group
Join us in advancing research, sharing expertise, building interdisciplinary connections, and advocating for meaningful access and support for people who are deafblind.
AER Physical Activity and Recreation Interest Group
Share programs, instructional strategies, accommodations, and resources, build professional connections, and learn practical ways to promote participation and inclusion.
AER Psychosocial Interest Group
Explore evidence-based and person-centered practices, share resources, connect with colleagues, and advance holistic approaches that promote resilience, independence, and quality of life.