Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Professional Division
Statement of Purpose
The Infant, Toddler, and Preschool (ITP) Professional Division directly addresses these needs by creating a dedicated professional home for practitioners, personnel preparation, researchers, and leaders who serve this unique age in the general population of children who are blind or visually impaired, and their families. This division will provide the infrastructure necessary to legitimize and elevate early childhood-focused work within AER, strengthen professional identity, and create a cohesive space for resource development, research collaboration, leadership cultivation, and informed advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.
Statement of Goals and Objectives
Goal 1: Legitimize and Define the Specialty Area
Establish a recognized professional identity for practitioners serving children aged birth-to-five years old, including clear competencies, roles, and expectations aligned with both early childhood and vision-specific best practices.
Goal 2: Advance Quality and Consistency of Services
Promote standards of practice (scope) through resource development, professional learning, position statements, and dissemination of evidence-based strategies tailored to young children and their families.
Goal 3: Cultivate Leadership and Workforce Development
Support emerging leaders, strengthen recruitment and retention, and guide personnel preparation programs to ensure early childhood content is embedded in training for Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs) and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS).
Goal 4: Inform Policy and Advocacy
Provide expert input on legislation, funding, early childhood systems, and cross-agency initiatives that impact young children with visual impairments and their families.
Membership Criteria and Acceptable Documentation
To become a Fellow of the AER Infant, Toddler, Preschool Professional Division, and to ensure a consistent level of expertise related to early childhood, members applying to join the ITP Professional Division will be asked to provide at least ONE of the following to demonstrate knowledge, experience, and/or service to children who are identified as an infant, toddler, or preschooler:
Pathway 1: Documentation of relevant degree or state credential related to ECE, ECSE, and/or Visual Impairment related to ages of birth to 5, which may include a teaching certification in Visual Impairment Birth to 21. Examples include:
- A TSVI with state certification in Visual Impairment K-12 and a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education
- A COMS, who in addition to ACVREP accreditation, also holds an Early Childhood Special Education teaching certification
Pathway 2: Résumé that indicates experience serving the birth-to-five population. Examples include:
- A TSVI with a teaching certification for Birth to 21, and has formerly or currently works for an early childhood program (public or private).
- A current or retired college professor who has conducted research with the early childhood age group and/or prepared teachers to support children of all ages, including the early childhood age group.
Pathway 3: A brief letter from a supervisor verifying the composition of the applicant’s caseload and early childhood service responsibilities. Examples include:
- A TSVI employed by a school district serving the entire age span and has children on their caseload who may be under the age of 5.
- A COMS who serves both the school district and the early intervention program in their local community.
This structure maintains a high standard while recognizing the variety of entry pathways into early childhood work within the vision profession.
Members may participate in this Professional Division as either a Fellow or an Associate Member.
- Fellow: Fellows are voting members of the Professional Division. To be considered for Fellow status, members must submit acceptable documentation showing that they meet the approved membership criteria for this division.
- Associate Member: Associate Members are non-voting members of the Professional Division. Documentation is not required. Associate Members will receive division-specific communications and may be invited to division webinars, meetings, and events.
To join the Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Professional Division, please email [email protected] and clearly indicate whether you are requesting to participate as a Fellow or as an Associate Member.
If requesting Fellow status, please attach acceptable documentation for review. Notification of review status will be provided within one week of email receipt.