Associate Professor
OFFICE LOCATION
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
OFFICE HOURS
Mondays and Wednesdays: 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. and by appointment
MAILING ADDRESS
1100 W. 45th Street,
Austin, TX 78756
DIRECT PHONE
(512) 206-9213 (TSBVI)
(806) 252-8026
DEPARTMENT PHONE
(806) 742-1997 ext. 251
FAX NUMBER
(512) 257-1995
EMAIL ADDRESS
Rona Pogrund, Ph.D
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Rona Pogrund is an Associate Professor in the Special Education Program in the College of Education. She has been Coordinator of the Program for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments in the Virginia Murray Sowell Center for Research and Education in Visual Impairment since joining the Texas Tech faculty in 2005. Dr. Pogrund offices in Austin at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She received her B.S. in Elementary/Special Education with an emphasis in education of students with visual impairments from The University of Texas at Austin, her M.A. Degree in Special Education in orientation and mobility from California State University, Los Angeles, and her Ph.D. in Education (special education and educational administration) from The University of Southern California.
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Dr. Pogrund’s primary areas of interest include program models, certification, and quality service delivery for students with visual impairments; literacy and technology for students with visual impairments; and early childhood visual impairment. She has published on issues involving young children with visual impairments and has conducted research on service delivery models in the school system. Her research interest also involves Braille literacy for students who are blind.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Pogrund, R.L., Swift, S. & Wibbenmeyer, K. (2008). Defining sensory
impairments" in Using Strength-Based Planning for Transitioning Students with
Sensory Impairments (Edited by N. Griffin-Shirley, R. Davidson, E. Laman, M.
Shaughnessy, & D. Lechtenberger). New York: Linus Publications.
Pogrund, R.L. & Wibbenmeyer, K.A. (2008). Interpreting the meaning of the
terms certified and highly qualified for teachers of students with visual
impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 102: 5-15.
Smith, D., Griffin-Shirley, N., Pogrund, R.L., & Deumer, L. (2007). A survey of
dual-certified educational vision professionals in Texas. Re:VIEW .
Pogrund, R.L. & Fazzi, D.L. (2002). Early Focus: Working with young children
who are blind and visually impaired and their families, Second Edition. New
York: AFB Press.
Pogrund, R., Healy, G., Jones, K., Levack, N., Martin-Curry, S., Martinez, C.,
Marz, J., Roberson-Smith, B, & Vrba, A. (1993) TAPS: Teaching age-
appropriate purposeful skills: An orientation and mobility curriculum for students
with visual impairments. Austin: Texas School for the Blind and Visually
Impaired.
Pogrund, R.L. & Rosen, S.T. (1989). The preschool blind child can be a cane
user. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 83:431-439.