For decades, the National Federation of the Blind has been engaged in improving educational opportunities for blind and visually impaired students. During the 1980s and 90s the Federation spurred state legislatures to pass Braille bills to improve literacy skills for these students. This effort culminated in the adoption of Braille literacy language into national legislation with the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997. While these legislative efforts improved the quality of education available to blind students, many problems remained.
In 2009, the National Federation of the Blind convened a consortium of experts in blindness education and leaders from the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children to examine ways to improve the literacy skills of students with limited vision. The group decided to develop a new assessment tool to better determine which students should learn to read Braille, or print, or both Braille and print. The group also decided to produce a publication to help parents and teachers ensure that the dual reader has adequate skill in Braille reading and writing to enable the student to leave the school system with strong literacy skills.
The teachers in the consortium provided case studies, teaching strategies, and approaches to strengthen the teaching of Braille reading and writing for students who are dual readers. The group also offered ideas on how the student can obtain enough instruction and practice to achieve speed and fluency in Braille reading.
The list of consortium members included:
| Kim Adams | BA, Special Education, University of Northern Colorado |
| MS, Curriculum and Instruction, Doane College | |
| Endorsement, Visual Impairment, University of Nebraska | |
| 35 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities | |
| Debra Baker | BS, English Communications, Ohio State University |
| MS, Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired, University of Texas at Austin | |
| Endorsement, Reading K-12, Ohio State University | |
| 33 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities | |
| Edward Bell | BA, Human Development, California State University |
| MA, Educational Psychology with Concentration in Orientation and Mobility, Louisiana Tech University | |
| PhD, Rehabilitation Education and Research, University of Arkansas | |
| Certification, Educational Statistics and Research Methods, University of Arkansas | |
| Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness, Louisiana Tech University | |
| Janet Bernhardt | BS, Elementary Education, Louisiana State University |
| Certification, Education for Blind and Visually Impaired | |
| Certification, Low Vision Therapy | |
| 35 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities. | |
| Carol Castellano | BA, English Literature, Douglass College, Rutgers University |
| Author and Education Advocate | |
| Director of Programs, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children | |
| 24 years of experience as education advocate for blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities | |
| Merry-Noel Chamberlain | BS, Elementary Education, University of Nebraska |
| MA, Special Education/Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, Western Michigan University | |
| MA, Educational Psychology with Concentration in Orientation & Mobility, Louisiana Tech University | |
| 12 years of experience teaching blind and deaf-blind children of all levels and abilities | |
| Barbara Cheadle | BS, Education, Missouri State University, Springfield |
| MLS, Information School, University of Maryland, College Park | |
| Founding Editor, Future Reflections | |
| President Emerita, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children | |
| 32 years of experience as education advocate for blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities | |
| Jessica Ewell | BA, Foreign Languages/Music, University of New Mexico |
| MA, Vocal Performance, New England Conservatory | |
| Graduate Research, University of Leeds, England | |
| DMA, Catholic University of America | |
| Project Coordinator, Department of Affiliate Action, National Federation of the Blind | |
| Carrie Gilmer | Education Advocate, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children |
| Annee Hartzell | BA, Politics/Japanese, Whitman University |
| JD, University of Washington | |
| MS, Special Education with Concentrations in Severe Needs, Vision, Orientation and Mobility, University of Northern Colorado | |
| Certification, Orientation and Mobility | |
| 11 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities, including ESL students | |
| Debra Head | BS, Education/Special Education, University of Missouri |
| MS, Education, University of Missouri | |
| Certification, Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired | |
| 31 years of experience teaching students with special needs, including blind/visually impaired | |
| Jerry G. Petroff | BS, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, The College of New Jersey |
| MS, Medical Speech Pathology and Audiology, The College of New Jersey | |
| PhD, Psychological Studies in Special Education, Temple University | |
| Certification, Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired | |
| Associate Professor, The College of New Jersey | |
| Denise M. Robinson | BS, Special Education, Teacher of the Blind/English Language and Literature, Eastern Michigan University |
| MA, Early Childhood Education, Western Michigan University | |
| PhD, Education, Capella University | |
| 20 years of experience in administration and teaching blind/visually impaired and deaf-blind students of all levels and abilities | |
| Ruby Ryles | BS, Elementary Education, University of Arkansas |
| MEd, Elementary Education with Reading Specialization, University of Arkansas | |
| Postgraduate, Rehabilitation/Special Education, Emphasis in Blindness, University of Arkansas | |
| PhD, Special Education, University of Washington | |
| Assistant Professor, Louisiana Tech University | |
| Coordinator, Teaching Blind Students Program, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness | |
| Eva Scott | BS, Applied Psychology/Special Education and Elementary Education, Eastern Washington University |
| MEd, Psychological Studies in Special Education with Emphasis on Communication, Positive Behavior Support, and Severe Disabilities, Temple University | |
| Certification, Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired | |
| Instructor, Teacher Preparation Program for Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired, The College of New Jersey | |
| 28 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired and deaf-blind students of all levels and abilities | |
| Kristen J. Sims | BS, Psychology, Louisiana Tech University |
| MS, Education and Teaching Blind Students, Louisiana Tech University | |
| National Certification in Literary Braille | |
| 7 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students | |
| Gail K. Wagner | BS, Elementary Education and Teaching the Visually Impaired, Kutztown University |
| 28 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities | |
| Carlton Anne Cook Walker | BA/BS/BS, Multi-Disciplinary Studies with Concentration in Political Economics)/Animal Science/Poultry Science, North Carolina State University |
| MBA, University of North Carolina at Greensboro | |
| JD, Wake Forest University School of Law | |
| MEd, Teaching Students with Visual and Multiple Impairments, Salus University | |
| Certification, Teacher of Student with Visual Impairments | |
| National Certification in Literary Braille | |
| President, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children | |
| Jan Zollinger | BA, Education of the Visually Impaired, Brigham Young University |
| MA, Education with Concentration in Curriculum and Instruction | |
| NLS Certification in Braille Transcription | |
| 33 years of experience teaching blind/visually impaired students of all levels and abilities |