Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.

Through education, training, research and vision enhancement, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides hope, confidence, and independence to people of all ages.

It's Possible to See Without Sight™

601 Southwest Eighth Avenue, FL 33130 · Ph: 305.856.2288 · Fx: 305-285.6967 · info@miamilighthouse.org 

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Publications, Professional Conferences and Webinars

PUBLICATIONS

"Associations between Peer Play Interactions and Empathy within an Early Childhood Inclusion Program for Children with Visual Impairment”, Early Childhood Education Journal, May 17, 2022, Jenna N. Futterer, Rebecca J. Bulotsky-Shearer, Liana De Angelis Mary Anne Ullery, Astrid Pena, Jessica Bayuk, Virginia Jacko.

“Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Lighthouse Learning Center for Children™ (Miami Lighthouse Academy, LLC) Early Childhood Research Demonstration Project Descriptive Report – Year 4” September 15, 2021, Rebecca Bulotsky-Shearer, Ph.D., Associate Professor Graduate Student Team: Jenna Futterer, Astrid Pena, & Andjela Vulovic

“A Comparison of the Fundamental Motor Skills of Preschool-Aged Children With and Without Visual Impairments” January 2020, Adapted physical activity quarterly: APAQ 38(3):1-10, DOI:10.1123/apaq.2019-0157, © Human Kinetics, Inc.

“Innovative Inclusion Program for Early Learners with Visual Impairments Offered by Miami Lighthouse Learning Center for Children” Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness 2021, Vol. 115(2) 143-151, © American Foundation for the Blind 2021.

“Seeing Without Sight. Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adopts the HighScope Curriculum” The Active Learner, HighScope’s Journal for Early Educators, Spring 2019, © Betsy Evans.

“Bringing low-vision assessments and interventions to underserved seniors affected by age-related eye disease” British Journal of Visual Impairment, pp. 15-23, © The Author(s) 2019, Virginia A. Jacko, Carol Brady-Simmons, Nihusa Dias, Raquel Van Der Biest, Alma Abdel-Moty and Lynne Richard.

“Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Case Study: Vision Rehabilitation for the First Florida Resident to Receive the Argus II ‘Bionic Eye,’ ” Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, May-June, 2016,Volume 110, Number 3, pp. 177-181 by Carol Brady-Simmons, Raquel Van Der Biest and Laura Bozeman.

"Envisioning Progress through Future Professionals", Occupational Therapy Newsletter, by Lauren Bowen, COMS, Miami Lighthouse, February, 2016

“A New Synthesis of Sound and Tactile Music Code Instruction In a Pilot Online Braille Music Curriculum,” Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, March/April 2015, Volume 109, Number 2, pp. 153 -157 by Virginia A. Jacko, Jin Ho Choi, Audrey Carballo, Brian Charlson, and J. Elton Moore.

“Bringing Function into Focus: Implementing the principles of universal design for the low-vision population” ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners, November 2015, pp.14-15, by Jessica Garcia, MS, OTR/L, Raquel Van der Biest, CLVT, OTR/L, Alma Abdel-Moty, DrOT, MS, OTR/L and Carol Brady Simmons, COMS.

“Putting the Pieces Together: A field work rotation at a low-vision residence brings classroom theories to life” Special Focus: Vision Rehabilitation, ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners, December 2015, pp. 6-7, 21, by Brittany Catalano-Hall, OTS and Stephanie Kern, OTS. In this article two FIU interns relate their field work experience at Miami Lighthouse under the supervision of Raquel Van Der Biest, CLVT, OTR/L.

“Blind Babies Play Program: A Model for Affordable, Sustainable Early Childhood Literacy Intervention through Play and Socialization,” Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, May-June 2013, Volume 107, Number 3. by Virginia A. Jacko, Roxann Mayros, Carol Brady-Simmons, Isabel Chica, and J. Elton Moore.

A continuing education presentation at the annual Florida Occupational Therapy Association meeting in Tampa on November 3, 2012 focused on FIU collaboration with Miami Lighthouse, “A Community and Academic Partnership: Serving Individuals with Vision Impairments”.

“Miami Lighthouse Students Excel” by Virginia A. Jacko, Miami Herald, Letter to the Editor, June 4, 2012.

“The Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program,” Optometry: Journal of the American Optometric Association, Volume 83, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 43-46, Virginia A. Jacko, Alan P. Levitt, Steven E. Marcus, Alfred A. Rosenbloom

“Let’s Give the Blind Better Access to Online Learning,” by Virginia A. Jacko, Chronicle of Education, May 8, 2011.

“Bogus ‘service animals’ hurt the real thing” by Virginia A. Jacko, Miami Herald, Letter to the Editor, March 5, 2011.

“Mainstream Employment in Music Production for Individuals Who Are Visually Impaired: Development of a Model Training Program,” by Virginia Jacko, Harold Cobo, Antonio Cobo, Rachelle Fleming, and J. Elton Moore, in the Practice Perspectives section of the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, September 2010.

Braille is essential for blind students by Virginia Jacko, Miami Herald, Letter to the Editor, January 18, 2010.

The Blind Visionary, with Doug Eadie, Governance Edge Press, 2009

“Building a Rock-Solid Board/CEO Partnership: Talking with CEO Virginia Jacko” by Doug Eadie, May/June Nonprofit World May/June 2009

“Intervention through Art for Adults Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired,” with Amy R. McKenzie, Ed.D., and Tatiana Palma, B.S., Journal of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, February 2009

“Leading and Managing Governance Change,” with Miami Lighthouse Board Chairman William R. Roy and consultant Doug Eadie, NonProfit World, May/June 2008

WEBINAR

“Educating All Learners Alliance and Miami Lighthouse for the Blind presents a webinar engaging in conversation to address the needs of students with visual impairment in the classroom, at home and in the community- June 3, 2021”

PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES

Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) 2016 International Conference

"The Argus II Retinal Chip Implant: Experiences of Professionals and Consumer"

   
Panelists: Carol Brady-Simmons, COMS, Chief Program Officer, Miami Lighthouse, Duane Geruschat, John McAllister and Carmen Torres
Date: July 23, 2016
   

Florida Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Connecting the Dots Conference 2015

"Miami Lighthouse Rehabilitation for the first ARGUS II Retinal Prosthesis Implant in Florida"

   
Presenter: Carol Brady-Simmons, COMS, Chief Program Officer and Raquel Van Der Biest, OT, CLVT, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
Date: October 1, 2015
   
Community Mobility for the Visually Impaired
Presenter: Carol Brady-Simmons, COMS® Chief Program Office Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Date: March 3, 2012
   
Age-Related Ocular Diseases
Presenter: Dr. Rosemary A. Gonzalez, Low Vision Optometrist
Date: March 3, 2012
   
Patient and Family-Centered Care - Clients with Low Vision and their Families
Presenter: Elise Bloch, Ed.D., OT/L Florida International University and Liudmilla Camejo Rojas, OTR
Date: March 3, 2012
   
The Developing Child with Vision Impairment
Presenter: Isabel Chica, MS Ed. and Krizia Perez, MSW
Date: March 3, 2012
   
Aging in Place Through Vision Rehabilitation
Presenter: Richard Nieves, CVRT Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
Date: March 3, 2012
   
Overview of Personal Management Skills and Devices
Presenter: Raquel Van Der Biest, OTR/L
Date: March 3, 2012
   
Transportation Options for People who are Blind or have Low Vision
Presenter: Dennis P McCarthy, PhD, OTR/l
Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Department
Director, South Florida Community Mobility Research Lab
Research Associate, Lehman Center for Transportation Research
Date: March 3, 2012
   
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA), January 26 - 29, 2011, Orlando, Florida
Presenter: Harold Cobo
Session title: Miami Lighthouse Music Production Program: A Live Demonstration of Composing, Recording and Arranging Music by the Blind and Visually Impaired
   
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) International Conference, July 20-25, 2010, Little Rock, Arkansas
Presenter: Harold Cobo (accompanied by Carol Brady-Simmons)
Session title: Miami Lighthouse Music Production Program: A Live Demonstration of Composing, Recording and Arranging Music by the Blind and Visually Impaired
   
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) Regional Conference, November 13-15, 2009, Cleveland, Ohio
Presenter: Virginia Jacko and Harold Cobo
Session title: Miami Lighthouse Music Production Program: Miami Lighthouse Music Program: Creating Independence through Musical Collaboration
Presenter: Virginia Jacko and John Clapp
Session title: Orientation and Mobility Internships at Miami Lighthouse: Building a Bridge from the University to the Practice of the Profession

 

 
 
   

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Miami Lighthouse is AER accredited distinguishing that an agency or school operates at the highest level of quality and is positioned to generate the outcomes needed by the clients.

 

Miami Lighthouse received the coveted Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2023 Nonprofit Business Innovative Excellence NOVO Award with an organizational budget of $2 million and above.

 

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired has received 14 consecutive 4-star ratings, the highest rating possible, from the nation's premier independent nonprofit evaluator Charity Navigator. Attaining a 4-star rating indicates that our organization adheres to sector best practices, exceeds industry standards, and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.

 

Early Intervention Blind Babies Program Named the Children's Trust 2016 Program of the Year. This most prestigious award recognizes this Early Intervention Program, in particular, for including parents as teachers.

 

Miami Lighthouse Learning Center for Children™ is a Florida gold seal and nationally Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE)

 
                   

Miami Lighthouse was recognized at the 2015 Florida Blue Foundation Sapphire Awards luncheon as an organization that has demonstrated excellence and innovation in community health.

 

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2015 Beacon Award in Education at the 13th Annual Beacon Council Awards.

 

Miami Lighthouse is a two-time Charity Partner (2013 and 2014) of the Marlins Foundation and a 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Legacy Partner. Our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program has received over $300,000 in charitable donations through these partnerships.

 

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2008 Concern Award from Health Foundation of South Florida.

 

Miami Lighthouse received a Silver medal at the 2016 Miami Today Gold Medal Awards Ceremony.

 
                   

Miami Lighthouse named "Best of Miami" Charity 2017 by the New Times.

 

Miami Lighthouse received United Homecare’s 2012 Thelma Gibson Community Service Award at the 18th Annual Claude Pepper Memorial Awards Ceremony.

 

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious South Florida Business Journal 2011 Excellence in Health Care Award in the Community Outreach category.

 

Miami Lighthouse honored by being named the recipient of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce 2010 Non-Profit Business Diamond Award1.

 

Miami Lighthouse received the prestigious 2020 award for "Best in Nonprofit" campaign by PRWeek referred to as the "Oscars of the PR industry".