About Us

The purpose of the National Technical Assistance Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NTAC-BLV) is to improve the employment outcomes of individuals who are blind or have low vision.

We are here to help

If you are interested in employing someone who is blind or has low vision, providing services to individuals with blindness or low vision, or have a visual impairment yourself, this site is home to resources and technical assistance created for you.

NTAC-BLV is a project of the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University as part of our current grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.

NRTC Current Grant NIDILRR

We Can Help

The NRTC is well qualified to provide technical assistance to both individuals and organizations utilizing our team of staff with relevant knowledge and experience. Together, our staff have experience in directing training agencies for individuals with blindness or low vision, vision rehabilitation therapy, employment specialist services, orientation and mobility, rehabilitation counseling, adjustment counseling, career counseling, Psychiatric needs assessment counseling, pre-employment training services, and teaching students who are blind or have low vision.

Additionally, members of our staff have personal experience living and working with progressive vision loss. All NRTC staff provide individual technical assistance, but the primary staff member responsible for this activity is Kendra Farrow.

Kendra Farrow

Kendra is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist with experience providing technical assistance and training to program administrators and direct service providers. Some of Kendra’s specialty areas are:

Low vision aids and adaptations
Mississippi services
Special Populations (e.g., Older Blind)

kfarrow@colled.msstate.edu

Jennifer Ottowitz

Jennifer is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist with experience providing technical assistance and training to individuals who are blind or vision impaired, their families, and direct service providers. Some of Jennifer’s specialty areas are:

Braille awareness, formatting, assessment, and instruction
Adjustment to vision loss
Working with Allied healthcare professionals

jottowitz@colled.msstate.edu

Stephanie Welch-Grenier

Stephanie is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Teacher of the Visually Impaired with experience providing technical assistance and training to employers, school districts, administrators, and direct service providers. Some of Stephanie’s specialty areas are:

Transition-aged Youth and School-aged Services
Multiple Disabilities
Inclusion and Accessibility

swelchgrenier@colled.msstate.edu

Learn More

We provide individual technical assistance through email, telephone, and in-person communication. We are excited to connect with you!

You can utilize our “We Can Help!” button below to receive individual technical assistance. We’ll match your question to the appropriate staff member who will typically respond within 24 hours.

We Can Help

Funded by NIDILRR

The contents of this website were developed under grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant numbers 90RT5040, 90RTEM0007, 90RTEM0015). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.