Recently NIU received a rather large three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration.

NIU’s Institute on Deafness will benefit in more ways than one from a $250,458 grant, which officials already have plans for.

Project Coordinator Greg Mosher said the money will be used to fund workshops for specialists who want to work with those blind and/or deaf. People are currently being recruited from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota.

He said training for specialists will include a ten-week long intensive workshop for a total of 180 people. Ninety of these professionals will be working with the blind, and the other half will be working with the deaf.

The first week-long workshop will run from Sept. 29 into the first week of November. Those who attend workshops will be charged a small registration fee, which has yet to be decided.

Mosher said there is a great need for workshops for the blind and deaf in the Illinois area.

“Illinois, the only state that has conducted research units for the deaf and blind population, has identified 1,868 residents who are both blind and deaf,” he said.

But NIU has been on top of such programs from way back. The Northern Institute on Deafness has a 15-year reputation of maintaining both pre- and in-service training in deafness rehabilitation and training in visual impairment.

Mosher also said that it is difficult to find workers who are able to deal with the problems of a person who has one disability, let alone handle the problems of people with two disabilities.

He said he is looking for rehabilitational professionals who have a knowledge of psychosocial, medical, educational and vocational aspects of the disabilities. Also, persons who are familiar with sign language, mobility and helping devices.

“Few rehabilitation professionals possess all these skills, so qualified workers are scarce,” he said.

Mosher added that the grant will also aid the salary of hiring professionals to come in and train all willing applicants.

Anyone interested in a possible position with the Institute on Deafness can contact Mosher at 753-6545.