Daniel Kish, Founder and President of World Access for the Blind, To Speak at Walden University Academic Residency
Minneapolis, April 25,2014 /3BL Media/ - Daniel Kish, founder and president of World Access for the Blind, will speak to more than 700 doctoral students at Walden University’s academic residency on April 26 at the Sheraton Atlanta. World Access for the Blind is a nonprofit organization that facilitates the self-directed achievement of people with all forms of blindness and increases public awareness about the strengths and capabilities of blind people. Since its inception in 2000, the organization has helped more than 10,000 students in more than 36 countries.
Kish, who has been blind since he was 13 months old, has gained national acclaim as “The Blind Man Who Taught Himself to See.” He became skilled in the art of human echolocation, a technique that uses echoes created by tapping a cane or making clicking noises with the mouth to navigate one's surroundings. As a perceptual mobility specialist, Kish’s goal is to teach human echolocation to blind people all over the world. To date, he has worked with more than 800 blind students of many ages, backgrounds and cultures.
Kish holds master’s degrees in developmental psychology and special education, emphasizing perceptual development, family dynamics and children at risk. He is also the first totally blind person to be legally designated a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) and to hold a National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC). In addition to his work as a perceptual mobility specialist, he has coordinated and supervised all types of educational and enrichment programs, including assistive technology, Braille and large-print instruction, student/family coaching, peer tutoring, public awareness and a mentor program.
Academic residencies at Walden, an accredited online university, support students’ academic and professional goals by connecting them with individual faculty mentors, student support staff and hundreds of peers. During academic residencies, students from select doctoral and master’s degree programs have the opportunity to conceptualize and develop research that contributes to positive social change.
Walden’s plenary sessions are an integral part of the residencies and are led by speakers from around the world who share an array of experiences and viewpoints with the hope of inspiring debate and lively conversation. These sessions are intended to provide Walden students and faculty and staff members with the opportunity to hear perspectives on a variety of topics that are meaningful and relevant to their lives as scholars and practitioners.
For more information about Walden University, visit www.WaldenU.edu.
About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 50,000 students from all 50 states and more than 150 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 75 campus-based and online universities in 30 countries.
Walden offers more than 80 degree programs with more than 370 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, social work, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.Waldenu.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.
