The Charter College of Education at Cal State LA’s
Orientation & Mobility Program 50th Anniversary
October 21, 2017
The CCOE Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Specialist Training Program in Visual Impairment & Blindness started in 1967 and prepares O&M specialists to serve children and adults with visual impairments. On October 21, 2017, the CCOE celebrated 50 years of the program. The celebration followed the Braille Institute’s 2017 Cane Quest, a challenging orientation and mobility contest for students in grades 3-12 where contestants were given auditory instructions and challenged to safely complete secret routes on the Cal State LA campus using proper travel techniques and cane skills.
In addition to acknowledging the contributions of the O&M Program, the Fazzi Family Scholarship was presented, and speakers discussed how O&M specialists have enhanced individual lives, schools, and communities.
Together with the Braille Institute, the Charter College of Education at Cal State Los Angeles honored the impact that orientation and mobility specialists have in enhancing individual lives, schools, and communities.
The CCOE Orientation & Mobility Program is one of two programs to exist in California and one of sixteen that exist in the country.
2017 Cane Quest Event & 50th Anniversary Celebration
2017 Cane Quest Event & 50th Anniversary Celebration – participant with family arriving for the event
Cal State LA Federal Credit Union Talks to Families About Ways to Save for College. They also served as a sponsor for the event.
2017 Cane Quest Event & 50th Anniversary Celebration – Volunteers Arrive for the Day
2017 Cane Quest Event & 50th Anniversary Celebration – Families visit different tables for info and giveaways
2017 Cane Quest Event & 50th Anniversary Celebration – CCOE share info about our Orientation and Mobility Program
Our event partners
2017 Cane Quest Event & 50th Anniversary Celebration – Diane Fazzi with former CCOE, Chair of the Division of Special Education – Phillip C. Chinn. Dr. Chinn was Division Chair at the time of Dr. Fazzi’s hiring in 1992 and a strong supporter of the O&M Program.
Cane Questers, volunteers, family and friends pose for pictures.
Cane Quest participant (#60) and family
Cane Quest participant (#14) and family
Map showing the location of other events.
Joanna Lemus (in yellow/orange vest) Cal State LA O&M Alumni, LA Metro employee, coordinates bringing Metro buses to Cal State LA campus so older participants can demonstrate bus skills as part of Cane Quest and so that younger participants and families can tour and become more familiar with the layout of Metro buses.
Participant boarding metro bus and using his long cane to loate the first step.
Cal State LA O&M students learning travel skills in South Pasadena – Marissa Lucero (standing) Lauren Nieblas left on bench Kelly Lambert on bench on right (Fall 2015 cohort)
Participant exiting a vehicle and getting encouragement from volunteer Teresa
Participant demonstrating cane skills with index finger on the flat edge of the cane grip, while walking in-step
Cal State LA 2013 O&M Cohorts at Spring Commencement with faculty (from left to right) - Judy Luu, Cesar Guzman, Renah Jones, Blanca Trujillo, Alexis Rettig, Brenda Naimy (faculty), Erin Brahe, Dana La Curan, and Amanda Jones
Cane Quest participants at Braille Institute Orange County Campus
Brenda Naimy, program faculty, supervises 2015 Cal State LA O&M alum, Karmela Yahyakashani as she clears the upcurb to step up on the corner
Cal State LA O&M students use apps on mini-iPads to navigate location (from left to right) – Diana Leso, Samly Melendez, Jacqueline Romero and Gabriela Valencia
2004 Cal State LA O&M graduates practice simulated travel and teaching in a residential environment - pictured Keith Tomlinson using two-point touch can technique as he crosses the street and Layna Marshall monitoring his travel.
Cal State LA O&M faculty with 2003 O&M students at graduation (from left to right) – Diane Fazzi, program coordinator, Angie Crabtree, Jennifer Ramirez, Beatriz Sanchez, Lily Ortiz, Brenda Naimy, program faculty
2011 Cal State LA students practice simulated travel in downtown LA – pictured Tamar Tashjian crossing the street amidst pedestrians, using her long cane
2002 Cal State LA O&M students practice safe railroad crossings – pictured: Viki Kirin with the long cane and Angie Crabtree in background.
2002 Cal State LA O&M student (and now part-time faculty) Robyn Herrera practices navigating revolving doors with the long cane.
Cal State LA O&M students celebrate 2007 commencement with faculty back row: Nancy Warsham, Kristey Ulley, Brenda Naimy (faculty), Jennifer Freeman, Lisa Fischenger, Jonathan Kelley. front row: Kelly Wynne, Diane Fazzi (program coordinator), Rachel Schepperly, Michelle Holbrook
Current 2017 Cal State LA O&M candidates, Natalie Brown and Magali Caro-Silva
Tasha Dean, O&M Program faculty (early 90’s) works with Cal State LA O&M student on escalator travel when King Hall used to have escalators
Diane Fazzi, Toni Gartner, Rose Marie Swallow (O&M and TVI Program Faculty) in Big Bear Lake with Cal State LA students for an Activities of Daily Living Skills weekend (late 80’s)
Diane Fazzi, O&M Program Coordinator works with Cal State LA O&M students on monocular usage for students who have low vision – (from left to right) Bridget Doherty, Carrie Gonzales, and Diane Fazzi
Training in the use of sonar device with the long cane to detect head level obstacles (late 1980s,Western Blind Rehabilitation Center, Palo Alto)
1997 News article announcing Cal State LA O&M program hosting Fulbright Scholar, Hoyeon Kim, who plans to return to Dankook University in Korea to train additional O&M specialists.
1973 News release announcing federal funding cuts for personnel preparation programs in orientation and mobility.
Cal State LA simulated travel along a sidewalk – 1967, Robert Eisenberg, O&M Program Faculty, monitoring
Robert Eisenberg, O&M Program faculty 1967, teaches Cal State LA O&M student stair travel
A collage of Cal State LA O&M pictures from 1967, forming the shape of the number 50.