Alexandra LaVoia has worked in the field of blindness education for over 10 years. A licensed occupational therapist and special education administrator, Alex has developed a deep understanding of the unique supports and accommodations that blind and visually impaired students need to achieve their post-secondary goals. Since 2022, she has served as Director of Perkins Transition Center at Perkins School for the Blind. One of five Phase 3 teams in the Learning Landscapes Challenge, Perkins School for the Blind is now working to develop its infrastructure solution with the support of the incubator mentors. Alex recently spoke with us about the Transition Center, its impact on students, and her challenge experience.
Tell us about Perkins School for the Blind. What is the Transition Center?
Perkins School for the Blind has been educating students with disabilities for almost 200 years. We serve students every day on our campus, providing individualized instruction and the accommodations they need to access the curriculum.
For years, our incredible teachers at Perkins have been helping students with disabilities to find their place in the world. Unfortunately, the world does not always embrace our students. And for students with complex learning profiles, this transition can be especially challenging. People with disabilities face substantial employment gaps and barriers, including limited access to inclusive job opportunities, workplace accommodations, and bias in hiring practices. The Transition Center was established as a comprehensive solution. We’re providing students and families with the innovative programming and critical resources they need to build skills, plan for the future, and define their own visions for success and independence.
Success for us means helping each student achieve their own goals — whether through community pathways, post-secondary education experiences, or meaningful work opportunities.
Can you give an example of the programming you offer?
Let me tell you about our Pathfinder program. It’s a hybrid program that provides virtual coaching, mentorship, and instruction to students across New England. Several Saturdays throughout the year, students come to our campus and we help them experience real-world workplaces. This past spring, we visited a hotel to help students explore different roles that are available in that type of environment. We immersed them in front-of-house customer service experiences along with less traditional roles that they may not have been aware of. It was a really positive experience for the students — and they’ll continue to explore different roles and opportunities throughout the year. One of the most enjoyable parts of the program is processing the experience with students afterwards. We help them explore their strengths and interests and think about things like stamina and noise level in the environment.
What does success look like for your students?
Success means different things for each student that we serve. We serve students that have complex physical and medical profiles that require substantial support. And we have students who are accessing curriculum on grade-level, learning to navigate the community independently, and have goals of going to college and working. Success for us means helping each student achieve their own goals — whether through community pathways, post-secondary education experiences, or meaningful work opportunities.
What is your vision for the Transition Center’s future?
Ultimately, we envision a future where every student and family has the skills, resources, and services they need to transition seamlessly into a meaningful, adult life. The Learning Landscapes Challenge has supported us in thinking creatively about how integrating physical, digital, and social infrastructure can help achieve that goal and view the Transition Center as a vital bridge toward inclusive and accessible work for students.
What have you enjoyed most about the challenge?
We’re so grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Learning Landscapes Challenge and learn from leaders and innovators in education. We’ve benefited from so many rich conversations, and the other teams have prompted us to think about our assumptions and how external factors should impact our planning. I look forward to continued support and guidance on how to engage new funders and develop plans to open more opportunities for our students and reach more families.
Looking ahead
Over the coming months, the Phase 3 teams will continue to prototype their solutions, develop sustainable funding streams, and create implementation roadmaps. Phase 3 will conclude with a Demo Day featuring presentations in front of a live audience and judges. Judges will evaluate submissions according to Phase 3 evaluation criteria, and up to two grand-prize winners will receive $500,000 each to support implementation of their infrastructure solutions. Stay tuned for additional updates about the Phase 3 teams and their mentors.
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