Sharon Sacks

Sharon is the Director of Curriculum and Professional Development at the California School for the Blind. Prior to that, she was a Full Professor and Coordinator of the Teacher Preparation Program in Visual Impairments at California State University, Los Angeles. She has worked in the field of education and rehabilitation for the blind and visually impaired for almost 30 years as a resource and itinerant teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired, a home counselor for Blind Babies Foundation, coordinator of teacher preparation in Moderate/Severe Disabilities at San Jose State University, and Assistant Superintendent at the California School for the Blind. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Jose State University, a master’s degree in special education at San Francisco State University, and her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of California, Berkeley, and San Francisco State University

Sharon has presented and published widely throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, and New Zealand in the areas of social skills instruction for students with visual impairments, transition programming for students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities, psycho-social implications of students and adults with low vision, and issues related to braille literacy. Dr. Sacks has been the recipient of numerous personnel preparation grants from the U.S. Department of Education. She has published several book chapters and over 30 articles in prestigious journals. Throughout her career, Sharon has been active in AERBVI, holding offices at the local, regional, and international level, including President. She is presently Co-Chair of the Braille Math Standards Task Force for the California Department of Education.

Sharon’s Advice on Social Skills