Danene Fast
Danene Fast is an Assistant Professor – Clinical and Faculty Lead for the Programs in Visual Impairments and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Prior to her time at OSU, she was an Outreach Specialist at the Ohio State School for the Blind, dually certified as an orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) and teacher of students with visual impairments. She earned a dual BSEd in elementary and special education from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, an MA in orientation and mobility from Western Michigan University, and her PhD from The Ohio State University. Her research is centered on accessibility with the goal of improving services for individuals with visual impairments. Applying a constructivist lens, her research emphasizes that learning is a process actualized through both personal experiences and cognitive processes. Informed by a need within the of field of visual impairments and personal experiences, her research agenda focuses on three key areas: (1) transportation accessibility, (2) educational services and accessibility for students with diverse needs in school settings, and (3) addressing teacher shortages in the field of visual impairments to improve accessibility to services.