VISTAS was launched in 2016 by veteran educator, Monique Coleman, who has more than 18 years of experience as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) working with a diverse range of children, families, and schools. Monique started VISTAS in order to reach more students in need of 21st century, learner-centered TVI instruction and support.
VISTAS was also created to fill a critical need for both inclusive and specialized, community-based programs that enrich the lives of individuals with vision impairments and forges relationships across ability differences. Since its inception, VISTAS has served students in more than a dozen school districts. VISTAS has also offered accessible recreation and leisure activities and has collaborated with various community groups to provide inclusive and specialized summer camps.