During this period the organization focuses its attention on the exchange of information on ways to improve instruction within the then-prevalent program model: the special school. Early attention to mainstreaming (integration) starts to emerge in ICEVI meetings, and there is a notable increase in discussion of the education of the deaf-blind, partially sighted, and multi-impaired. ICEVI and the Australian and New Zealand Association of Teachers of the Blind establish a mutual support relationship. The third international conference is held at Hanover School for the Blind, Germany and the third president, Edward J. Waterhouse, U.S.A, is elected. A journal, the Educator, is first published. The fourth international conference is held at Perkins, U.S.A. and the fourth president, Tore Gissler of Sweden, is elected. The official name of the organization is changed to the International Council for the Education of Blind Youth.
"Our task on this occasion is to concentrate our gaze on the emerging countries." – Eric Boulter
"Economy was not the main reason which led our Society to experiment with systems of integrated education in Africa. The social reasons were equally convincing, but the dominant consideration was that no other practical means exist by which a chance of education can be given to thousands of children in the foreseeable future." – Sir John Wilson
So it was that after five more years the organization met at the Hanover School for the Blind to discuss the topic suggested above by Sir John Wilson. Although the number of participants was still very limited (approximately 280), it did include delegates from several developing countries. The leaders in developed countries were coming to understand the growing needs in educating blind children in the emerging nations. Eric Boulter, Associate Director, AFOB estimated that pupil enrollment between 1952 and 1962 had increased 35 - 40 %, and that to meet this increase it was vital to establish teacher-training programs where the greatest needs existed, namely, in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
The format established at the previous conferences in Bussum and Oslo was followed once again: working groups were formed and resolutions were developed from discussions of the papers. There were also the by now common visits to places of interest, giving participants a chance not only to relax but also to talk in an informal setting. An added event, which was to become an important part of the future agenda of conferences, was a series of group visits to schools and organizations for the blind. In this way participants acquired hands-on knowledge of educational developments in the host country. Here a trip to the Berlin School for the Blind and a rehabilitation center in West Berlin was sponsored by the German government. Starting in Hanover, these excursions with colleagues became, for many, a highlight of the conference.
Edward Waterhouse, director of Perkins School for the Blind, was elected as chairman, and it was decided that the next conference would be held in 1967 at the Perkins School in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA, but the most significant development resulting from the conference was the establishment of the organization’s nascent periodical, The Educator.
During the period following the Hanover conference the newly elected chairman, Edward Waterhouse, discussed a plan with educators in Europe and Asia to publish a periodical once every six months, and to name a different editor for each issue. The first issue of The Educator came out in August 1964 with K.N.K Jussawala, the secretary of ICEVI and principal of The Victoria Memorial School for the Blind in Bombay, India, as the editor (Waterhouse, 1967). "This magazine was, frankly, an experiment, and it was feared that it would prove rather costly. Perkins undertook to underwrite any losses which might be incurred." (Heisler). The periodical had a subscription price of $1.00 (U.S.), and to keep postage costs within budget it was sent by surface mail.
For the most part the early Educator reprinted articles from various professional journals.Seven semi-annual issues were published. However, at the Watertown conference in 1967 it was decided to appoint a single editor, and William Heisler, who was head of the Perkins’s Teacher Training Program, was appointed to the position. Theodore Pauw, principal of the Worcester School for the Blind, South Africa, was appointed as sub-editor at the Madrid conference for the section of the journal devoted to education of the deaf-blind. During William Heisler’s fourteen years as editor, The Educator grew to include the Chairman’s Column (started by chairman Jeanne Kenmore, 1972-77) and the Editor’s Letterbox. The Letterbox served a most important function in keeping readers posted on international events. In 1967 it was decided that every effort should be made to secure original articles as well as important news items from around the world. Later, when ICEVI established regions, regional reports would be included.
"Same initials – a new name, I.C.E.B.Y now stands for "International Council of Educators of Blind Youth" instead of "International Conference…" – Edward Waterhouse
"This conference has shown us what an inspiring experience it is to meet to share new ideas." – Tore Gissler
By the time of the 1967 conference changes were clearly taking place within ICEVI and in the field of education for the blind in general. The civil rights movement in the United States was beginning to shed light on how people in general had been segregated and, in this forum, began to affect how the handicapped were cared for and educated.
One area of notable change was in deaf-blind education. This global change was in part due to a rather minor event that was sponsored in 1966 by the Industrial Home for the Blind, Brooklyn, New York and the Perkins School for the Blind. It was a celebration in New York City and Washington D.C. to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Helen Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy. The outcome of this celebration was to change dramatically how deafblind children were educated in the United States and throughout the world. Among the guests that day was Mary Switzer, director of the Vocational Rehabilitation Administration in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, who was greatly moved by this account of Leonard Dowdy (an outstanding deaf-blind person and a former Perkins student 1934–48). In November 1966 Mary Switzer discussed with John W. Gardner, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, and Harold Howe II, Commissioner of Education, the possibility of submitting a bill providing services for deaf-blind children (Waterhouse 1977).
By this time, in 1963 and 1964, the devastating effects of the rubella (German measles) epidemic in the United States were being realized, and the need for swift and decisive action on a large scale was apparent. In 1968 federally funded deaf-blind programs were established, one at Perkins School for the Blind.
One of the most notable changes that participants to the fourth conference noticed was that the format departed from previous conferences in two principal ways (Heisler). First, it was decided to limit the conference to one week, and second, a plan was instituted to run a series of group workshop sessions to replace the formal paper and discussion pattern of previous conferences. Principal topics dealt with at the workshops sessions included various methods and techniques in teaching regular school subjects to blind children. The workshops were conducted by educators from various countries who coordinated the discussions. Some workshops included demonstrations with pupils and exhibitions of equipment. The general consensus among participants was that this new approach resulted in a broad sharing of ideas and talent involving teachers and others who worked directly with pupils, and that it was a great improvement over the previous conference model. Of great help at the Watertown conference was the use of simultaneous translation (in English, French and German) during the general meetings.
The topics covered in the workshops mainly dealt with the teaching of academic subjects, as that was what most concerned the educators in attendance: math, geography, science, social studies and music. But the subject which received the greatest attention was Braille literacy, and reports on this topic were presented by representatives from Germany, South Africa, Malaysia, Britain, India, Spain and the United States. One report from the U.S. was given by the well-known educator Berthold Lowenfeld. This grand old man, who had given most his life to educating blind people in Germany and the United States, was a true source of inspiration at the conference, especially to the younger generation just entering the field.
Included in the non-academic subjects were papers and demonstrations in daily living skills and physical education, which covered, to some degree, orientation and mobility (including use of the long cane). Children with multi-impairments (not including deaf-blind) were sometimes referred to at the conference as Slow Learners. Eunice Kenyon, director of the Boston Center for Blind Children, in her presentation of diagnostic appraisal of children at the center, said "All children in residential treatment have serious emotional disturbances in addition to their visual handicap."
Waterhouse and several other participants were particularly interested in the education of deafblind children. In part Waterhouse’s interest was due in part to Perkins’ long history of educating deaf-blind children, starting with Laura Bridgman in 1837 and continuing through the 20th Century, but his interest was further stimulated by the rubella outbreak. An educational demonstration was made by Perkins deaf-blind students, and the film "Children of the Silent Night" was shown. ICEVI had previously demonstrated an interest in deaf-blind education when it invited S.O. Myers of the RNIB’s Condover Hall School to report at a seminar on deaf-blind children, which had been held at Condover in July 1962. A Committee on Deaf-Blind Children had later been formed, and now at the Fourth Quinquennial Conference they were able to meet once again.
Trips were taken to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to view new devices developed for the blind. These included guidance devices, reading machines and computers in use for producing Braille. Visits were also made to other local agencies serving blind persons.
By holding the conference in the United States it was realized that a number of delegates, especially from emerging countries, would have problems obtaining the necessary funds for travel. For some this dilemma was overcome when they received fellowships from the federal government to attend one of two Leadership Projects held just before the conference.
The organization had clearly changed since its first meeting in 1952. To reflect these changes it was decided to amend the constitution and change the organization name to the International Council for Educators of Blind Youth (ICEBY).
There had been talk of a Finance Committee ever since the World Council met in Rome in 1959, but not very much had come of it. It was important (Waterhouse 1967) that representative educators were thinking of the continuing financing of the organization. It was at the conference at Perkins that such a committee was set up under the chairmanship of Stewart Armstrong of the Ontario School for the Blind.
Many educators left this conference not fully understanding the changes that were occurring in ICEVI or within the field at large. Yet few realized, as they gathered for the opening of the conference in the large hall at Perkins, that this was the last time ICEVI would hold its international conference at a school for the blind. As ICEVI grew to include a greater number of teachers and professionals within the field (in addition to heads of organizations), it would seek to develop closer relationships with its members. This would bring about practical benefits in the way of greater international cooperation. The world of ICEVI was expanding.