Personnel Training
- In-service or workshops on specific content areas
- Scholarships for intervener training for educators and parents/family members who have a child with deaf-blindness
- Learning opportunities for child teams based on individual child needs
Information Services and Family-to-Family Connections
- Scholarships for intervener training for parents with child with deafblindness
- Assistance in locating children and young adults who may have both a vision and a hearing loss so they are able to receive early services
- Resource Information Packets distributed to families of children who are newly identified as deafblind and on the Iowa Deafblind Registry
- Ongoing collaboration with various agencies to expand services for children who are deaf-blind
- Connect family to family through social media
- Additional Resource materials available upon request
Consultation Services (Technical Assistance)
- Increase educational achievement by supporting teams requesting assistance with assessment, designing instructional programs and regular, ongoing implementation of program recommendations
- Improve transition services for youth who are deafblind and the achievement of post-secondary goals
Student-Focused Consultations
To access consultative services for specific students, please provide the following information:
- A completed registration on the Deafblind Registry
- Technical Assistance Request form
Consultants typically will spend from one-half to one full day in the classroom. With home visits the time will vary depending on the family routines. A brief meeting between the teacher and the consultant prior to student observation will provide the consultant with information of the teacher’s concerns.
It is typical for consultants to:
- Gather and collect data while observing the student
- Observe and record (video if permission is given) the student’s interactions with peers and staff.
- Withdraw the student from the classroom.
- Following the visit a summary report is written.
- Upon request, consultants are available to attend team meetings in order to share recommendations and observations.
Scheduled Consultative Visits
The consultant and Deafblind Technical Assistance Team members visit programs and/or homes according to the schedule that meets the needs of the child, parents and program providers. Dependent upon the needs of the child, family and/or educational team, more than one visit may be needed.
Requested Consultative Visits
The consultant and/or Deafblind Technical Assistance Team (DTAT) members will make visits upon request to provide assessments, program suggestions and assistance as requested.
DTAT members have experience and training that has qualified them to address the needs of students with combined losses in vision and hearing.
Consultative services for specific students, may include the following:
- Provide information on local support services
- Provide workshops for family and educational teams
- Assist in providing transition resources to educational settings and adult services
- Provide specific training for paras / interveners
Recommendations for accommodations and instructional strategies for the student are created in collaboration between the consultant/DTAT, family and educational team. The consultant/DTAT will offer information and demonstrations of methods and techniques that are most suitable to foster the student’s development and learning.