Verification Guidelines for Children with Disabilities Technical Assistance document Nebraska Department of education Special education office September 2008

Deaf-Blindness Introduction Three Part Eligibility Requirement Meet verification criteria (92 NAC 51.006) Documentation: Adverse Effect on Educational Performance Determination: Need for Special Education Services This disability category is located in the Verf. Guidelines TA Document on pages 53-61 (website pages). The guidelines provides parents and educators information on the identification, verification, and determination of eligibility for special education services for children with deaf-blindness. 3-Part Requirements outlined in Rule 51 includes –(read slide above)

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) State Definition Deaf-blindness or dual sensory impairments means a combined hearing and visual impairment, the combination of which causes severe communication and other developmental and educational needs. Deaf-blindness or dual sensory impairments cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or blindness, unless supplementary assistance is provided to address the educational needs resulting from the combined disabilities. Deaf-blindness or dual sensory impairments means a combined hearing and visual impairment, the combination of which causes severe communication and other developmental and educational needs. Deaf-blindness or dual sensory impairments cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or blindness, UNLESS supplementary assistance is provided to address the educational needs resulting from the combined disabilities. (in other words, this is a combined loss of both vision and hearing)

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team Composition Verification Guidelines Hearing Impairments Report from Audiologist verifying unilateral or bilateral hearing loss MDT should be composed of those professionals required to verify a hearing impairment and a visual impairment. Parent, child’s teacher, an educator to teach a child with hearing impairments, an educator to teach a child with visual impairments; a SLP, a school district administrator or designed rept. The MDT can also consider an audiologist or an individual qualified to interpret the results of the audiological report. Verf Guidelines: The child with deaf-blindness should meet the criteria for both hearing impairments and visual impairments. Hearing Impairments—report from audiologist

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Adverse effect on at least one of these: Effective Communication Expressive or receptive language development Speech reception or production Academic and vocational performance Cognitive ability Social or emotional competence Adaptive behavior skills; or Result in a social/behavioral disability Continued for hearing impairments

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Visual Impairments A child with a visual impairment, including blindness, should be verified in one of the three categories: Blind Legally Blind Partially Sighted IN addition, the child must meet criteria for visual impairments. This information is outlined with specific details on pages 55-56 of the TA Document Review 3 areas under visual impairments.

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Visual Impairment: Blind No more than light perception as stated in a signed report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist Need for adapted curriculum and materials Educational significance of the visual impairment: documentation of behaviors which impede the child’s overall functioning; deficiencies in one or more of the following areas: daily living, social interaction, academic achievement, performance in the educational setting, or orientation and mobility Review this information

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Visual Impairment: Legally Blind Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye after correction, or a field restricted to 20 degrees or less stated in a report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist; Need for adapted curriculum and materials Educational significance of the visual impairment: documentation of behaviors which impede the child’s overall functioning; deficiencies in one or more of the following areas: daily living, social interaction, academic achievement, performance in the educational setting, or orientation and mobility

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Visual Impairment: Partially Sighted Signed report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist to certify a structural defect, condition, or disease of the eye, which may affect the child’s ability to learn visually Educational significance of the visual impairment: documentation of behaviors which impede the child’s overall functioning; deficiencies in one or more of the following areas: daily living, social interaction, academic achievement, performance in the educational setting, or orientation and mobility

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) In addition to these two criteria, the child must meet the requirements of either of these: An assessment of the child’s functional vision. Significant delays in 3 or more of the visual behaviors should include but are not limited to: peripheral orientation, fixation, ability to shift gaze, ability to track, and ability to converge.

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) OR A visual assessment as stated in a signed report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist to certify at least one of the following: distant visual acuity of 20/70 or less, in the better eye after correction; near visual acuity equivalent to or less than 8 point type at 40 centimeters, in the better eye after correction; central vision field loss of any degree in both eyes; or peripheral visual field of 60 degrees or less in better eye

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Procedures to Determine Adverse Effect on Educational Performance: Factors to Consider Type and degree of hearing and visual impairments Etiology of hearing and visual impairments Age of onset of hearing and vision impairments Age of identification and current age Nature/status (permanent, stable, progressive, fluctuating) Current medications and current medical information History and use of interventions Relevant family/medical history Educational Performance (communication, orientation and mobility, language, academic, social-emotional) In addition, there are some guiding questions to assist teams in making determination of whether the disability has an adverse effect on the child’s developmental/educational performance. (pages 58-59)

Deaf-Blindness (cont’d) Related Definitions Frequently Asked Questions References and Resources Good related definitions, frequently asked questions, and references and resources also included on pages 59-61.

For Additional Information Special Education Office Nebraska Department of Education Telephone: 402-471-2471 Web Address: www.neb.state.ne.us/SPED/sped/html