Specialized Personnel Working with Children Who Have Deaf Blindness

Identifying infants and toddlers with dual sensory impairments What Florida is working on: Establish a systematic parent interview protocol to screen hearing and vision – refer to audiology or ophthalmology if there are concerns Establish a means in the statewide early intervention data base where children with hearing and/or vision impairments would be identified Link the local Early Steps early intervention programs with the Florida Outreach Project so they can receive consultation when a child with dual sensory impairment is identified

How are infants and toddlers with dual sensory impairment served? Part C of IDEA Services are provided to the family and caregivers to improve their capacity to help their child with disability develop optimally Family-centered services where family sets priorities and determines which daily routines and places they want to provide developmentally beneficial activities The service provider must know the impact of hearing and visual impairment on child development and be able to assist parents in implementing appropriate strategies to assist in child development

Shortage of qualified providers for infants and toddlers with DSI What Florida is considering Developing competencies for providers who can appropriately serve children with hearing, vision, or dual sensory impairments Establish a training mechanism to prepare at least one person in every early intervention region that is currently serving children with complex medical or disability needs to serve the DSI population (INSITE for D/B) Establish a system of ongoing professional development specific to persons serving children with hearing and/or visual impairment

Critical Issues in Personnel Preparation Shortages of Teachers Shortages of Paraprofessionals Inability to recruit a diverse workforce Reduction in funding for university training programs Reciprocity in Certification among states Continual updating of personnel skills – Continuing Education Opportunities

Increasing the Supply Support Existing Programs and/or encourage new ones Support funding through CSPD-SIGS Assist with recruitment efforts Loan Forgiveness programs ‘Grow your own’

Professional Development DB Personnel are often isolated DB Personnel report that local in-service training often does not address issues related to deaf blindness DB Personnel need opportunities to be mentored by others with expertise in the field DB Personnel need to attend professional conferences (with some financial support)

What is FSDB Doing/Planning? Recruit and hire part-time Deaf Blind Specialists and/or Consultants Benchmark other states to determine best practice Offer 4 SKI*HI Training Models, including INSITE SKI*HIDeaf/Blind VIISA INSITE AHEAD

Vision Leadership Workgroup An interagency group that is comprised of agencies that have statewide oversight of services for children with vision impairments Facilitates interagency planning

Vision Leadership Workgroup Membership Department of Education Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind Florida Instructional Materials Center-VI Children’s Medical Services (DOH) Division of Blind Services Florida Families of Children with VI Florida State University Florida Outreach Project

Vision Leadership Workgroup Goal Develop an interagency state plan that is consistent with the goals of the Nation Agenda

Vision Leadership Workgroup Activities Share agency activities Collaborate on joint activities Systemization of EI services

Deaf-Blind Early Intervention Training Module Florida Outreach Project, the SKI*HI Institute at Utah State University, and FSDB Outreach are working together to develop and pilot a DB EI training module. Based on the Deaf-Blind Curriculum Understanding Deaf-Blindness

Deaf-Blind Early Intervention Training Module To be used with people who have a background in sensory impairments and people with out Will support other EI training and will provide information specific to children ages 0-5 who are DB Pilot training in Fall, 2004 at FSDB

Endorsement in Severe Disabilities (add-on credential) UF/FSU collaboration Funded by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council Florida Outreach Project will provide information about Deaf-blindness