DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 391 273 EC 304 522

AUTHOR Fankhauser, Marcia

TITLE Washington State Services for Children with

Deaf-Blindness. Final Project Report, October 1,

1992-September 30, 1995.

INSTITUTION Puget Sound Educational Service District, Seattle,

WA.; Washington Office of the State Superintendent of

Public Instruction, Olympia.

SPONS AGENCY Special Education Programs (ED/OSERS), Washington,

DC.

REPORT NO H025A20026

PUB DATE Dec 95

NOTE 29p.

PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS Agency Cooperation; *Consultation Programs; *Deaf

Blind; Delivery Systems; Disability Identification;

Early Intervention; Elementary Secondary Education;

Information Dissemination; Inservice Education;

Parent Associations; *Parent Education; Preschool

Education; Social Integration; Social Support Groups;

*Technical Assistance; Transitional Programs

IDENTIFIERS *Washington

ABSTRACT

This report describes activities and accomplishments

of the Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness

3-year, federally supported program to provide technical assistance

and training to families and service providers of approximately 140

children with deaf-blindness. Specific outcomes are listed for each

of the project's 11 objectives: (1) identification of children with

deaf-hlindness; (2) promotion of the inclusion of children with

deaf-blindness in community programs; (3) provision of direct

services to non-mandated children with deaf-blindness as needed; (4)

provision of counseling and consultation services to families; (5)

provision of consultation services to personnel working with

school-age children with deaf-blindness in local education agencies

and other agencies; (6) provision of training for service providers

of children with deaf-blindness; (7) provision of transition services

for children with deaf-blindness; (8) support of parent-to-parent

outreach efforts; (9) dissemination of information about resources to

families and service providers; (10) cooperation and coordination of

service delivery with other State agencies; and (11) maintenance of

an advisory committee. Specific sections of the report address the

project's background and purpose, activity outcomes, problems

encountered, technical assistance evaluations, product development,

and product dissemination. (DB)

***********************************************************************

* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made

from the original document. ***********************************************************************
FINAL PROJECT REPORT

(-) OCTOBER 1, 1992 - SEPTEMBER 30, 1995

c\I

WASHINGTON STATE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN

WITH DEAF-BLINDNESS

(CFDA # 84.025A)

Project Award No. H025A20026

Project Director

Douglas H. Gill, Ed.D.

Director of Special Education

Special Education Unit

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Old Capitol Building FG-11 Olympia. Washington 98504-3211

Submitted by:

Marcia Fankhauser. Ed.D.

Project Manager

Washington State Services for Children

with Deaf-Blindness

Puget Sound Educational Service District 400 SW 152nd Street

Seattle, Washington 98166-2209

(206) 439-6937

December 1995

2

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION

CENTER tERICI ././.n.s document nes been reproduced as

received from the person or organization

r °A;:ngOnractnnagn'Pes nave been made to .rnprove

reproduct.on Quality

Points ot view Or opinions Slated in this OoCu

ment do nOt leCessanly represent olf.c.ai

0E111 pOsitiOr r 11.55
ABSTRACT

Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness provided

technical assistance and training to families and service providers of 135-

141 children who ranged from birth to twenty-one years of age reported on

the project census between October 1, 1992 and September 30, 1995.

Services were provided at no cost as a result of combined project funding

through a state discretionary grant under IDEA, Part VI B and a federal

IDEA, Part VI C grant through the Washington State Office of the

Superintendent of Public Instruction, Division of Special Services. Services

were provided statewide supported by a director, program assistant and two

consultants.

The project had eleven major objectives as authorized under 34 CFR Part

307.11 Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness Program (CFDA No.:

84.025A): 1) identification of children with deaf-blindness, 2) promotion of

the inclusion of children with deaf-blindness into community programs. 3)

provision of direct s&vices to non-mandated children with deaf-blindness as

needed, 4) provision of counseling and consultation services to families, 5)

provision of consultation services to personnel working with school-age

children with deaf-blindness in LEAs and other agencies. 6) provision of

training for service providers of children with deaf-blindness. 7) provision of

transition services for children with deaf-blindness, 8) support of parent to

parent outreach efforts, 9) dissemination of information about resources to

families and service providers, 10) cooperation and coordination of service

delivery with other State agencies, and 11) maintenance of an advisory

committee to plan. develop, and implement services.

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE #

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE I

PROJECT ACTIVITY OUTCOMES 3

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED 1 6

SUMMARIES OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EVALUATIONS . . . 2 2

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND PROJECT DISSEMINATION

SUMMARY 2 5
PROJECT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Washington is a large state, covering over 66,000 square miles. The

state has two distinct regions (east and west) defined by the Cascade

Mountain Range which runs north and south between British

Columbia, Canada and Oregon. Washington is predominantly rural,

except for a few major urban areas primarily on the western side of

the mountains. There are 298 school districts in the state.

One hundred and sixteen children from birth through twenty-one

years of age were reported on the State's census for individuals with

deaf-blindness for December 1991. Children who are deaf-blind in

Washington State receive early intervention, educational, and

vocational instruction in a variety of settings. There are no classrooms

specifically for children who are deaf-blind. Few teachers have formal

training in deaf-blindness or sensory impairments. Teacher

certification in specific disability areas is not required. The majority

of teachers have general special education degrees in accordance with

the state's generic special education certification requirements.

Families of individuals with deaf-blindness are spread throughout the

state with the availability and quality of services varying greatly from

community to community. Mandated special education services begin

at age three. Trained professionals to work with infants and toddlers

with hearing and/or vision disabilities were limited. Year Five of Part

H of IDEA was implemented in year two of the project on October 1,

1994.

For more than fifteen years the Washington State Office of the

Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Education Agency

(SEA), has maintained a commitment to further the development of

individuals with deaf-blindness and their families throughout the state.

The specific purposes of the project in Washington State have been as

follows:

1 FR/92-95
#1 To provide technical assistance to assure that service

providers and .!amilies more effectively meet the needs of their

children with deaf-blindness.

#2 To engag, in on-going coordination with the State

educational agency, the State's lead agency under part H of IDEA

and other State agencies responsible for providing services to

. children with deaf-blindness.

FR/92-95

2
Objective I:

PROJECT ACTIVITY OUTCOMES

Identify children with deaf-blindness.

1 1 Provide notification

describing the federal definition and state

regulations regarding deaf- blindness and services

available from the project to all appropriate programs.

1.2 Collect auditory and visual assessment information on

referred children and place

those who qualify on the

state census.

FR/92-95

Outcome: Approximately 3000 brochures were distributed in

English and Spanish through

trainings. in response to

referrals, at conferences and

workshops, as well as through mailings to agencies, medical facilities, school districts, and others. In addition, a poster produced in collaboration with

other organizations was distributed widely to libraries, medical facilities and other

organizations to be posted for public awareness of resources.

Outcome: Over seventy newly

referred children were placed on

the project census during the

three year period.

Approximately five children each year who went through the

referral process did not qualify. A

similar number of referrals did

not proceed for reasons such as

families moved or did not

respond.

Referral sources in descending

order of occurrence:

Birth-to-Three Centers

Education Programs Department of Services for

the Blind and Helen Keller

National Center

Other agencies/hospitals

3

7
1.3 Report census information

to the federal census

project.

1.4 Refer children with deafblindness to appropriate

audiologists, ophthalmologists, and clinics for auditory and visual

assessments.

FR/92-95

Outcome:

December 1992 = 135

December 1993 = 135

December 1994 = 141

This is an increase of twenty-five children over the previous three year period (i.e., December 1991 = 116).

From project year 1992 through

1995 approximately fifteen

children transition into adult

services. Another twenty-six moved, no longer qualified or were removed for other reasons.

Note: children in Washington State continue to be

under identified. The range for Washington State is predicted to be from 111 to 290 according to

recent estimates of Teaching Research.

The majority of school districts in Washington State report children who have combined hearing and

vision impairments as "multiply handicapped" for special education purposes rather than

under the category of "deaf-blind."

Outcome: Families were referred

to professionals or medical facilities in their communities or

other parts of the state as needed. Low vision clinics held in eastern

Washington provided an

additional resource of evaluation

for some children.

4
1.5 Provide technical assistance

to staff for functional

auditory and visual

assessments.

Outcome: Technical assistance

interventions for functional

auditory anci visual assessments were conducted most

consistently with newly referred

children in order to determine

individual programming

adaptations. The number of

requests generally involve from

twenty to forty. children each

year.

Objective 2: Promote the inclusion of children with deaf-blindness

into community programs

2.1 Survey each child's community for appropriate

resources and programs.

2.2 Provide technical assistance

to programs integrating

individuals with deafblindness birth through

age twenty-one.

FR/92-95

Outcome: Among the primary

resources sought by parents have been sign language classes, summer programs. and vision/hearing assessment

resources.

Outcome: Approximately ten percent of the students on the

census received their education

in the general classroom setting.

The majority received their education in self-contained

programs for multi-disabled

students or with deaf/hard-ofhearing students. Integration

took many forms. None of the

students were in classes specific

to children who were deaf-blind.

Approximately fifteen teams of

this group of students received

assistance in providing

appropriate integration activities.

5
Topics of assistance generally

included communication,

appropriate activities, programming, friendships, promoting interactions, adapting

curriculum and materials, arid

peer tutoring.

Objective 3: Provide direct services to non-mandated children with

deaf-blindness as needed.

3.1 Assess the needs of

individuals with deafblindness and their

families.

3.2 Develop home-based

instruction plans.

3.3 Provide technical assistance

for personnel working with

infants with deaf-blindness in

LEAs and other agencies.

3.4 Coordinate with the multidisciplinary team in the development of

Individualized Family Service

Plan (IFSP) goals and

objectives.

FR/92-95

Outcome: The needs of twenty- one families of birth-to-three year olds were assessed during the

first two project years.

Outcome: As of October 1, 1994

WA State implemented Year Five of the IDEA, Part H. Therefore,

the project no longer provided direct services to birth to three

year olds. Families of birth to

three year olds, however, were provided assistance in year three with functional assessments, skill

develop plans, and programming

ideas, as were all families as

needed.

Outcome: Approximately one hundred twenty-five technical assistance interventions were

provided to support service providers working with birth-tothree year old children on the

census.

Outcome: Project staff coordinated with the MDTs of

approximately thirty infants on

the project census.

6

i 0
Objective 4 Provide counseling and consultation services to families

4.1 Provide support, technical assistance and training to

families.

4.2 Provide access to a qualified

counselor.

4.3 Provide support group opportunities for parents of children having similar needs, as needed.

4.4 Provide at-home

consultation services.

4.5 Provide an annual workshop

for families.

FR/92-95

Outcome Over 995 consultations

were provided families either by

phone or home visitations.

Outcome: The project provided

approximately 140

individual/family counseling

sessions.

Outcome: Support group opportunities were provided in

two formats: three annual Family Retreat Weekends, two Usher

Family Weekends, two Families Together Weekends, and two

regional meetings in collaboration with Parents and Friends for

People with Deaf-Blindness.

Outcome: Approximately 125 at- home consultations were

provided to families of children

from age three through twentyone.

Outcome: Three Family Retreat Weekends were held for seventyfive families. Programs were provided for the parents, as well as the children who are deafblind and their siblings.

Two Usher Parent/Family Weekends were held for twentyfour families project years

two and three. In year two, parents attended. In year three

the children with Usher

syndrome attended as well.

Six families attended camps for

families of children with a variety

of disabilities sponsored by Families Together during project years two and three.

7

1 1
Objective 5: Provide consultation services for personnel working with

school-age children with deaf-blindness in LEAs and other agencies.

5.1 Notify LEA and agency personnel of services provided by the project.

5.2 Inform staff of appropriate

state, and national

resources.

5.3 Provide technical assistance

and training to staff as needed.

5.4 Coordinate with each

student's multidisciplinary

team in the development of

IEP goals.

FR/92-95

Outcome: LEA and agency staff working with all children on the

census were informed of project services via letter, newsletter,

brochures, site visitations,

meeting presentations, and a newsletter insert which specifies

in detail project services and

information on how to access

services.

Outcome: Provided as requested

on an individual basis and through

the quarterly newsletter.

Outcome: Approximately 540 on- site technical assistance

interventions were provided. In

addition, twelve to fifteen

hundred phone consultations were provided.

Outcome: Fifty-seven teams were provided specific assistance

regarding the development of the

IEP appropriate goals.

Additional assistance was

provided to multidisciplinary

teams with regard to individual programming, communiciAtion, assessment, transition, behavior

support. placement and other

topics including mediation and

teaming.

8
5.5 Facilitate cooperative efforts between agencies having

specific expertise to

identify and meet the needs of individual children with

deaf-blindness.

Outcome: The project coordinated with more than

twenty different programs and

agencies (not including education

programs) for a variety of activities focused on individual

children as well as groups of parents and professionals. Examples: Department of Services for the Blind, Helen

Keller National Center-Regional Office, Deaf-Blind Service .Center,

Parent Infant Project, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Activities were to

develop new programs, develop

transition/IFSP/IEP plans, provide training, assess children, and develop training and resource materials.

Ob ective 6: Provide trainin for service roviders of children with

deaf-blindness.

6.1 Provide staff training

through the State Summer

Institutes.

6.2 Offer service providers access to exemplary practice sites.

6.3 Provide training to service providers on-site and

through statewide workshops.

FR/92-95

Outcome: Project staff presented workshops at seven summer

institutes over the three year period.

Outcome: Six exchanges were arranged over the three year period.

Outcome: Staff presented at approximately twenty-five

statewide workshops/conferences

in addition to those trainings for

individual child teams. Examples: Association of School

Psychologists, Statewide Conference on Childhood

Deafness, IDEA

9
6.4 Support development of an

apprenticeship program to

provide ongoing statewide

inservice training for LEA

paraprofessionals.

Outcome: The program was

implemented in one region of the

state during year two. Two

groups of paraprofessionals are

receiving training, one in school interpreting and the other in

supporting the needs of students with vision impairments. The program was established through

collaboration with the Washington

State Department of Labor and

Industries which runs a variety of

internship programs.

Objective 7: Provide transition services for children with deafblindness.

7.1 Notify families of children with deaf-blindness and

appropriate agencies of

transition services provided

by the project.

7.2 Inform children with deafblindness and their families

of appropriate community, state, arid national

resources.

7.3 Facilitate the transition of

services from home to

agencies to LEA programs

to community services.

7.4 Coordinate with LEAs,

parents, and state vocational agencies to develop transition goals for each student with deafblindness and identify

appropriate community

resources, placements and

programs.

FR/92-95

Outcome: Families were notified

on an individual basis by phone and through a flier inserted in the newsletter.

Outcome: Provided as needed on

an individual basis.

Outcome: Fifteen students were

assisted specific to issues of

transition into the community.

Approximately twenty-five preschoolers were provided

transition support.

Outcome: Coordination most

often involved school districts.

Department of Services for the Blind, Washington School for the Deaf, Washington State School for

the Blind. and Helen Keller

National Center-Region Office.

10

14
7.5 Support parents and service Outcome: Fifteen students

providers of transition-age transitioned into community

individuals with deaf- services.

blindness.

Ob ect_jiye_31SLppim_ort a ent to parent outreach effort.

8.1 Inform families of supports available through "Parents and Friends Together for People with Deaf-Blindness."

8.2 Link new families with

individuals and groups per

requests.

8.3 Provide support and

resources to parent groups.

FR/92-95

Outcome: Parents and Friends

activities were an inced in the

project newslettei Additionally, 800 copies of the Parents and Friends newsletter was sent to

agencies and all families on the

census annually.

Outcome: Three to four

representatives of Parents and Friends for People with Deaf- Blindness participated in the

family retreat annually providing

resource material. Individuals

were linked as requested.

Outcome: Annually, the project provided staff support for the Parents and Friends for People with Deaf-Blindness at their

meetings. with their newsletter, and mailings. The new

Northwestern Region Board

director of the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB)

is one of our project parents. Parents were provided/offered

support group opportunities. Parents were financially supported

to attend non-project trainings in

response to individual requests

(e.g.. CHARGE & TRISOMY

Conferences.)

11

1 a
Objective 9: Disseminate information about resources to service

providers and families.

9.1 Publish and distribute a

newsletter.

9.2 Collect and develop new

informational materials.

9.3 Maintain a lending library.

9.4 Send out packets of

information relating to

specific needs of individuals with deaf-blindness.

9.5 Refer requests to

appropriate information

sources.

FR/92-95

Outcome: Over 8000 copies were

mailed to families, agencies and

service providers.

r,utcome: In addition to

disseminated materials from other

projects and purchased library materials, the project received

journals and newsletters available

for lending. Specific articles of

interest were added to the project resource file library.

Outcome: The library houses over 540 books and 150 videos.

Circulation records indicate that

approximately 140 videos and 115 books were borrowed from the

project library by both families and

service providers over the past

three years.

Outcome: Packets of information

requested by individuals were sent regularly by project consultants on

specific topics as requested or

related to areas of technical

assistance.

Outcome: An estimated quarter of

the calls logged by the project director and assistant are for

information and referral.

12
Objective 10: Cooperate and coordinate service delivery with the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, and the Washington Department of Services for the Blind

10.1 Maintain communication

with the above-mentioned

state agencies.

10.2 Make and receive referrals

through the above- mentioned state agencies.

10.3 Provide technical assistance

to staff of the abovementioned state agencies.

10.4 Assist Office of

Superintendent of Public

Instruction in planning and

implementation of Summer Institutes and other

trainings

FR/92-95

Outcome: Communication was

maintained via newsletter, phone, and through regular meetings to

plan and coordinate services. A

primary source of collaboration was through the Vision Cooperative. A project year-end

report was sent to Special Education Directors and others

involved with the above agencies.

Outcome: The majority of referrals come through the above

state agencies and their associated

programs.

Outcome: In addition to regular collaboration regarding training

events and technical assistance to

families and professionals, the project provided coordination

regarding the development of a Vision Cooperative service matrix

to be distributed throughout the

state describing the services and

other information regarding each

of the agencies.

Outcome: Project staff assisted in

the planning and implementation

of seven summer institutes.

13

7
Ob ective 11: Maitain and utilize in ut from an advisory committee

to plan. develop, and implement services.

11.1 Solicit input of an advisory Outcome: The project Advisory

committee through a variety Committee met twice a year to

of means. provide input regarding project activities. The committee

generally was composed of twelve

if..embers representing state

agencies, school districts, and

families.

11.2 Utilize/implement Outcome: Recommendations

recommendations of the implemented over the past three

committee. years include the following:

Installed a 1-800 phone number

to make the project more readily

accessible to families and service

providers.

Implemented a study of the

needs of deaf-blind infants and

their families in order to provide

more equitable services

statewide.

Submitted a proposal to

establish a statewide coordinated

service delivery system for infants

with sensory disabilities. The proposal resulted in a statewide

project to train professionals to work with families of infants with

hearing and/or vision disabilities.

Hired a staff consultant based on

the east side of the Washington State to provide more equitable

service statewide.

14

FR/92-95
Added two family workshop opportunities (Usher family weekend and Families Together

weekend).

Provided training to the school

psychologists' association.

15

FR/92-95 -J
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

The following problems were encountered over the course of the

project.

Project Staffing

A third project consultant position was unfilled as of September 1993.

Although the position was advertised nationally and locally two to

three times during project years two and three, it remained unfilled

for lack of qualified applicants. This hampered staff ability to respond

to requests for technical assistance. A partial solution was to hire

consultants on a contractual basis to address specific technical

assistance or training needs. Most of these individuals were employed

in other jobs and were limited in their availability as well.

Exemplary Practice Sites

As part of providing training or technical assistance, the project

promotes exchanges between programs. This was done on a limited

basis, however, because there were no specific classes for children

who are deaf-blind in the state. The children were scattered and

received their education in a variety of settings. At one point a review

of placements revealed that 135 children on the census were served

in 115 different classrooms. In addition, none of the classroom

teachers in Washington State had degrees specifically in the field of

deaf-blindness. Therefore, staff exchanges generally were to sites

where individual specific practices might be highlighted.

Student Movement

Related to the issues in A and B above was tly2 issue of student

movement as it related to the training of fitaff and the provision of

technical assistance. Time and effort spent in training a team around

an individual child's needs often had to be duplicated within the same

or following year when the single deaf-blind child and family moved to

a different program and again became the single child in a program.

Already limited resources were stretched even further.

16

FR/92-95
SUMMARIES OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EVALUATIONS

The following information summarizes the technical assistance evaluations

for each project year.

1992 - 1993 Family Summary

1) As a result of the assistance provided, do you feel your skills,

knowledge, or attitudes were refined or expanded?

Yes [97.6 %I No [ I NA or DK [2.40/0I

2) Do you feel you acquired skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enhance your ability to advocate for the needs of your

. deaf-blind child in educational, vocational, or community settings in

the future?

Yes [87] No [6.5 %I NA or DK 16.5%]

3) Do you feel that the work of the consultant with your child's school/agency/other professionals has increased their ability to work

with you and your child as team members sharing common goals?

Yes [86.7 %I No [ I NA or DK [13.3 %I

4) Were you satisfied with the transition of your child into his/her new program, school or community?

Yes [11.1 %I No [5.6 0/01 NA or DK [83.3 %]I

5) Do you feel your calls to the project office and your concerns were handled in a responsive, caring, knowledgeable manner?

Yes [89.7 %I No [6.9 %I NA or DK (3.4 %I

I Comments most often were that their child had not been through a transition period that

year.

17

FR/92-95

2 1
1992 - 1993 Professional Summary

Goal: As a result of the consultant's assistance, service providers will

feel they understand the needs of their student who is deaf-blind and

are more effectively able to address those needs through their

teaching/service provision.

1) Do you feel that your skills, knowledge, and attitudes were

refined, expanded, or updated as a result of the assistance

provided by the consultant?

Yes [98 %I No [ DK or NA [2 %I

Goal: Service providers will feel that our work has contributed to

positive relationships with families through our cooperative efforts.

2) Do you feel that your work with your student who is deaf-blind

and your relationship with his/her family has been made more

effective because of the consultant's work with the family?

Yes [92 0/01 No [2 %I DK or NA [6 %]

GoaL Everyone involved in the transition of children/students to new

programs, schools, or community services will be satisfied with the

process and the outcome.

3) Do you feel that the efforts of the consultant contributed

positively to a smooth and satisfactory transition of your student into

or out of your program?

Yes [68.1 %I No [2.1 %I DK or NA [29.8 ok]

Goal: Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness

will be viewed as a productive project with competent, concerned

staff.

4) Do you feel the consultant was positive, supportive, and sensitive

to your priorities?

Yes [98 %I

FR/92-95

No [2 %I DK or NA [ I

18

)2
1993-1994 Family Sununary

1) As a result of the assistance provided, do you feel your skills,

knowledge, or attitudes were refined or expanded?

Yes [100 %] No [

2) Do you feel you acquired skills, knowledge and attitudes that

will enhance your ability to advocate for the needs of your deaf-blind

child in educational, vocational, or community settings in the future?

Yes [86.7 0/01 No [13.3 °/01

3) Do you feel that the work of the consultant with your child's

school/agency/other professionals has increased their ability to work with

you and your child as team members sharing common goals?

Yes [100 %I No [ I

4) Were you satisfied with the transition of your child into his/her new

program. school or community?

Yes [92.8 ok] No [7.2 %I

5) Do you feel your calls to the project office and your concerns were

handled in a responsive, caring, knowledgeable manner?

Yes [100 %I No [

19

FR/92-95
1993 - 1994 Professional Summary

Goat As a result of the consultant's assistance, service providers will feel

they understand the needs of their student who is deaf-blind and are more

effectively able to address those needs through their teaching/service

provision.

1) Do you feel that your skills, knowledge, and attitudes were

refined, expanded, or updated as a result of the assistance provided by

the consultant?

Yes 191.7 %I No [4.2 %] NA [4.2 %]

Goal Service providers will feel that our work has contributed to positive

relationships with families through our cooperative efforts.

2) Do you feel that your work with your student who is deaf-blind and

your relationship with his/her family has been made more effective because

of the consultant's work with the family?

Yes 195.7 0/01 No [4.3 %) NA1 )

Goa Everyone involved in the transition of children/students to new

programs, schools, or community services will be satisfied with the process

and the outcome.

3) Do you feel that the efforts of the consultant contributed positively to a

smooth and satisfactory transition of your student into or out of your

program?

Yes [59.1 % I No [ ] NA [40.9 %)

Goal: Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness will be

viewed as a productive project with competent. concerned staff.

4) Do you feel the consultant was positive. supportive, and sensitive

to your priorities?

Yes [100 %I No [

20

FR/92-95

-2 4
1994 - 1995 Family and Professional Summary

1) Were specific recommendations or changes made?

Yes [90.9 %] No [6.8 %I Do not know [2.3 %I

Which changes/recommendations are now implemented?

(sample of those reported)

long term planning with family and transition staff members orientation and mobility assessment content of education program-suggestions and refinement pairing sign pictures with object-noun pictures. Child is actively

participating in program

structuring of preschool program

programming ideas positioning, materials, and methods object choice board with velcro offer sensory tactile play right after snack (food items to play in and

taste.)

extra training for child's personal aide 0 & M had not received prior sign language with consultant's help. my child is now again

receiving

sequence box with labels in Braille- we use it every day to transition

use of tape recorder more appropriate tactile objects for student to explore

student uses her computer much more consistently

suggestions to include in goals student Ivies my hands while I sign

touch signs

the way the object calendar is used choice making

predictable/permanent object box. guidance for transition team

student is more successful in regular classes. communication book

routine schedule for her

Were any changes/recommendations unfeasible? No [100%1
In what way(s) have the changes affected the quality of your child's or

student's life?

1 staff understands the challenges of the sensory impairments

and accommodations needed by the student

2 school staff is more confident

2 - team is working together

4 - student is engaged in learning that will assist him/her to

function more independently

5 - routines are more consistent

6 - student is interacting more with family, teachers and friends

7 - student has more communication

7 - student is more relaxed

8 - school program is addressing the family's priorities

9 - environment is more predictable

10 - transition into new program was smooth

10 - family is better able to advocate for child

12 - student is more independent in self-help skills

13 - family is more relaxed

14 - student advocates more for self

15 - student is performing better in school subjects

not rated student requires less 1-on-1 attention or assistance

2) Do you and the consultant from the project office have further

plans for this or next year? Yes [61.5 %] No 138.5 %I

3) Do you have any specific suggestions for the consultant/project

staff regarding how he/she/they worked with you, your family, child,

or school personnel? Yes 115 Wo( No 185 °A(

FR/92-95
PRODUCT 0 MENT AND PROJECT DISSEMINATI N

SUMMARY

- PRODUCT/ :.--J DISSEMINATION

ACIIVITIES ::-: DATE DISTRIBUTION ATION :

Published and Winter 1992 Annually to over 1000 Project

distributed four through families and service Office

newsletters

annually

Fall 1995 proiriders on .the project mailing list

Developed and provided

informational

materials

October 1992

through September 1995

new brochure in November To programs, new Project

English and Spanish

1993 referrals: at

workshops and

conferences

Office

project poster 1993 To agencies. programs. medical

facilities, etc.

Project

Office

posters to train

in-home

providers in play

and

communication

skills for

individual

students

On-going Developed for specific

families for use in

their homes

Not available

handouts on October 1992 Distributed through Project

communication through newsletters and Office

systems and other techniques September 1995

workshop packets Files

FR/92-95

23 2
packets of

information

related to

.vecific issues

newsletter

articles and

published text contributions

October 1992

through September 1995

October 1992

through September 1995

Distributed to

individuals or through

trainings

Distribution through newsletters; co- authored chapters in Welcoming Students

Project

Office

Files

Project

Office

Paul Brookes

Publishing

Co.

American

Foundation

for the Blind

Press

Who Are Deaf-Blind

into Typical Classrooms (Haring

and Romer, eds.,

1995); contributed to

Hand in Hand

materials

development (Huebner, Prickett, Welch, Jofee. eds..

1995)

Translated project brochure into

Spanish

Spring 1994 Brochure was

distributed through workshops and sent

to Spanish speaking

families and agencies.

Developed in

collaboration with

TRACES Western

Region 307.11

projects.

Project

Office

Maintained a

lending library

October 1992

through September 1995

New written materials

and video acquisitions were published in

newsletters.

Project

Office

Project report to directors

June 1994

June 1995

Mailed to special education directors of

the programs serving

students in all nine

regions of the state.

Project

Office

FR/92-95

24

28
:PRODUCT/

,..,..:,...DISSEMINATION, ... atitutis'

L. . . DATE..

:DIST UTION :

.. . Consultative

Services

October 1992

through September 1995

Approximately 4145 parents, professionals, and

paraprofessionals

received support.

Training October 1992

through September 1995

Approximately 2015

individuals received

training in a variety of

forums.

Information and

Referral Services

October 1992

through September 1995

Approximately 11,185 individuals

were provided

information and

referrals. _

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information contact the following resources:

Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness Puget Sound Educational Service District 400 S.W. 152nd Street

Burien, Washington 98166-2209 Phone: 206-439-6937 V/TIY

Special Education Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

Old Capitol Building

PO Box 47200

Olympia, Washington 98504-7200 Phone: 360-753-6733

ERIC Clearinghouse Council for Exceptional Children

1920 Association Drive

Reston, Virginia 22091

25

FR/92-95