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Appendix A.

State Deaf-Blind Project 

Grantee Questionnaire
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OPENING SCREEN

OSEP State Deaf-Blind Projects:

Phase II of the IDEA National Evaluation of the 

Technical Assistance & Dissemination Program: 

Thank you for logging on to complete the State Deaf-Blind Project survey.

This survey is being conducted by Westat as part of the National Evaluation of the Technical 

Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Program. We are gathering the same information 

from all State Deaf-Blind Projects in order to describe the activities of the project, who you 

serve and how you identify children and youth for services, your work in different initiatives, 

and collaboration both with other state projects and with other agencies and organizations.

Your responses will help improve opportunities to receive support for those who work with 

children and youth with deafblindness.

All information gathered for this study will be kept confidential and will be used only for 

research purposes. The information collected for this study will be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form, for any other purpose 

except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183).

We estimate that this survey will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. 

You can start and stop at any time and your information will be saved.

As you respond to questions, please keep the following in mind: 

 By targeted technical assistance, we mean individualized assistance that was either 

(a) focused on a particular child or children (i.e., child-specific support) or 

(b) focused on a particular staff member or members working with deafblind 

children and that was direct and intensive in nature. 

 Please only include technical assistance which was provided either on site or through 

distance technology.

 Include services provided to individuals of all ages.

 While some activities of your project may have existed prior to the new funding cycle, 

please focus on the time period of October 2013 through now in responding to general 

questions about your project.

If you are uncertain how to answer any particular question, at any time, feel free to contact 

the project at TADEval@westat.com or toll-free at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and the survey specialist 

assigned to your state will get back to you right away.

Thank you for making this evaluation a success!
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According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to this voluntary 

collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control 

number for this information collection is 1850-XXXX. The time required to complete this information 

collection is estimated to average 45 minutes, including the time to review instructions, search existing data 

resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any 

comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write 

to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4537. If you have comments or concerns regarding 

the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Meredith Bachman, U.S. Department of 

Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Suite 500J, Washington, D.C. 20208, 

or email Meredith.Bachman@ed.gov. 
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Navigating the Survey

Navigate through the survey by answering each question and clicking the 'Save and Continue' button. 

When you click the 'Save and Continue' button, it will save your response and forward you to the next 

question. You may return to a prior question at any time by clicking on the appropriate question on the 

Section Guide to the left of the screen. When you reach the final submission page, please review your 

responses on the completed survey before the data are submitted. You cannot change your 

responses after the completed survey has been submitted. After submitting the data, you will be 

directed to the final screen so that you can print a copy of your completed survey for your records.

Navigation Key:

PLEASE NOTE: 

 The 'back' arrow on your browser has been disabled. Use the 'Save & Continue' button and 

the question guide to move through the survey. 

 Your session will time out after 30 minutes of inactivity and you will be returned to the login 

screen.

Do I have to complete the survey all at one time? No. You can sign in and out of the website as 

many times as needed to complete the survey. However, if you need to stop before finishing the 

survey, please be sure to click on the 'Save & Continue' button before signing out so that your 

responses(s) on that page will be saved. Once you have finished and submitted your survey, you will 

no longer have access to it. 

Can I skip a question? Yes, you may skip any question in the survey that you cannot or do not wish 

to answer. To skip a question, leave the question blank and then click the 'Save & Continue' button to 

proceed. 

Can I go back to a question that I have already answered or skipped? Yes. You may return to 

any answered or skipped question by clicking on the appropriate question on the question guide 

found on the left side of the screen. If you wish to change your response, be sure to click the 'Save & 

Continue' button after you make any changes. 

Can I print individual questions? Yes. You may print an individual page at any time by using your 

computer’s usual method of printing (e.g., using the Command-P or Ctrl-P key combination). 

Do I have to answer all the questions? You will automatically be skipped past some questions that 

do not apply to your situation, depending upon your answer to an earlier question. Please try to 

answer all questions that are relevant for your project. 

Can I have a colleague complete some of the questions instead of me? Yes. Certain questions 

may require the help of others. You may either share your login and password with these individuals, 

which will give them full access to the survey, or you can print off specific questions and fill in the 

responses yourself at a later time. 

Can I print a copy of the questionnaire when I am finished? Yes. Once you have completed the 
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survey, you will have the option to print a copy of your responses before submitting it to Westat. This 

will allow you to review all your answers and make any necessary changes. You will also be able to 

print a copy for your records after submitting it electronically to Westat. 

Can I obtain a paper version of the questionnaire? Yes. If you would like to see a paper version for 

reference purposes, you can download a PDF version by clicking the link at the top of the page that 

says 'Download PDF.' 

Is the system secure? System security is ensured through the following steps: 1) Login and 

password validation for entry into the system, 2) The use of Secure Socket Layers (SSL) for 

encryption of data packets, and 3) Data storage in a Data Zone that is not accessible through the 

Westat Firewall system. 

Who should I contact if I have a question? The Westat project team can be reached at 

TADEval@westat.com or by phone at 1-888-xxx-xxxx. When sending emails, in addition to the 

question, please be sure to include your name and a phone number where you can be reached.
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Project Structure and Model of TA

1. Which of the following best describes the administrative location of your state project? Select 

one.

O Housed in the SEA

O Housed in a university

O Housed in a private agency or center

O Housed in a state school for the deaf and/or blind

O Other: 

2. Which best describes the way in which your project provides targeted TA in schools and homes?

Select one.

O Our project does not provide targeted TA in homes or schools 

O Targeted TA is delivered primarily by project staff

O Targeted TA is delivered primarily by individuals who are not project staff (e.g., regional 

teams not funded by the project)

O Child-specific TA is delivered equally by project and non-project staff

O Other: 

3. Check whether your project receives any of the following in-kind support and whether it comes 

from a) your project’s fiscal agent or home agency, b) from your SEA (if it is not your fiscal agent 

or home agency), or c) from other entities, such as community partners. Check all that apply.

 If this support varies from year to year, think about the first year of your project.

 Include only support that comes to your project, or passes through your project (e.g., if 

your state supports parents to attend trainings but provides these stipends to parents 

directly, do not include them below, but if your state sponsors families and provides this 

money to the project to distribute, it should be included.)

From your 

project’s fiscal 

agent or home 

agency

From the SEA, if 

SEA is not your 

project’s fiscal 

agent or home 

agency

From another 

entity

Not 

applicable

a. FTEs for program-related staff (e.g., 

Project directors, TA team 

members, family specialists)

   

b. FTEs for administrative and clerical 

staff    

c. FTEs for consultants    

d. Benefits    

e. Infrastructure (e.g., computer 

equipment, office space, 

photocopying, telephone)

   

f. Travel    

g. Professional development for 

project staff    

h. Other (specify): [Q3htxt]    
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Child Count Data

4. Based on the data you submitted to NCDB for the Child Count in May 2014, please indicate how 

many children and youth with deafblindness your state had in each of these categories:

Age birth-2

3-5 

6-11 

12-17

18-21

Over 21

5. Since October 2013, how many children and youth have received child-specific TA, either in 

person or through distance technology, from your project?

Age birth-2

3-5 

6-11 

12-17

18-21

Over 21
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TA Recipients

6. Below is a list of possible individuals who may be served by your Project. Please check all to 

whom you have provided targeted TA since October 2013. Note that your response to this 

question is not expected to include TA or dissemination products that might be accessed 

without your knowledge. 

Families/Caregivers

 Parents/guardians

 Siblings

 Extended family members (e.g., grandparents)

 Non-familial caregivers (e.g., day care or after school providers)

School/Campus level

 School/campus administrators 

 Special education teachers

 General education teachers

 Related service providers (e.g., PT, OT, SLP, nurses, social workers, interpreters)

 Paraprofessionals/Paraeducators and support service providers (excluding trained

Interveners)

 Interveners

 Peers of students

District/county/regional level

 District Special Education Directors and other administrators

 Itinerant vision and hearing staff and/or audiologist employed by and working at the 

district level

 Local early intervention service providers

 Administrators of local Part C programs 

 County Service Agencies

 Staff of state early intervention/Part C lead agencies

 Regional consultants

State level and others

 State Department of Education (SEA) Part B personnel

 State Part C lead agency personnel

 Agencies/organizations serving children or youth who are deafblind (includes parent 

organizations)

 Private day care providers

 Hospitals or pediatric medical day cares

 University administrators, faculty, and students

 Researchers

 Other:
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7. Looking at all the customers you checked, which are the three customers that have received 

your greatest time and financial resources for targeted TA since October 2013? [Respondent will 

only see the items checked from the question above]

Families/Caregivers

 Parents/guardians

 Siblings

 Extended family members (e.g., grandparents)

 Non-familial caregivers (e.g., day care or after school providers)

School/Campus level

 School/campus administrators 

 Special education teachers

 General education teachers

 Related service providers (e.g., PT, OT, SLP, nurses, social workers, interpreters)

 Paraprofessionals/Paraeducators and support service providers (excluding trained

Interveners)

 Interveners

 Peers of students

District/county/regional level

 District Special Education Directors and other administrators

 Itinerant vision and hearing staff and/or audiologist employed by and working at the 

district level

 Local early intervention service providers

 Administrators of local Part C programs 

 County Service Agencies

 Staff of state early intervention/Part C lead agencies

 Regional consultants

State level and others

 State Department of Education (SEA) Part B personnel

 State Part C lead agency personnel

 Agencies/organizations serving children or youth who are deafblind (includes parent 

organizations)

 Private day care providers

 Hospitals or pediatric medical day cares

 University administrators, faculty, and students

 Researchers

 Other:
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8. For children and youth age 6-21 only, how are children and youth referred to your project for 

child-specific TA? For each of these options, please indicate the approximate percentage of all 

referrals that are generated this way. You do not need to consult your records; please just 

provide an estimate.

Approximate 

Percentage

a. Parents contact us directly %

b. School/campus administrators or providers contact us %

c. District/county/regional staff contact us %

d. We initiate contact based on identification through Child Count %

e. Other (Specify) %

Total 100%

9. For many reasons, children and youth identified with deafblindness may not receive technical 

assistance from state projects. For your project, please indicate how true each of these reasons 

is in explaining why a child or youth may not receive child-specific TA.

Not at all 

true

Occasionally 

true

Often 

true

Very often 

true

a. Service providers and parents are 

not aware of or do not understand 

project services

O O O O

b. Staff at the school or district feel

that the staff do not need 

assistance.

O O O O

c. Parents are not interested in the 

child or youth receiving services 

from our project

O O O O

d. We cannot initiate contact with a 

student; we must wait until contact 

is initiated with us

O O O O

e. Following a referral, the district 

failed to participate in the TA 

process

O O O O

f. There are geographical barriers in 

reaching the child/youth in his 

home or school

O O O O

g. The finite resources of our project 

restrict the number of 

children/youths who are served

O O O O
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TA Activities

10. Please check all products or services that your project provides.

Product Development and Dissemination

 Information on our website or Facebook page

 Product development

 Listservs or e-lists

 Email or telephone consultation

 Dissemination of CD/DVDs

 Online training modules 

 Newsletters

Technical Assistance and Training

 Child-specific TA in the home

 Child-specific TA in school settings

 Child-specific TA through distance technology

 Staff-specific intensive TA, e.g., designed to meet staff needs and build capacity but not

child specific 

 Statewide or regional training (e.g., inservice, workshops, workgroups, seminars, 

symposia, institutes, forums) 

 Training via web-conferencing, webinars

 Family leadership or family-focused training

 Family support

 Assistance in connecting families with one another 

 Participate on task forces and advisory boards
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11. From among the services and activities your project provides, check those for which demand 

exceeds your resources. [Respondent will only see the items checked from the question above]

Product Development and Dissemination

 Demand does not exceed resources for any of our Product Development or Dissemination 

activities. 

 Information on our website or Facebook page

 Product development

 Listservs or e-lists

 Email or telephone consultation

 Dissemination of CD/DVDs

 Online training modules 

 Newsletters

Technical Assistance and Training

 Demand does not exceed resources for any of our Technical Assistance or Training 

activities. 

 Child-specific TA in the home

 Child-specific TA in school settings

 Child-specific TA through distance technology

 Staff-specific intensive TA, e.g., designed to meet staff needs and build capacity but not

child specific 

 Statewide or regional training (e.g., inservice, workshops, workgroups, seminars, 

symposia, institutes, forums) 

 Training via web-conferencing, webinars

 Family leadership or family-focused training

 Family support

 Assistance in connecting families with one another 

 Participate on task forces and advisory boards

12. Among all the activities and initiatives that your project undertakes, please briefly describe the 

two that reflect work you view as “signature” activities of your project. 

[open-ended]

13. Since October 2013, what has been the greatest challenge your project has experienced in 

providing services to children, youth and families? 

[open-ended]
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National Initiatives

Items 14 – 18 ask about work you may have done related to the national initiatives of Intervener 

Services, Early Identification and Referral, Technology Solutions, Family Engagement, and Literacy.

14. In the area of Intervener Services, are any of the following activities part of your project? For 

each row, select one option.

Have worked 

on this since 

October 2013 

Have not 

worked on this

yet, but plan to 

do so by 

completion of 

project

Not part of 

our project

a. Disseminate information intended to increase 

recognition/understanding of intervener 

services

O O O

b. Provide intervener training/professional 

development to interveners or people 

interested in becoming interveners

O O O

c. Provide training/professional development 

about intervener services to administrators and 

educational team members

O O O

d. Develop intervener learning modules O O O

e. Participate in a credentialing process at the 

state level

O O O

f. Develop other products related to intervener 

services (e.g., definition, IEP guidelines)

O O O

g. Present webinars on intervener services O O O

h. Pilot an intervener model in selected districts O O O

i. Other O O O

[Specify other if selected]
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15. In the area of Early Identification and Referral, are any of the following activities part of your 

project? For each row, select one option.

Have worked 

on this since 

October 2013 

Have not 

worked on this

yet, but plan to 

do so by 

completion of 

project

Not part of 

our project

a. Develop or modify products/training on early 

identification and referral O O O

b. Conduct outreach to Part C staff, medical 

professionals, or other service providers to 

increase knowledge about early identification 

and referral (e.g., conference presentations, 

dissemination of project information through 

website or other means)

O O O

c. Provide training on early identification and 

referral to early intervention providers O O

O

d. Provide in-person mentoring/coaching for early 

intervention providers O O O

e. Accompany and support families during initial 

visits and assessments O O O

f. Maintain a community of practice on early 

identification and referral (e.g., share materials, 

group problem solving) 

O O O

g. Other O O O

[Specify other if selected]
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16. In the area of Technology Solutions, are any of the following activities part of your project? For 

each row, select one option.

Have worked 

on this since 

October 2013 

Have not 

worked on this

yet, but plan to 

do so by 

completion of 

project

Not part of 

our project

a. Implement distance mentorship activities with 

teams in my state O O O

b. Maintain a listserv for families and/or service 

providers O O O

c. Distribute assistive technology equipment to 

families and/or service providers O O O

d. Make use of web-based training tools including 

webinars, video conferencing, and video 

streaming

O O O

e. Offer or link to training or informational videos 

on the project’s website O O O

f. Use video to record and playback sessions with 

children with deafblindness O O O

g. Other:

O O O

[Specify other if selected]
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17. In the area of Family Engagement, are any of the following activities part of your project? For 

each row, select one option.

Have worked 

on this since 

October 2013 

Have not 

worked on this

yet, but plan to 

do so by 

completion of 

project

Not part of 

our project

a. Promote or establish a network for parents of 

children with deafblindness O O O

b. Conduct a needs assessment with families in 

our state

O O O

c. Disseminate information on evidenced-based 

practices and resources on deafblindness to 

families, PTIs and other family organizations

O O O

d. Conduct training, coaching or mentoring to 

parents through in-person training O O O

e. Conduct training, coaching or mentoring to 

parents through web-based techniques O O O

f. Promote or establish collaborative partnerships 

between our project and the state parent 

center

O O O

g. Other: O O O

[Specify other if selected]
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18. In the area of Literacy, are any of the following activities part of your project? For each row, 

select one option.

Have worked 

on this since 

October 2013 

Have not 

worked on this

yet, but plan to 

do so by 

completion of 

project

Not part of 

our project

a. Work with the SEA to incorporate literacy into 

the Common Core Standards for all children, 

including those with deafblindness

O O O

b. Develop products related to literacy O O O

c. Provide training on literacy instruction O O O

d. Disseminate evidence-based practices for 

literacy instruction 

O O O

e. Offer assistive technologies for literacy 

instruction 

O O O

f. Develop a model of literacy instruction for 

children with deafblindness

O O O

g. Other: O O O

[Specify other if selected]
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TA in the Area of Systems Capacity Building

19. Please check whether, during your current grant cycle, you have worked or plan to work with 

your SEA in any of the following areas: 

[Specify other if selected]

20. Does anyone from your project participate on a state task force or advisory committee related 

to deafblindness?

O Yes

O No

Development or refinement of state policies 

or practices related to...

We have worked 

with the SEA in 

this area since 

October 2013

We have not yet 

worked with the 

SEA in this area, 

but we plan to

over the course of 

the project

We have not 

worked with the 

SEA in this area 

and we do not 

plan to over the 

course of the 

project

a. State definition of deafblind O O O

b. Increasing identification of children with 

deafblindness

O O O

c. Reporting related to Child Count O O O

d. Incorporating the expanded core 

curriculum

O O O

e. Intervener policies and practices O O O

f. Teachers of deafblind O O O

g. Early screening policies and practices O O O

h. Transition planning policies and practices O O O

i. Other: O O O

j. Other: O O O
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Content of TA

21. Below is a list of content areas that State Deaf-Blind Projects may cover with their technical 

assistance and dissemination activities. Please check all areas for which you offer any type of 

technical assistance as it relates to deafblindness. To see what sub-topics might be covered 

through these areas, you can roll your cursor over the topic name. [Rollover only possible in webversion; See list at end of document]

Adaptive living/Self-care skills 

Assessment 

Assistive technology 

Behavioral issues and behavioral management 

Cochlear implants 

Collaboration among providers 

Communication 

Community and independent living 

Curriculum (What to teach) 

Deafblindness overview 

Etiology 

IEP/IFSP development and implementation 

Inclusion 

Intervener roles and competencies 

Instructional strategies (How to teach) 

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) 

Parent/family support 

Socialization, leisure and recreation 

State and local policies 

Teachers’ roles, credentialing and competencies 

Transition (early childhood) 

Transition (secondary) 

Visual and tactile accommodations to sign language 
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22. From among the areas you checked in the previous question, what are the five topic areas for

which your project receives the greatest demand for TA? Check only five. [Respondent will only 

see the areas checked in previous question]

Adaptive living/Self-care skills 

Assessment 

Assistive technology 

Behavioral issues and behavioral management 

Cochlear implants 

Collaboration among providers 

Communication 

Community and independent living 

Curriculum (What to teach) 

Deafblindness overview 

Etiology 

IEP/IFSP development and implementation 

Inclusion 

Intervener roles and competencies 

Instructional strategies (How to teach) 

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) 

Parent/family support 

Socialization, leisure and recreation 

State and local policies 

Teachers’ roles, credentialing and competencies 

Transition (early childhood) 

Transition (secondary) 

Visual and tactile accommodations to sign language 
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Collaboration

We are looking at two types of collaboration: 1) How projects assist one another, and 2) How projects 

collaborate within and outside their state with entities other than state projects.

The matrix that appears on the next screen lists all the State Deaf-blind Projects funded in October 2013. 

To complete the matrix, you will indicate which other state projects you and your staff work with or use 

for various purposes. Please consult staff from your project if their input is needed to complete the 

matrix accurately. 

The columns in the matrix are not intended to represent a hierarchy, nor are the columns mutually 

exclusive. Instead, they simply represent some of the types of interactions that occur in a network of TA 

providers. Please check all appropriate boxes in each row, leaving blank the row for your own state or 

for any state with which you have had no significant interaction. Specifically, please check the 

appropriate boxes in the matrix if staff from your project worked with or used another state project to 

do any of the following since October 2013:

1. Obtained information, materials, or services, excluding training

Examples:

 Your staff downloaded information or materials from the website of another state project 

on assisting parents with IEPs, and used them (or adapted them for use) in your state.

 You requested and received an example of a needs assessment form that was used in 

another state.

2. Received training (in-person or using technology) from another state project

Examples:

 Your staff received an inservice training on the use of the distance mentorship model being 

used in another state

 Staff from your state participated in a webinar by a well-known expert that was hosted and 

paid for by another state project.

 Your state used an online training module in early identification developed by another 

project

3. Created or provided a product, program, or service that required joint planning, shared decision 

making, or pooling of monetary or staff resources

Examples:

 Your state worked with another state to provide intervener training to providers in both 

states.

 Your state worked with another state to create a joint website to disseminate information.

 Your state and five other states identified notable speakers and arranged for conferences in 

several of the states as a “speaker circuit.”
22

23. Please check all appropriate boxes if, since the start of your grant in October 2013, staff from 

your project have worked with or used the State Deaf-Blind project listed on the left to do any 

of the following activities. 

State Deaf-Blind

project

Obtained information, 

materials or services 

(excluding training)

Received training 

(in-person or using 

technology) from another 

state project

Created or provided a 

product, program, or service 

that required joint planning, 

shared decision making, or 

pooling of monetary or staff 

resources

Alabama   

Alaska   

Arizona   

Arkansas   

California   

Colorado   

Connecticut   

Delaware   

District of Columbia   

Florida   

Georgia   

Hawaii   

Idaho   

Illinois   

Indiana   

Iowa   

Kansas   

Kentucky   

Louisiana   

Maine   

Maryland   

Massachusetts   

Michigan   

Minnesota   

Mississippi   

Missouri   

Montana   

Nebraska   

Nevada   

New Hampshire   

New Jersey   

New Mexico   

New York   

North Carolina   

North Dakota   

Ohio   

Oklahoma   
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Oregon   

Pennsylvania   

Puerto Rico   

Rhode Island   

South Carolina   

South Dakota   

Tennessee   

Texas   

Utah   

Vermont   

Virginia   

Washington   

West Virginia   

Wisconsin   

Wyoming   

24. Is your state project part of any formal group or consortium with other states? 

O Yes

O No  Skips to collaboration with other projects (Question 34)

25. [If yes] What is the name of that group? If your project is part of more than one group or 

consortium with other states, for this and the next three questions, please provide information 

for one of the groups. Starting with Question 29, you will be able to provide information for one 

additional group.

26. [If yes] Who are the other members?

27. What is the focus or topic of that group?

28. Is there a Memorandum of Understanding for that group?

O Yes

O No
24

29. Does your state project belong to any other formal groups or consortiums? Please provide 

information for one of these other groups or consortiums in the next four questions.

O Yes

O No  Skips to collaboration with other projects (Question 34)

30. [If yes] What is the name of that group?

31. [If yes] Who are the other members?

32. What is the focus or topic of that group?

33. Is there a Memorandum of Understanding for that group?

O Yes

O No
25

34. Since the start of your current project (or based on your plans), have you collaborated with any 

of the following? By “collaborated” we mean worked together on a common activity or goal. For 

the purpose of this question, receiving information from or providing information without any 

shared activity or goal does not constitute collaboration.

Have collaborated

with since October

2013

Have not yet 

collaborated, but 

plan to work with 

over the course of 

the project

Have not 

collaborated 

and do not plan 

to work with

over the course 

of the project

a. NCDB – National Center on Deaf-Blindness O O O

b. Helen Keller National Center O O O

c. Perkins School for the Blind O O O

d. National family/parent organizations related to 

deafblindness (such as NFADB or CHARGE 

Syndrome foundation)

O O O

e. National Parent Technical Assistance Center 

(NPTAC)

O O O

f. Associations or organizations serving 

professionals 

O O O

g. Your regional Parent Technical Assistance Center O O O

h. Your state Parent Training and Information 

center (PTI) or Community Parent Resource 

Center 

O O O

i. Your state Department of Education, Special 

Education Section

O O O

j. Your state Early Hearing Detection and 

Intervention Program (EHDI)

O O O

k. Your state Department of Health and Welfare, 

Infant Toddler Program (Part C)

O O O

l. State family/parent organizations (other than 

the federally funded PTI)

O O O

m. A school or private institute for children who are 

deaf, blind or deafblind in your state

O O O

n. University programs, including personnel 

preparation or leadership projects

O O O

o. Other: O O O

[Specify other if selected]
26

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Thank you for taking the time to respond to these questions. Your input is extremely important and will 

be used to improve opportunities to receive support for those who work with children and youth with 

deafblindness. 

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people involved in completing the survey. If there was more than one person, please indicate the person 

who had the greatest role in answering questions.

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have the opportunity to answer these questions and then submit your survey.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at TADEval@westat.com or toll-free at 1-800-

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29

TA Topics

[The information in the second column will be visible when a respondent scrolls over the topic 

area]

Topic Areas of TA May Include...

Adaptive living/Self-care skills Personal care and self-help skills such as toileting, 

dressing, eating, and cooking

Assessment Using assessment strategies for program planning for a 

student; vision, auditory/hearing, cognitive, 

communication, functional, educational, developmental 

or other assessment

Assistive technology Technology to maximize sensory input; learning how to 

use devices; switches for toys and daily living, computer 

access; assistive listening devices (hearing aids, FM 

systems), low vision devices

Behavioral issues and behavioral 

management

Behavioral issues, behavior management; help in 

identifying why the child/student engages in problem 

behaviors; functional behavioral analysis and positive 

behavior support

Cochlear implants Eligibility questions related to cochlear implants; 

adapting Auditory Verbal Therapy; maintenance and use 

of the device

Collaboration among providers Teaming skills and transdisciplinary teams; collaborative 

teaming, transdisciplinary teams; conveying effective 

strategies to new teachers/new settings

Communication Communication system development (e.g., object use, 

tactile symbols, Braille, gesture); building relationships 

with the student; developing and extending 

conversations

Community and independent living Strategies to improve community and independent 

living skills; self-determination

Curriculum (What to teach) What to teach and target; ideas for teaching meaningful 

skills for the student’s age; teaching skills in the natural 

environment/setting

Deafblindness overview Overview of deaf-blindness, vision and hearing loss, 

gaining more information about a child’s diagnosed 

condition

Etiology Usher Syndrome; CHARGE Syndrome; prematurity; 

impact of etiology on learning and interacting

IEP/IFSP development and 

implementation

Developing an appropriate IEP/IFSP for a student with 

combined vision and hearing loss; person-centered 
30

Topic Areas of TA May Include...

planning

Inclusion Appropriate adaptations for inclusive education; 

accessing general education curriculum; targeting 

appropriate skills for inclusive education; effective 

strategies for teaching in inclusive settings

Intervener roles and competencies (Interveners are people who have specialized training in 

deafblindness to work consistently and one-to-one with 

a child who is deafblind). Topics could include the role of 

the intervener; Council for Exceptional Children 

competencies for interveners

Instructional strategies (How to 

teach) 

How to use visual cues or auditory cues; hand-underhand; physical assistance with children/students who 

have multiple disabilities; documenting child/student 

progress and modifying instruction accordingly; literacy 

mode determination (use of Braille, large print, etc.); 

organizing a daily routine (sequence of activities, 

transition from one activity to another)

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Instruction on helping a student locating himself in his 

environment and using environmental information;

travel and navigation independence for any age

Parent/family support Connecting parents to other parents; increasing 

collaboration between family and school personnel; 

parent advocacy and leadership; sibling issues; wills, 

trusts and benefits; respite care

Socialization, leisure and recreation Recreation and leisure skills, social-emotional concerns 

(relationships with others); friendship facilitation

State and local policies Alternate assessment; Common Core standards

Teachers’ roles, credentialing and 

competencies

Developing credentialing plans; defining the role of the 

teacher of deafblind students; keeping teachers up to 

date; Council for Exceptional Children competencies for 

teachers of deafblind students; professional activities for 

continuing ed

Transition (early childhood) Transition from early intervention to preschool; from 

preschool program to kindergarten program

Transition (secondary) Transition from school to adult services, including 

college, work, rehabilitation, group homes, vocational 

training/employment

Visual and tactile accommodations 

to sign language

Assessing the students’ need for accommodations; 

training staff in specific strategies (tactile, signing, 

coactive signing)