84.326C: Projects for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind

This document describes the projects that received funding in Fiscal Year 2004 by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, under its competition 84.326C, Projects for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind. This funding is authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation's special education law.

The Bigger Picture

NICHCY is pleased to make this listing available to you online. The listing comes from a longer publication with the incredibly long title of: Volume 3 of Discretionary Projects Supported by the Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fiscal Year 2004: Technical Assistance, Dissemination, Parent Information, and State Improvement.

Interested in what other Technical Assistance and Dissemination grants have been funded by OSEP in 2004? Please visit:
www.nichcy.org/directories/tad.asp

For an overview of OSEP's discretionary funding programs, and to find complete listings of all its program areas, competitions, and funded projects, please visit:
www.nichcy.org/directories/intro.asp

For a print copy of the complete Technical Assistance, Dissemination, Parent Information, and State Improvement directory (Volume 3), or any of the other directories (while supplies last), please contact Todd Fisk, the Directory/Database Manager, at:
tfisk@aed.org

84.326C
Projects for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind

Purpose: Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness (WSSCDB) will address the unique needs of infants/toddlers, children, and youth aged birth to 21 years with deaf-blindness.

Method: The project will: (a) enhance state capacity to improve services and results for children and young adults who are deaf-blind, through collaboration with public and private agencies; (b) develop and implement procedures to evaluate the impact of program activities on services and outcomes for children/young adults with deaf-blindness and families; (c) disseminate research-based effective practices and relevant information and products to families, local education agencies, and other Part C/Part B service providers; (d) facilitate activities that address the needs of families of children and young adults with deaf-blindness; and (e) ensure that service providers have the necessary skills to address the unique needs of children/young adults who are deaf-blind. In order to accomplish these goals, the project will collaborate with a variety of local, state and national agencies and programs, including institutions of higher education, to provide an array of technical assistance (TA), information, and training on early intervention, special education, related services, and transition services. The state of Washington has no higher education programs that provide training specific to the child with sensory disabilities including deaf-blindness. Therefore, training of families, professionals, and agencies serving the child is crucial. To address the high number of requests for technical assistance, the project will continue to train and mentor regional consultants who can help to support TA needs within their part of the state.

Products: Each infant/toddler, child, and young adult with deaf-blindness will receive a high-quality individual program of services to meet his or her unique developmental and educational needs.

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Purpose: The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project will meet the critical needs of the state as identified by over 40 parent advocacy groups, community-based groups, professional agencies, government agencies, individuals who are deaf-blind, parents of students with deaf-blindness, and their teachers and related services staff.

Method: Statewide needs will be addressed through the following objectives of this project: (a) Locate and identify children with deaf-blindness and maintain a deaf-blind census; (b) promote systems change through coordination of activities and collaboration with Georgia Department of Human Resources priorities; (c) build statewide local capacity through advisor training, best practice sites, and preservice training; (d) provide early intervention technical assistance services and early transition support; (e) provide technical assistance to teachers, related service staff, families, and service providers responsible for children with deaf-blindness; (f) provide young adult transition technical assistance to families and service personnel and continue collaborative activities with the Department of Labor; (g) provide technical assistance to families, especially targeting parents/caregivers, siblings, children who are deaf-blind, and teenagers seeking other teens who are deaf-blind; (h) collaborate and support the Georgia Deaf-Blind Stakeholders and Advisory Committee and national projects; (i) maintain needs assessment and evaluation data; and (j) disseminate effective practices and relevant information.

Products: This project is anticipated to greatly improve services for children who are deaf-blind and their families.

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Purpose: The Nebraska Deaf-Blind Project, under the administration of the Nebraska Department of Education, Special Populations Office, will provide technical assistance, information, and training on early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional services, which will result in the building of local capacity and statewide systems change to improve services for children/youth who are deaf-blind and their families. The vision of the project is to improve outcomes for children and youth who are deaf-blind (birth to age 21) by providing research-based practices in technical assistance, training, information, and dissemination to families, educators, and agencies serving this population so that children and their families will be successful members of their community.

Method: Achievement of this vision will be evidenced by outcomes associated with each of the project's six goals. They are: (a) identification of children/youth with deaf-blindness and maintenance of an accurate census; (b) provision of ongoing, appropriate, and effective technical assistance, training, and information to families, educators, and agencies; (c) provision of effective services to enhance transition from school to adult agencies, postsecondary education, and community living; (d) empowerment of families to meet the needs of their children/youth through knowledge and skill development; (e) completion of formative evaluation activities for management decisions and summative evaluation to provide evidence of project impact; and (f) dissemination of information, products, and other materials to relevant audiences. These goals are linked to the needs identified in the state of Nebraska by key stakeholders including family members and educators. Some of these needs include: identify children who are deaf-blind at a younger age; provide training and technical assistance in a variety of formats to service providers, families, and agencies; increase the skills of family members and establish a network for families to develop support systems; develop materials for awareness and to increase knowledge and skills in the area of deaf-blindness; disseminate project and national materials; and provide materials for awareness and identification of underrepresented populations (Hispanic, Asian).

Products: Outcomes to be achieved from this project will include some of the following: (a) increase in the number of children identified as deaf-blind, especially those underrepresented and young; (b) increase in the knowledge and skills of families, educators, and agencies serving children who are deaf-blind; (c) successful transitions for youth who are deaf-blind; (d) dissemination of materials which support the overall vision of the project; (e) implementation and increased knowledge for selected families in regard to Project SPARKLE (an outreach grant that supports parent access to resources and education); and (f) successful evaluation tools/strategies utilized to gather child change and results.

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Purpose: The Texas Deaf-Blind Project will provide technical assistance and training to the parents, families, educators, related services personnel, community providers, and relevant staff of other agencies, to achieve the following outcomes for the 687 Texas children and young adults with deaf-blindness: (a) young adults will successfully transition into a meaningful and preferred adult life and career; (b) families from diverse cultures will successfully and appropriately parent and advocate for their child with deaf-blindness; and (c) children will develop essential skills.

Method: The Texas Education Agency will subcontract with the Deaf-Blind Outreach Team at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired to implement the following project objectives: (a) Family members and students will increase effective participation in the secondary transition process; (b) community service providers will demonstrate relevant skills for serving transitioned students; (c) selected families will provide leadership and training to other families and advocate for students regionally and statewide; (d) all families will become effective partners on their child's educational team; (e) more interveners will provide effective instructional support; and (f) regional networks will increase expertise to provide local support. The goals and objectives will be realized through a multitude of project activities designed to build local capacity to serve children with deaf-blindness, including: onsite visits to homes and classrooms, training and planning with each of the 20 regional education service center deaf-blind specialists, regional workshops, biennial statewide Deaf-Blind Symposia and topical workshops, and various products. Training and technical assistance will be delivered in person and via the Web, video, teleconferencing, and mail.

Products: Products will include a Deaf-Blind Census, Family Leadership Series, Transition from School to Adult Life Series, SEE/HEAR newsletter, CD-ROM materials, and summative and formative tools to evaluate the project's success in meeting the targeted outcomes. All activities will be designed to meet the language and cultural needs of the diverse Texas population.

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Purpose: This project represents interagency team collaboration among service providers and families to continue and expand Missouri's services to individuals who are deaf-blind and their families, by strengthening partnerships, coordinating service networking, and providing systematic training. These efforts build local capacity for identification, early intervention, education, transition, related services, and family support.

Method: The project will provide technical assistance to 200 identified infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness and their families. Interagency team collaboration will take place with national, state, local, public, and private agencies currently serving or having the potential to serve individuals who are deaf-blind. The project scope will be achieved through six major activities: (a) Assist local and state agencies in the identification and tracking of infants, toddlers, and youth with deaf-blindness to enhance services; (b) provide an array of technical assistance activities that increases family support services, parent education, and parent networking; (c) provide an array of technical assistance and training activities to service providers that improves services and outcomes; (d) strengthen the statewide interagency collaboration model designed to build local capacity and to facilitate systems change; (e) implement a dissemination plan which includes information about the project teams, effective practices, and materials developed by the project; and (f) evaluate and measure impact and benefits to children with deaf-blindness, their families, and their service providers.

Products: The outcomes of this project will include: (a) continuation of state and local interagency teams; (b) expansion of mentor teams to serve as statewide resources; (c) continuation of parent training and parent-to-parent networking; (d) expansion of regional employment teams; and (e) development of team handbooks and train-the-trainer manuals. The project will have the following impact: (a) increased interagency collaboration and linkages; (b) increased participation in job placement in the community; (c) increased capacity of public, private, and state agencies serving this population; and (d) systems change resulting in improved, coordinated, and individualized services to 200 individuals who are deaf-blind and their families. The project will develop fact sheets, newsletters, and protocols that will raise the awareness of the project, deaf-blind issues, and resources. Training materials will be developed to enhance skills in areas identified by stakeholders. Team handbooks, train-the-trainer manuals, and parent booklets will outline models and best practices that can be replicated in the state and nationally with deaf-blind and other disability groups.

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Purpose: The mission of the Vermont Project for Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness is to increase the capacity of state and local agencies to facilitate improved outcomes of children with deaf-blindness and their families to live, go to school, play, work, and have friends in their communities.

Method: This mission will be achieved through seven project activities: (a) Identify all children and youth who are deaf-blind and maintain related demographic information; (b) maintain assessments of current needs including critical needs of identified children and youth, needs of their families, and general needs of the state; (c) provide interdisciplinary technical assistance, information, and training to families, service providers, and administrators on local education teams in the development and implementation of research-based best practices that enhance the state's capacity to improve services and results for children who are deaf-blind; (d) coordinate and collaborate with state/local education agencies as well as other relevant agencies; (e) collaborate with four states in the region through a multistate mentorship training initiative; (f) disseminate effective practices and relevant information to families and service providers, local education agencies, and other agencies; and (g) evaluate the impact of this project in consultation with the project's advisory committee on services and outcomes for children and youth with deaf-blindness, their families, and service providers.

Products: Project benefits will be increases in local and state capacity to: (a) identify goals and priorities for students, modify and adapt intervention strategies and service delivery characteristics to ensure congruence with home and community life, and access available network and service supports; (b) use expertise from varied professional specialties; (c) improve processes for interaction through coordination, collaboration, and shared decision making; and (d) know and use available information and resources. A variety of conventional and technologically oriented products will be developed to support project outcomes. Project brochures, informational brochures, and other printed publications on specific topics, events, and suggested practices will be developed to focus audiences on improving services and opportunities for students with deaf-blindness. The project's Web site will provide alternate access to the same information. In addition, videotapes of training activities will be added to a growing lending library.

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Purpose: The Together We Can (TWC) project at the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University will provide technical assistance to address the unique needs of children and young adults who are deaf-blind, their families, and the professionals who support them.

Method: The conceptual framework of the project addresses three critical dimensions: (a) results and outcomes with a focus on both individual and systematic change; (b) specific project activities and strategies; and (c) the role of the project to accomplish results and outcomes. The project activities are aligned with state and federal initiatives, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act. The project recognizes the emphasis on student achievement and has included a number of objectives focused on providing training and materials to team members to promote participation and achievement of students who are deaf-blind in the accountability system. The project capitalizes on collaborative relationships with partners to address the needs of individuals across their lifespan and increase the capacity of preservice programs, paraprofessional training, parent outreach vehicles, technical assistance providers, and local school division personnel to meet the needs of children and young adults who are deaf-blind, their families, and the educators who support them. The project includes an innovative multistate evaluation component that uses multiple sources of data to ensure project effectiveness and measure child and systemic change. The role of TWC will change across time as partner agencies and programs assume more responsibility for specific activities. This shifting of resources will allow TWC to focus on new initiatives, thus maximizing project resources to contribute to positive outcomes for children and young adults while enhancing the capacity of existing entities to meet the unique needs of this population.

Products: The desired results and outcomes for this project are: (a) improved quality of life for individuals who are deaf-blind through enhancing skill performance in multiple settings; (b) increased numbers of instructional team members who effectively meet the needs of individuals who are deaf-blind; (c) improved capacity of family members to act as equal partners in the teaming process; and (d) validated technical assistance efforts based on impact to individual children, team members, and family members.

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Purpose: The Utah Deaf-Blind Project will provide critical funding needed to: (a) assure qualified personnel to serve children and young adults with deaf-blindness; (b) facilitate appropriate systems change; and (c) "scale up" activities in the state to lead to improved outcomes for children. A broad array of training and technical assistance activities will be provided in many settings, with various individuals and groups, in person and via technology links.

Method: The training, information, and technical assistance objectives that will provide the direction for the project during the next five years are to: (a) increase the capacity of families in support of their role in the development and education of their child; (b) build the capacity of teachers, early interventionists, administrators, and other service providers to educate and support the child; (c) increase the awareness level of community members, including peers, about deaf-blindness; (d) build the capacity of and collaborate with families, service providers, programs, and agencies to assist young adults who are deaf-blind during the school-to-adult transition; and (e) collaborate with state and national projects and programs, including other deaf-blind projects, to increase the knowledge, skills, and capacity of families, agencies, and service providers in the area of deaf-blindness. Project personnel will share their successful strategies used for intervener training, targeted school and peer training, family support, and program development.

Products: As strategies, materials, information, and techniques are developed they will be widely shared. Some of these activities will include: (a) the project newsletter, which transmits information and ideas to over 400 persons or organizations, both within and out of Utah, and is published tri-annually; (b) the project Web site; (c) collaboration with other states in the western regional, including sharing pertinent articles produced by one another and participating in the electronic newsletter spearheaded by the National Technical Assistance Center; and (d) family support and communication intervener training protocols and strategies will be shared throughout the U.S.

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Purpose: The Alabama Deaf-Blind Project will build the capacity of state and local agencies, parents, and professionals to improve outcomes for the 308 Alabama children and young adults who are deaf-blind and their families, by providing technical assistance, information, and training on early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional services.

Method: Statewide, research-based training will be provided to parents, paraprofessionals, and professionals, through interactive television, topical conference training sessions, graduate vision/deaf-blind classes, etc. Information will be disseminated via an accessible toll-free telephone number, a "Bobby-approved" Web site, and a project newsletter. Through continued collaboration with the Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC), effective communities of practice will provide the up-scaling needed in training for early intervention, special education, related services, and transition. Transition for children at age three years and adults at age 14 years and up will be implemented by an interagency, interdisciplinary Alabama PATHfinders team and by personnel who are contracted by the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. This transition effort will enhance the capacity of schools, agencies, and local counselors to serve persons who are deaf-blind with training and family and community intervention. Collaboration with major state agencies, parents, consumers, and community entities will take place through the Alabama Deaf-Blind Coalition.

Products: The project will work with others to develop products for each objective, which will include such items as procedure manuals, protocols for training and replication, overhead transparencies, CD's, video of interactive presentations, Web page, tapes, and presentation kits utilizing technology tools and best practices/strategies. The project has a central inventory and distributes materials and equipment to local education agencies, other agencies, and families for use in technical assistance activities.

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Products: The project will work with others to develop products for each objective, which will include such items as procedure manuals, protocols for training and replication, overhead transparencies, CD's, video of interactive presentations, Web page, tapes, and presentation kits utilizing technology tools and best practices/strategies. The project has a central inventory and distributes materials and equipment to local education agencies, other agencies, and families for use in technical assistance activities.

Purpose: To address the needs of individuals (ages birth to 21) with deaf-blindness, their families, and their providers in Mississippi , the Mississippi Services for Deaf-Blind (MSDB) project will conduct activities proven effective over past grant cycles and supported by current literature on best practices. The selected activities are designed to meet the following project objectives to: (a) identify children with deaf-blindness and conduct statewide needs assessments; (b) facilitate critical systems change; (c) provide an array of technical assistance and training for capacity building; (d) disseminate information on best practices; and (e) efficiently manage and evaluate project activities for desired outcomes.

Method: To reach these expected outcomes, MSDB initiatives include three major systems change efforts: (a) Establish funding and adoption of individual student portfolios by teams receiving training and technical assistance from MSDB; (b) establish three training systems, which would include inservice trainings that occur regionally for multi-agency teams; a master's degree in severe disabilities with an emphasis in dual sensory impairment from the University of Southern Mississippi, offered online collaboratively with Texas Tech University; a training system for paraprofessionals; and (c) establish a Deaf-Blind Home- and Community-Based Medicaid Waiver with comprehensive means of support for individuals of all ages with deaf-blindness to live meaningful lives in their home communities.

Products: Ultimate outcomes will include: documented enhanced communication and access to inclusive community environments for individuals with multiple disabilities and deaf-blindness; organized, systematic, and varied sources for training and ongoing consultation as needed by support providers, including families; and alignment of MSDB technical assistance activities with other state initiatives for systems change.

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Purpose: The Arizona Deaf-Blind Project will provide technical assistance, information, training, and support throughout Arizona to families and service providers of children, birth to 21 years of age, who are deaf-blind or at risk of being identified as deaf-blind. Project services will focus on early intervention, educational programs, and related services to assist parents and service providers to meet the unique needs of children who are deaf-blind.

Method: Project staff will collaborate with key service providers to assist them in developing knowledge and skills, based on current research and improved practices, to be able to effectively serve children who are deaf-blind. This partnering will facilitate maximum effectiveness of services and will assist programs in meeting federal requirements. The project will be accomplished through the following objectives, which reflect federal priorities: (a) Collaborate with state and local agencies to identify, refer, and track children with deaf-blindness from birth through 21 years of age; (b) strengthen services for parents of children with deaf-blindness to empower them with information, resources, and supports in order to advocate for, and participate in, their child's educational program; (c) enhance state and local capacity to serve children with deaf-blindness through technical assistance, dissemination, and training designed to increase knowledge and skills of staff and families; and (d) collaborate with the project's advisory committee, Arizona agencies, state deaf-blind projects in the Western Region, the National Technical Assistance Consortium for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind (NTAC), and other key resources to complete activities that will enhance services through leveraging of state, regional, and national resources.

Products: General products that will result from project activities and that will be routinely disseminated include brochures, fact sheets, newsletters, announcements of workshops and conferences, handouts from workshops and conferences (print, disk, Braille), technology summaries, and the Loan Library Directory. Those that will be available for use or upon request include materials from the library, videotapes of inservice sessions and workshops, and the project Web site in both English and Spanish.

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Purpose: This project will address the critical technical assistance and training needs as identified by families and education/related services personnel, in providing services to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness throughout Delaware.

Method: The project will facilitate activities that address the following goals: (a) Every child with deaf-blindness from birth through 21 years will have access to and information regarding services within Delaware; (b) families will have knowledge and skills to be equal participants in the educational planning and programming for their children with deaf-blindness; (c) in collaboration with the University of Delaware and the Delaware Department of Education, formal personnel preparation programs will be established to increase the numbers of teachers and related services personnel who are qualified and certified; (d) direct services personnel, in collaboration with families, will develop, implement, and evaluate appropriate educational plans that reflect best practices; and (e) the Delaware Program for Deaf-Blind Children's Resource Team will demonstrate skills that reflect current best practices.

Products: The project will continue to support the integration of coursework to formalize preservice training in Delaware's higher education institutions. Teachers and other related service professionals will receive systematic training that will prepare them to effectively develop and implement appropriate, quality programs for students with deaf-blindness and other significant disabilities. This training will be available to regular and special educators, as well as other professional preservice programs, and will result in increasing opportunities to include all children in more natural educational settings and enable them to have access to the general education curriculum.

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Purpose: San Francisco State University will continue to operate the California Deaf-Blind Services (CDBS) project that will focus on building local and state capacity to serve children from birth to age 22 who are deaf-blind and to support their families.

Method: This goal will be accomplished within the context of ongoing school reform that promotes integration of services for children and their families. The CDBS Network of Family Support Providers represents an innovative approach to parent-to-parent support and capacity building. The network, which currently includes 21 family members from every region in the state, will be maintained and expanded so that every Family Resource Center Network in California includes at least one family member of a child who is deaf-blind in its support network. Interveners will be trained using a model that includes training interveners and training of trainers simultaneously. This activity will result in longitudinal training for local interveners and will support the paraprofessional education requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. An additional training initiative will target the state's two largest early intervention programs devoted solely to serving children with sensory impairments. As a result, early intervention specialists will be better prepared to meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers who have both hearing and vision problems. The project will coordinate and collaborate with local and state agencies for relevant services, particularly California's Department of Education, Department of Rehabilitation, and Department of Developmental Services, which serves as the lead agency for California's Part C programs.

Products: Products will include the development of three videotapes that will support the training initiatives, on the following topics: (a) effective use of interveners; (b) effective teaming and the roles of team members; and (c) adaptation of visual instruction and materials for learners who are deaf-blind. Products also will be developed to assist local educational agencies to more accurately identify children who are deaf-blind. Technical assistance will be provided that utilizes innovative technology to increase cost-effectiveness and increase numbers of children served. The CDBS newsletter, "reSources," will continue to be published quarterly in both English and Spanish editions. Resources and materials will be disseminated via the CDBS Web site. Project activities will develop a level of expertise in deaf-blindness statewide that will continue beyond the project duration.

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Purpose: This project will provide a comprehensive statewide program of technical assistance, training, and education for service providers, families, and educational teams of children and youth who are deaf-blind. The project will work closely with an advisory committee, as well as collaborate and partner with state and local agencies and organizations to enhance state capacity to improve services and results for children who deaf-blind, and to effect the achievement of targeted, statewide, systemic change.

Method: The project will conduct the following activities: (a) Collaborate with local and state agencies to deliver a comprehensive and coordinated statewide system of technical assistance and training to families, educational/intervention teams, and related service providers that addresses the individualized needs of children and youth who are deaf-blind; (b) develop, implement, and respond to an ongoing system of needs of families, educational teams, related service providers, children, and youth who are deaf-blind; (c) develop and implement ongoing procedures to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of project activities on children and youth who are deaf-blind and their families as well as educational/intervention teams; and (d) disseminate information and resources about deaf-blindness that include research-based practices and effective educational strategies to families, educational teams, and related service providers.

Products: Products will include educational fact sheets, materials, informational packets, module presentations, and an updated Web site. Products will be used by families, service providers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and others to ensure improved outcomes for children and youth who are deaf-blind. Products will be utilized to provide information that will increase awareness and knowledge of recipients of these products. The technical assistance and training provided will increase local capacity of educators and service providers, foster statewide systemic change, and assist in the development and implementation of high-quality, individualized educational plans for children with deaf-blindness. Through the efforts of this project to collaborate and share state and national resources, the project will enhance the educational services provided to children and youth who are deaf-blind, which will contribute to improved educational outcomes and achievement of the highest quality of life possible.

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Purpose: The Colorado Services to Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss Project is 100% dedicated to providing information (e.g., lending library, Web page, newsletter, and FACT Sheets); technical assistance to early intervention agencies, schools, and community and state agencies; and training that is specific to learners who have a combined vision and hearing loss, their families, and service providers.

Method: The project will conduct several major activities: (a) Employ a statewide system of identification and referral; (b) develop and maintain regional expertise of parents and service providers; (c) deliver statewide technical assistance that supports community involvement and high student achievement; (d) provide transition support services; (e) provide opportunities for family networking and support; (f) utilize input from an advisory committee to plan, develop, and implement services; and (g) build and foster collaborative relationships and communities of learning with other agencies serving this unique population of children and youth.

Products: The project will develop a variety of written products to provide information about the project's services and to enhance information pertinent to educating and supporting learners who are deaf-blind, their families, and service providers. Products include a newsletter, FACT sheets, brochures, and posters. This project will result in better educated children and youth who have combined vision and hearing loss, more empowered and supported families, and an increase in statewide capacity to address the social, education, and transition needs of these learners.

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Purpose: This project will deliver technical assistance and training throughout Maryland to foster systemic change, build partnerships, and increase the capacity of local systems to provide educational services that will result in improved outcomes for students with deaf-blindness.

The project has also received supplemental funding to provide information and technical assistance services on deaf-blindness to professionals and families in the District of Columbia.

Method: The major strategies of this project are the following: (a) Conduct ongoing, statewide, multilevel needs assessment to determine the array, type, and intensity of technical assistance and training necessary to sustain students with deaf-blindness within the educational system as outlined in the provisions of IDEA and the No Child Left Behind Act; (b) provide technical assistance and consultation to families, local school systems, local infants and toddlers programs, state-operated programs, private agencies, and rehabilitation programs that result in appropriate assessment, placement, and support services to all children who are deaf-blind, enabling these children to make progress in their educational programs; (c) provide preservice and inservice training to administrators, educational professionals, paraeducators, and agency personnel that focuses on research-based, effective, and promising practices, and contributes to the state's provision of highly qualified personnel; (d) enhance state and local capacity to improve services and outcomes for children with deaf-blindness and their families; (e) provide training and support to families of children with deaf-blindness to meet their needs in the context of the family, extended family, neighborhood, school, and community; and (f) facilitate ongoing coordination, collaboration, and dissemination among families, MSDE, local school systems, national projects, and other relevant agencies and organizations to promote service integration, systemic change, and interagency cooperation.

Products: Anticipated products and outcomes will be achieved through a variety of activities and initiatives which include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) field-based, child-focused consultation and deaf-blind support teams within local school systems; (b) summer institutes, special topics workshops, and a model inclusion project; (c) the BEST ("Building Effective Student Teams) Program Training Initiative; (d) Family Forums and Family Learning Weekend; (e) a newsletter, Web site, and family/professional lending library; (f) family/professional advisory committee and family steering committee; and (g) a Cortical Visual Impairment Multistate Mentorship Project and Usher Syndrome Screening Project.

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Purpose: The University of Dayton will further develop the Ohio Center for Deaf-Blind Education (OCDBE) to build the capacity of parents, professionals, and agencies to improve outcomes for the 535 Ohio children and young adults with deaf-blindness and their families, by providing technical assistance, information, and training from early intervention through transition from school.

Method: The project will expand the Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Project (DB-TAP), which uses a trained consultant base to assist project staff with the provision of a full array of services that promote improved educational outcomes of children with deaf-blindness, and also provides support and training for their families and service providers. DB-TAP comprises skilled professionals and knowledgeable parents of children with deaf-blindness who provide: technical assistance; onsite observation; recommendations for the child's educational, vocational, and home setting; onsite workshops and training; and presentations at institutions of higher education that are preparing future service providers. Besides DB-TAP, the project will also provide other types of training to target populations. This training will include: (a) site-based staff development for school district staff, in deaf-blindness issues, dual sensory loss, communication, and orientation and mobility; (b) deaf-blind institutes for all service providers and family members, on topics identified through needs assessments and national best practices; (c) staff development for early interventionists; (d) outreach support services, which will provide information packets to parents and service providers; (e) presentations to teacher education students at institutions of higher education; and (f) presentations to school programs, through which project staff orient children in general education classrooms to the issues of deaf-blindness.

Products: This project has these expected outcomes: (a) increased capacity of service providers at the local and state levels to provide effective and appropriate educational support to children and young adults who are deaf-blind; (b) increased ability of parents to provide physical, academic, and emotional support to their children and to advocate effectively on their child's behalf; (c) dissemination of information that is essential to full understanding of issues related to deaf-blind education; (d) continued collaboration among state agencies, school districts, and professional deaf-blind service providers; (e) collection of census and needs assessment data that will allow for the development and delivery of the most appropriate and effective services; (f) collection of evaluation data that can be used to measure the change in knowledge and skill of parents and service products and the consequent effect on outcomes for students with deaf-blindness; and (g) dissemination of impact data, effective training practice, and other products that are beneficial to families and service providers.

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Purpose: The West Virginia Services for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind project will provide technical assistance under the priorities of the West Virginia State Improvement Plan and Part C to ensure that children with deaf-blindness are not left behind.

Method: This project will improve outcomes/lives of children and families by maintaining/enhancing proven initiatives; improve outcomes for children with specific needs within the population of deaf-blindness thru research-based focused initiatives; and improve adult outcomes for individuals who are deaf-blind. The project will: (a) identify all children in West Virginia who are deaf-blind; (b) increase family capacity and participation by providing a variety of opportunities for interaction and learning through family-based teams, agency collaboration, and family interaction; (c) enhance instruction and environmental supports, communication, and access to services in inclusive/natural settings for children with deaf-blindness through a variety of research-based technical assistance strategies based on identified needs; (d) improve results for children who are deaf-blind on the campuses of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind; (e) enhance the awareness and knowledge of families, service providers, and the community through the dissemination of effective practices and relevant information; (f) enhance the project's effectiveness by utilizing an advisory committee and focus groups in the development and implementation of services; and (g) facilitate cooperation and coordination of the delivery of services for children who are deaf-blind with other agencies. This project will increase early identification of children with Usher Syndrome as well as develop and implement a multistate model of service delivery for the identification and intervention of children with cortical visual impairments (CVI). The project will increase interagency technical assistance and adult transition plans in individualized education programs. The project will maintain an adult registry for use in a longitudinal study for national transition data research and ensure, to the extent possible, that appropriate services are continuing for former children on the Deaf-blind Census.

Products: This project will have a far-reaching impact on services to children who are deaf-blind and their families, as well as other children with significant disabilities. The project will conduct trainings, conferences, and onsite visits targeted to children on the census. The project will maintain a comprehensive database for each child on the census, which will allow all census information (age, etiology, type of program, etc.) to be linked with the child's program, including teachers and all related personnel and their families. Mass mailings of general information, such as the project's brochures and newsletters and welcome packets for new teachers and families on the census, as well as general information from DB-LINK, NTAC, and relevant teleconferences will occur. Additionally, mailings relevant to specific children, e.g., information about Usher Syndrome workshops, early childhood conferences, or transition materials, will be targeted to the respective audiences. Two major products will be developed during this cycle, the CVI Mentorship Training Guide and the Usher Syndrome Screening Manual. The project will maintain the expanding lending library and provide materials to all interested individuals. Teachers, service personnel, and administrators serving children who are deaf-blind as well as families will have access to a variety of materials including videotapes, books, and other resources.

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Purpose: DB-FACES (Deaf-Blind—Family and Community Educational Supports) will assure the provision of high-quality education programs within natural environments and supported inclusive settings and provision of appropriate services for infants, toddlers, children, and youth who are deaf-blind.

Method: This goal will be accomplished through the following activities: (a) improving the state's ability and continuing efforts in the early identification of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness; (b) improving the state's ability and continuing efforts in the provision of an appropriate intervention system for all infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are identified with or are at risk of deaf-blindness and their families; (c) maintaining and expanding the opportunities for all students with deaf-blindness to be educated within their home schools, community/natural environments, and/or least restrictive educational environments; (d) improving and expanding the coordination of educational programs, associated community services, and adult services to assure successful transition from school to adult life for youth with deaf-blindness; (e) offering and providing services to parents/guardians/family members to support and increase their ability to become more active participants in early intervention, education, and transition to adult life of their children with deaf-blindness; and (f) influencing local and state service systems to better address the needs of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness and their families.

Products: DB-FACES will be actively engaged in developing materials and processes to enhance the lives of children with deaf-blindness and their families. The project is committed to a proactive approach in the dissemination of information regarding the education of students with deaf-blindness. DB-FACES has incorporated an information and resources component within each of the identified objectives, as access to information and resources has been identified as an important need. Project staff will develop a variety of products and materials including a project brochure, registry eligibility checklist, fact sheets on issues related to deaf-blindness, program evaluation guides/quality indicators, technical assistance checklists, training modules/protocols, and sensory functioning assessment protocols. A DB-FACES Web site will be developed and maintained by the project staff, with support from The College of New Jersey Information Technology staff.

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Purpose: The New England Center (NEC) Deaf-Blind Project responds to the critical technical assistance needs of children and youth who are deaf-blind, their families, and their service providers (teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service persons), in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. This project will positively impact learners who are deaf-blind, their families, and service providers at the local, state, and regional levels. The project also will have a positive impact on the ability of states and local communities to enhance the quality of services to the 390 children in this area who are deaf-blind.

Method: Technical assistance activities will be aligned with each state's plan for implementation of IDEA Parts B and C. The NEC Multistate Planning Team will develop a five-year plan to conduct regional training institutes, based on needs data from children and youth who are deaf-blind, their families, and service providers. Resources and expertise from the four states will be identified during this planning process. The NEC Advisory Committee will provide feedback and evaluation of all project activities.

Products: The project will develop products that can be used in a variety of educational, community, and home settings and easily implemented by service providers and family members. Products will be shared with DB-Link. NEC will develop a training module related to Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) targeted for teachers of the visually impaired. This product will also be understandable to families, general education teachers, and paraprofessionals. The NEC Web site will be used to share products/strategies and to follow up concerning what product service providers and families find useful. Content areas include early identification, impact of deaf-blindness on learning, communication, vision and hearing, assessment and program planning, and facilitating successful transition.

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Purpose: The North Dakota Deaf-Blind Services Project (NDDSP) will provide technical assistance and support to parents, families, and service providers of children and youth with deaf-blindness. The North Dakota School for the Deaf will direct the project. Sustainability of services and significant statewide capacity-building are ensured through embedding the project within the existing structure of agencies with statutory mandate.

Method: The project will: (a) participate in collaborative efforts and partnerships with regional, state, and national service agencies; federal projects; and organizations that are involved in disability-related issues; (b) provide support services for families and service providers to increase their skills and knowledge to meet the cultural and educational needs of American Indian children who are deaf-blind and their families; (c) employ a system of identification of children and youth with deaf-blindness; (d) deliver statewide technical assistance that supports improved student outcomes and builds local capacity of service providers and families of children and youth with deaf-blindness in North Dakota; (e) provide support on research-based practices; and (f) sustain a cohesive system of information dissemination for North Dakota parents, families, and service providers serving children and youth with deaf-blindness. Parents and family members will assume a more active role on the project's advisory board. In addition, consumers will receive advocacy and team decision-making training to become more effective members of children's teams.

Products: The NDDSP will develop resource materials for preservice and inservice training to more fully build statewide capacity for services for students with deaf-blindness. The project will impact over 41 students (ages birth to 21) with deaf-blindness, 80 parents/guardians and other family members, and over 200 service providers. Students will receive quality services, parents and family members will become more active advocates and decision makers, and service providers will become more skilled in educating students with deaf-blindness.

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Purpose: The Florida Outreach Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind seeks to develop: (a) a more accurate count of children and youth who are deaf-blind in Florida; (b) an increased awareness of the characteristics and educational and service needs of children and youth who are deaf-blind; (c) improved capacity of local programs to successfully meet needs of children and youth with deaf-blindness; (d) development of a support network for family members; (e) preservice and inservice teachers, administrators, and families who are trained at a variety of levels ranging from awareness to implementation; (f) improved transition services; and (g) improved quality of daily activity for students who are deaf-blind.

The project has also received supplemental funding to provide similar information and technical assistance services on deaf-blindness to professionals and families in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Method: The project will: (a) improve the reporting of demographic data on infants, toddlers, children, and young adults who are deaf-blind to the state-mandated registry; (b) collaborate with family support agencies as well as IDEA Parts B and C representatives to increase awareness of the project's services among eligible families; (c) provide information and referral services; (d) offer an array of training options; (e) provide technical assistance to educators and other service providers using a person-centered collaborative teaming approach; (f) support the growth of a family network; (g) collaborate with the Florida Network on Deaf-Blindness and other committed groups to form a network of consumers and self-advocates in Florida; (h) collaborate with agencies that provide services to people who are deaf-blind, their families, and service providers; and (i) evaluate the project to ensure quality services and to measure systemic and individual changes that result from the services.

Products: The project will provide information and referral services by maintaining a resource lending library, maintaining a Web site, publishing newsletters, and collaborating with DB-LINK. The project will also present two two-day workshops per year, co-sponsor Florida Department of Education's "Weekends with the Experts," provide year-long Collaborative Teaming Institutes, co-sponsor the annual conference of the Centers for Autism and Related Disabilities, and provide individualized technical assistance.

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Purpose: The New York State Technical Assistance Project will improve services and the service delivery system for children and youth who are deaf-blind and their families, through the provision of technical assistance that will result in improved outcomes for these students.

Method: The NYSTAP project will: (a) ensure earlier identification, ongoing tracking, and characterization of the birth to 21-year-old population; (b) provide outreach to individual families in order to provide information and support and to network parents across the state; (c) provide ongoing needs-driven child-specific technical assistance and regional and statewide information and training to education, rehabilitation, and related services personnel regarding research-based effective practices; (d) continue the efforts of a statewide Academic Task Force to support training graduate students to work effectively with children who are deaf-blind; (e) facilitate collaborative partnerships to create linkages across providers to create a database related to cochlear implants, mentor consumers, support inclusion, and support transition services that reach down to begin the planning process at the elementary school level; (f) develop products and disseminate information to families and service providers; and (g) evaluate the effectiveness and impact of technical assistance on individual children and the service delivery system. The NYSTAP represents a partnership between Teachers College at Columbia University and the New York State Parent Network Serving Persons Who Are Visually and Hearing Impaired/Multiply Disabled.

Products: In addition to the technical assistance that will be provided, the project will develop products, including fact sheets that provide a general overview of various topics, more in-depth articles on specific subjects, a Web site, a transition video and manual, and preservice deaf-blind teaching modules. Most materials will be available in Braille and Spanish.

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Purpose: Hand in Hand in Hand proposes an integrated and coordinated approach to disseminate information about best practices through training and technical assistance for families, educators, and service providers of Pennsylvania children who are deaf-blind. Best practices will be identified through current research findings in deaf-blind education, and will incorporate effective intervention or educational practices in special and general education. Key strategies include: (a) utilizing a set of research-based best practices of knowledge and skills to guide services; (b) effectively disseminating information; and (c) documenting improved results for children who are deaf-blind.

Method: The project will: (a) increase families' participation as informed decision-makers in the education of their children through acquisition of knowledge and skills; (b) establish a network of parents and family resources through family involvement activities, a Parent Leadership Network, and dissemination of information; (c) enhance local capacity to develop and implement effective instructional programs for children and youth who are deaf-blind, by conducting strategically planned outreach, technical assistance, and training focused on the critical needs of deaf-blindness; (d) conduct early, accurate, and ongoing identification of children and youth who are at risk for deaf-blindness or who are deaf-blind, to ensure optimal programming that addresses individualized needs, to plan project services based on census information, and to share census information with other agencies; and (e) coordinate with state and national resources for effective program services, through exchange of information and collaboration of services and product development. The project will create systemic change for each of the project goals by establishing a state network of professional and family resources.

Products: The project will present Family Learning workshops and conferences, coordinate distance learning-based study groups, conduct individualized technical assistance, conduct Parent Leadership Network workshops, coordinate parent-to-parent support, assess local needs, present state-level workshops for inservice and preservice educators and related services personnel, support institutions of higher education with resource materials and assistance in recruitment, and collect data for the deaf-blind census.

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Purpose: The Louisiana Services to Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness Project will improve state, regional, and local capacity to meet the unique needs of children and youth with deaf-blindness and their families. This project will achieve these goals by providing intensive training and technical assistance to parents, local school systems, institutes of higher education, and other service providers.

Method: Statewide needs assessment data from parents, teachers, and service providers determined that the activities of training and technical assistance should address: (a) assessment and early identification; (b) adult transition, including self-determination; (c) family participation in training and teaming; and (d) the distinctive challenges presented to students with deaf-blindness in addressing the general education curriculum within natural settings. Current census data indicate that 124 children and youth, ages birth through 21, in Louisiana are eligible to receive services under the IDEA definition of deaf-blindness. Although the framework is in place, there are problems that impede the state from fully implementing appropriate services for children with deaf-blindness. These include: (a) underidentification of children with deaf-blindness; (b) limited opportunities for specialized training in educational strategies for students with deaf-blindness; (c) limited numbers of students with deaf-blindness participating in general education settings; (d) limited opportunities for families to collaborate with instructional personnel using a team approach; and (e) lack of postschool options.

Products: This project will achieve the following outcomes: (a) Student services will reflect the general education curriculum within natural settings; (b) standardized procedures for early identification will be applied; (c) families will be empowered to be integral members of instructional teams; (d) parents, teachers, and service providers will have an increased awareness of appropriate educational practices as well as available services; and (e) increased opportunities for participation in post school outcomes will be created.

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Purpose: Project Reach: Illinois Deaf-Blind Services will provide technical assistance, information, and training to address the early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional service needs of children with deaf-blindness and enhance state capacity to improve services and outcomes for children and their families.

Method: Technical assistance will be given through the Illinois State Board of Education and the Philip Rock Center's Project Reach staff, and will assure that service providers more effectively provide: special education services, inservice training to paraprofessionals and professionals, activities to facilitate parental involvement, consultative services, and opportunities for the integration of children with deaf-blindness with children with other disabilities and without disabilities. Services will be coordinated with other state agencies. Project Reach will support the activities of four deaf-blind specialists who live and work in strategic geographic areas of the state. These specialists will work with local school programs and community service providers and families to identify needs and provide technical assistance to children ages birth to 21. Informational brochures, periodic telephone contacts, onsite visits, and trainings on a variety of related topics will be offered to professional staff and families. Presentations will be made at statewide conferences as a way to inform special education and regular education personnel and community service providers about the issues of deaf-blindness and services available, and to increase the identification of eligible children and those suspected of having dual sensory impairments.

Products: Technical assistance will be provided to local teams to assist in targeting objectives for students to increase skills relating to: quality of life, active engagement in intervention or instruction, responsiveness to stimuli, receptive and expressive communication skills, mobility, social interactions, functional activities and/or academic curricula, participation in natural environment and/or general curriculum, self-advocacy, self-care, transition across life stages, work competencies, and others. Training activities and information dissemination services will be developed for family members to increase knowledge in: empowerment and advocacy skills, IFSP/IEP planning and development, the impact of deaf-blindness on their child, person-centered planning, promoting self-determination in their child, effective communication, research-based and effective procedures, networking with other parents and professionals, and strengthening family organizations.

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Purpose: The Montana IDEA Services for Children and Young Adults with Deaf-Blindness Project will provide technical assistance to families, teachers, and service providers, to ensure that the special education and related services provided reflect current educational trends, and that these trends or best practices are taught in ways that are conducive to this population's achievement of their full potential.

Method: The project is based on identified needs concerning delivery of early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional services for children with deaf-blindness, their families, and all personnel providing them with direct services. Project activities will include: (a) public awareness; (b) identification of children; (c) family services; (d) technical assistance to education and service provider personnel; (e) community coordination and collaboration; and (f) project evaluation and management.

Products: The project will: (a) introduce information about project services and resources, as well as information on deaf-blindness, through conferences, workshops, meetings, and newsletters; (b) make use of project and partners' Web sites to disseminate information on deaf-blindness and project activities; (c) determine what critical information is needed by key constituents; (d) develop and make use of an array of procedures to ensure information regarding the project is accessible through a variety of user-friendly means (i.e., printed materials, access telephone numbers, and mailing addresses); (e) develop and utilize a master list of possible recipients of project dissemination efforts including, but not limited to, family organizations, medical facilities, public health organizations, and Indian Health Services; and (f) monitor the public awareness activities.

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Purpose: The Kansas Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind, its advisory council, the Kansas State Department of Education, collaborating stakeholders, agencies, and organizations together remain firmly committed to moving forward in assuring 130 Kansas children and young adults (birth-21 years) with deaf-blindness, their parents, families, and educators will receive the technical assistance and services that they need and/or desire when they need and/or desire it.

Method: The project will move forward in continuing to promote research-based best practices, better document student/service provider outcomes, build on systematic change efforts, and work towards aligning services for children and young adults with deaf-blindness with Kansas' implementation of No Child Left Behind. The project will: (a) continue identification, certification, and census activities; (b) provide family support through collaborative systemic networking using technology as a tool; (c) provide quality results-based professional development that fosters collaboration and builds local capacity; (d) collaborate with agencies, organizations, universities, and projects for ensuring effective educational practices and aligned state systems; (e) maintain an active advisory council; and (f) continue to acquire, develop, and disseminate products that contain proven effective educational practices. These efforts will be enhanced through the Kansas Improvement Grant for Special Education, in cooperation with other agencies responsible for providing services to all the above stakeholders.

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Purpose: The Oregon Department of Education will enhance a well-established service delivery model to improve outcomes for Oregon's children and young adults who are deaf-blind. Based on research-based best practices, the Oregon Deaf-Blind Project will provide parents/families and service providers with technical assistance, information and resources, and specific training on early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional services for students who are deaf-blind.

Method: The project will conduct the following activities: (a) Identify infants, toddlers, children, and youth who are deaf-blind or are suspected of being deaf-blind at the earliest age possible, and ensure referral to appropriate agency/agencies; (b) provide technical assistance, information, resources, and training to families, increasing their capacity to enhance the development and education of their children; (c) deliver targeted and focused technical assistance, information, resources, and training to local service providers in the critical need areas of communication, orientation and mobility, and purposeful movement; (c) conduct transition-to-adult-life planning, increasing local capacity to provide quality educational and related services to students who are deaf-blind; (d) develop a system that supports community oversight of project activities and ensures collaboration with partner agencies/organizations at the local, state, and national level; and (e) develop and implement a process of accountability that evaluates the impact of all project activities on services and outcomes for students who are deaf-blind and their families.

Products: The following products will result from this project: (a) project brochures; (b) a parent resource directory; (c) a series of team training materials on communication, orientation and mobility, and transition-to-adult-life planning; (d) a project newsletter published three times/year; and (e) a Bobby-approved Web site.

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Purpose: The Indiana Deaf-Blind Services Project will continue to provide technical assistance and training to individuals who are deaf-blind and will ensure that needs arising from new families, changes in service providers, and the diversity of individuals who are deaf-blind are met. In addition, the project will continue to promote current research-based practices, better document student/service provider outcomes, build on systemic change efforts, and align services for children with deaf-blindness with Indiana's implementation of No Child Left Behind.

Method: In order to build on previous efforts and move forward, the project will: (a) promote family and student support and involvement with an emphasis on family and professional partnerships; (b) coordinate technical assistance, training, and dissemination of materials/resources for families/service providers, focusing on using effective practices, improving skills of service providers, and ensuring results-driven accountability; (c) collaborate with other state and local agencies and projects to provide professional development opportunities, products, and alternative training delivery methods that will assist in producing high qualified personnel; (d) direct census activities that collect accurate demographic information on children for program planning and evaluation purposes; and (e) measure and evaluate the impact and benefits to children, their families, and their service providers.

Products: The project will continue to develop and distribute a broad array of high quality materials that facilitate training and technical assistance within the state and nationally. These materials include videotapes, newsletters, books, and inservice training model materials. New products such as training modules, videotapes on special topics in deaf-blind education, newsletters, and Web-based materials will be produced.

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Purpose: The Systematic Technical Assistance Program to Support an Inclusive Education for Students Who Are Deaf-Blind in Puerto Rico will enhance the education offered to deaf-blind students in Puerto Rico. Through this project, service providers and parents of children and youth with deaf-blindness will receive the necessary systematic technical assistance to increase the number of deaf-blind students in regular schools island-wide.

Method: Three main objectives will guide the project: (a) enhancing the Puerto Rico Department of Education's capacity to make available an inclusive education for deaf-blind children and youth through a systematic technical assistance plan based on an ongoing needs assessment of services provided; (b) providing technical assistance to families of deaf-blind children, to foster child-raising practices that will promote adequate social/behavioral, communicative, orientation and mobility, and transitional skills of their deaf-blind offspring; and (c) maintaining an accurate registry on deaf-blind children and youth and collaborating with the state Department of Health (Part C) to identify deaf-blind infants and toddlers.

Products: As a result of this project, an increased number of preschool children who are deaf-blind will be placed in inclusive settings where the staff will be trained to assist and teach them in accordance with their IEPs. Analysis of portfolios of each deaf-blind student will provide data to measure their progress. Appropriate practices for the service delivery of deaf-blind students will be presented to inservice personnel. A teacher-to-teacher training approach will be used to guide new teachers in the field of deaf-blindness. Seventy-five percent of the deaf-blind children and youth parents will receive technical assistance to improve their advocate skills. Parent support groups will be organized in at least three educational regions. The number of infants and toddlers identified will increase and their families will receive appropriate and timely services. Interagency collaboration will allow for provision of family-centered services. The Puerto Rico deaf-blind registry will be accurate with continued efforts to identify and serve all children and youth who are eligible to receive special education services. A formative and a summative evaluation will determine the effectiveness of the technical assistance implemented and will assure that an accurate registry of deaf-blind individuals is maintained.

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Purpose: The Oklahoma State Department of Education, in cooperation with the University of Oklahoma, will work through the Oklahoma Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Project to increase Oklahoma's capacity to improve outcomes for children and youth with deaf-blindness and their families. This shared mission supports the vision for families and their children to live, work, attend school, and participate fully within their own communities. The project will enhance state and local capacity to: (a) increase and support family involvement; (b) increase effective teaching practices of the state's personnel; (c) increase opportunities for education within natural environments; (d) increase numbers of students with appropriate assessments and meaningful individualized family service plan/individualized education program goals; (e) increase the number of students with deaf-blindness who have effective communication systems; (f) improve family, teacher, provider, and a