84.326T: National Technical Assistance Project for Infants, Toddlers, and Children Who Are Deaf-Blind

This document describes the project that received funding in Fiscal Year 2004 from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, under its competition 84.326T, National Technical Assistance Project for Infants, Toddlers, and Children 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

84.326T
National Technical Assistance Project for Infants, Toddlers, and Children Who Are Deaf-Blind

Purpose: The major goals of the National Technical Assistance Consortium for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind (NTAC) project are two-fold. The first goal is to increase the capacity of States, local education agencies, early intervention programs, and other agencies to improve policies and practices that will result in appropriate assessment, planning, placement, and services for children/youth who are deaf-blind (birth to young adulthood). The second goal is to increase the capacity of state projects as well as state and local agencies to utilize research-based practices and to increase the implementation of IDEA in order to improve outcomes for children and youth who are deaf-blind.

Method: The consortium combines the resources and expertise of two national agencies, the Teaching Research Division of Western Oregon University (Monmouth, Oregon) and the Helen Keller National Center (Sands Point, New York). The NTAC project will provide a national effort of technical assistance, training, and information to multiple recipients including families, individuals who are deaf-blind (consumers), state projects for deaf-blind services, state education agencies, Part C lead agencies, and other state agencies. The consortium will: (a) implement and maintain a state-level and national-level needs assessment, in order to determine the array, type, and intensity of technical assistance needed; (b) assist states in improving collaboration, policy development, services, and practices by providing a tiered array of technical assistance and training activities, with an emphasis in facilitating capacity building and systemic change initiatives, that result in positive child/youth outcomes; (c) assist families and children/youth to increase their capacity for building relationships, knowledge, and skills in advocacy, empowerment, effective practices, and services by providing an array of technical assistance and training activities; (d) assist personnel preparation training programs to work collaboratively to increase the number of teachers and paraprofessionals who are providing services and implementing effective practices; and (e) collaborate with the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, other federal technical assistance projects, and state agencies in improving practices and services for early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional services by facilitating local, regional, and state systemic change initiatives to include children/youth who are deaf-blind.

Products: The project will develop and evaluate technical assistance, training materials, and products addressing research-based effective practices using traditional and distance education strategies. The project also will disseminate information, technical assistance, and training materials and products to a variety of audiences and individuals. The project will result in: (a) increased capacities for state projects for deaf-blind services, state/local agencies, and service providers to improve services and practices; (b) increased capacities for families, advocates, and individuals who are deaf-blind to access services; (c) increased use of strategies in systems change initiatives to include children/youth who are deaf-blind; and (d) improved outcomes for children/youth who are deaf-blind.

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