Deaf-Blind Projects Support Accessible, Virtual Connections to Transition
NOTE: October is Blindness Awareness Month
Written by: Teresa Coonts, Project Director of Nebraska Deaf-Blind Project with input from Susan Brennan, Iowa Deaf-Blind Project
Deaf-blindness is one of the lowest-incidence of all IDEA disability categories; however, supporting students with deaf-blindness often involves a wide array of team members in many areas of expertise! To help meet the unique needs of these students, OSEP funds 53 State Deaf-Blind Projects, assisting districts, schools, and families in all States and territories as well as the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB). Collaboratively, we work to improve educational results and quality of life for children who are deaf-blind and their families. The Center and projects’ efforts include a national count of children who are deaf-blind as well as development and sharing of resources, strategies, and events.
Recently, ten State deaf-blind projects (IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, OH, OK, and WI), led by the Iowa and Nebraska projects and supported by NCDB, collaborated to hold the Fourth Annual Midwest Transition Institute (MTI). Supporting transition for students with deaf-blindness is an important focus of our work to improve historically low college/career participation for people with sensory disabilities, tackling challenges including career awareness, communication, [...]