Executive Editor
John Reiman The Teaching Research
Institute
Managing Editor Peggy
Malloy The Teaching
Research Institute
Production
Editor Randy Klumph
The Teaching
Research Institute |
In This Issue
Mike Collins (19472008)
The Lorm Hand Touch Alphabet: Background,
History, and Uses
Keynote from the Kitchen
The Morning Walker
Creating Opportunities for Tomorrow:
DeafBlind Transition Camp
2008 AER International Conference: A Report from
the Multiple Disabilities and Deafblind Division
NCDBs Personnel Preparation
Consortium
Sayreville Teen Overcomes Obstacles as
High-School Basketball Team Manager
Research Update
For Your Library
Conferences and Online Learning
Opportunities
Announcement
Mike Collins (19472008)
John Reiman Executive Editor, Deaf-Blind
Perspectives
Mike Collins, Director of International
Programs at Perkins School for the Blind, died May 16 from lung cancer at age
60. Mike was an advocate for deaf-blind individuals throughout the world and a
leader in the field of deaf-blindness for three decades.
As the deaf-blind community across the globe bids farewell and
pays tribute to Mike Collins, I would like to celebrate what I admired most
about himhis humor, his humility, his integrity, and his commitment.
These qualities, woven throughout the fabric of his being, lived loudly in the
words, spirit, and actions of this quiet and unassuming man.
With his gentle smile and wry wit, Mike could, with perfect
timing, deliver a profound commentary. He was able to take absurdities and
inconsistencies, particularly when they related to inequities and social
injustice, and brilliantly illuminate them. Mikes laughter, whether born
of joy or commentary, survives him.
It is rare to meet a person, particularly one who has contributed
so much, who is as unpretentious and humble as Mike was. Whatever he did, it
never seemed to be about him. I came to understand at his memorial service how
deeply his life path was informed by his rich faith. His service was to
something beyond himselfsomething he could tap into, be filled by, and
give back to. His generosity across every dimension of his life was no doubt
drawn from this wellspring.
We should be proud of who we are, and we should
joyfully celebrate what we are accomplishing. - Michael Collins
Men of high integrity stand out. Mikes honesty and clarity
of conviction were exemplary. His immutable core values were not blown about by
the winds of political expedience. He was a master at clearly and strategically
speaking his truth. His fluff-free communication style was a dependably
congruent reflection of his interior nature.
Mikes dedication and commitment to the field of
deaf-blindness and to human beings who are deaf-blind made a world of
difference. He knew the history, the landscape, and the challenges, and applied
this knowledge as a potent activist worldwide. His leadership and vision, in
the United States and abroad, provided a foundation for the cultivation and
development of programs and practices that are highly responsive to who and
what really matters. His perseverance, dedication, and tenacity were apparent
until the end of his life. In February, Mike wrote the following in an email:
Writing to you from my chemo chair. So you see, I still dont waste
time. A few bad days after chemo, but otherwise I work at least 6 hours every
day, and more on most days. Only big change is a refusal on my part to deal
with trivial issues. Whatever time I have left to contribute is going to be on
the big issues, and not the mundane."
Well Mike, thanks for being such an effective lifelong warrior for
the big issues. The influence of your journey will be felt for generations to
come. You would likely be embarrassed by all the testimonials to you, the
adoration and the deep expressions of gratitude for the gift of your life. If
profound impact and modeling the best of what human beings can aspire to are
the criteria, yours was the gold standard evidence-based life. You are
missed.
Perkins School for the Blind has created a web page,
http://www.RememberingMikeCollins.com,
where friends and colleagues can share their memories of Mike.
The Lorm Hand Touch Alphabet: Background, History,
and Uses
Elon Deiml Charles University of Prague
Boris Titzl Charles University of Prague and
University of Hradec Králové
Elias Kabakov and Debbie Toubi Center for
Deaf-Blind Persons, Israel
Communication with individuals who are
deaf-blind can take many different forms, depending on the type and degree of
deafness and blindness, on the forms of communication with which they are
initially or eventually familiar, and on personal preference. Some deaf-blind
individuals have partial vision or hearing for part or all of their lives.
The systems for communicating with and receiving communication
from completely deaf-blind individuals that were in use in the nineteenth
century, particularly in Belgium and what is now the Czech Republic, were
cumbersome and slow. There was a real need for a simpler system.
Fortunately for the deaf-blind population, deaf-blind European
philosopher, poet, and journalist Dr. Heinrich Landesmann (18211902)
created such a system. Landesmann, who was born in Mikulov (on the Czech side
of what is now the border with Austria), lost almost all of his sight and
hearing as an adolescent and later in adulthood became completely blind. In
1847, after the books and articles he wrote in Vienna raised the ire of the
Austrian chancellor, Prince Metternich, he moved to Berlin and adopted the
pseudonym Hieronymus Lorm in order to keep himself and his family safe from
police persecution. Later, he moved back to Vienna and finally, late in life,
to Brno in the Czech Republic. His pseudonym, Lorm, became the name of the
alphabet system that he invented to communicate with his family. He preferred
not to publish the system, but after his death, his daughter, Marie Landesmann,
publicized the Lorm hand touch alphabet in the German language (Landesmann,
1908). To date it has spread around the world and been translated into many
languages, including English, Czech, and Hebrew, in which it is called the
The Alphabet Glove.
The Czech version was created by Aquina A.
Sedláèková, a teacher at the Institute for the Blind in
Prague, and she contributed greatly to the establishment of this method as a
means to teach children. Her main innovation was to arrange the letters in
alphabetical order, which made the system easier to learn. From 1911, when she
began to use her version of Lorms alphabet, to 1947, the system was in
use in the Czech Republic. It is unclear why it fell from use. However, in 1993
the LORM Society for Deafblind was founded, and members soon created a new
version of the Lorm system, in which finger strokes were added to the point
touches on the palm. Today, the homeland of the Lorm system boasts three
associations for the deaf-blind and two schools, all of which use a variety of
communication systems with different clients, including the Lorm system when it
is appropriate.
Dr.
Heinrich Landesmann (Hieronymus Lorm). Reprinted with permission from the LORM
Society (www.lorm.cz)
The Czech version was created by Aquina A.
Sedláèková, a teacher at the Institute for the Blind in
Prague, and she contributed greatly to the establishment of this method as a
means to teach children. Her main innovation was to arrange the letters in
alphabetical order, which made the system easier to learn. From 1911, when she
began to use her version of Lorms alphabet, to 1947, the system was in
use in the Czech Republic. It is unclear why it fell from use. However, in 1993
the LORM Society for Deafblind was founded, and members soon created a new
version of the Lorm system, in which finger strokes were added to the point
touches on the palm. Today, the homeland of the Lorm system boasts three
associations for the deaf-blind and two schools, all of which use a variety of
communication systems with different clients, including the Lorm system when it
is appropriate.
At the heart of the system is a thin cotton glove or a diagram of
the hand with the position of each letter or symbol marked for the convenience
of the sighted person who wishes to communicate with this system. Every word is
spelled out letter by letter, by touching the appropriate points on the hand.
The deaf-blind person must memorize the diagram of letters in order to decode
what is being said and to be able to respond or initiate a conversation. This
type of tactile communication also requires knowledge of the written form of
spoken language. Practically speaking, it functions as a code for
spoken and written language. For examples of English and Czech versions of the
Lorm alphabet, see the following web sites:
Hebrew version of Lorm alphabet (Deiml,
2007).
Compared to some code methods, the Lorm system is relatively quick
to learn and use. It is faster, for example, than print-on-palm or even
fingerspelling. All three methods require spelling out each and every word.
Print-on-palm can be used by anyone who knows how to write. One draws the
letters with ones finger on the palm of the deaf-blind individuals
hand. Hence, it is a slow and tedious way to communicate. Fingerspelling must
be learned, but it is simple and easy to master. Other tactile code systems
include Braille and the ABC communication board.
Overall, the inherent disadvantages of code systems, primarily the
need to spell things out and the lack of the characteristics of language used
between people, make them unpopular, especially when other easier options are
available. Tactile sign language (sign language adapted to touch) is usually
preferred by deaf-blind individuals who have learned it and who usually do not
have other options. Sign language is the only actual language that is easily
adapted to touch (as opposed to codes of spoken languages like writing or
print-on-palm). It is, therefore, a fluent, natural, and faster way to
communicate, especially for individuals who are accustomed to using it.
However, in cases where a completely deaf-blind individual needs to communicate
with someone who has not learned sign language (and there is no interpreter
available), Lorm is recommended as a means of communication.
Deaf-blind individuals who are accustomed to communicating at the
same pace as speech (whether by sign language or by speech) may show resistance
to learning Lorm. They may be deterred by the slowness of its use. The
rehabilitation process is important here, so that personal resistance
wont prevent learning and using this practical and efficient method of
communication.
Itzik Hanuna, a deaf-blind Israeli Lorm user, commented that,
compared to fingerspelling its faster; anyone can use it. The
letters can be on a glove or I can put the page next to me, you look at that
page and anyone can use it. Another advantage [as compared] to sign language is
that I feel that a person is talking to me more directly.
Another advantage is that the deaf-blind person can receive
information without moving his or her hand, making it possible for individuals
who are paralyzed to use it to receive information, as long as they can feel
gentle pressure on their hands. This can be a real lifeline, as in the case of
a deaf-blind Israeli woman who currently communicates by fingerspelling but who
may be left paralyzed by an upcoming operation.
The Czech LORM Society has about 120 clients and is in contact
with 60 other deaf-blind individuals. The study of Lorm is included in their
rehabilitation and in education courses, with additional training available on
request. Lorm is taught both as a means of communication between deaf-blind
persons and as a complementary communication system with hearing-sighted
individuals. For example, one 60-year-old man in Brno in the Czech Republic,
who usually uses sign language or tactile sign language (depending on the
situation), uses Lorm to learn and explain new signs. He also uses Lorm to
communicate with his mother because she does not know sign language. (J.
Kaparová, personal communication, 2008.)
Overall, the Lorm system is currently in regular use by a small
number of individuals around the world. It is more commonly used, at least
initially, when loss of vision precedes loss of hearing. However, because Usher
Syndrome is the leading cause of deaf-blindness, in the majority of cases of
deaf-blindness, hearing loss occurs first. The syndrome is a genetic disorder
characterized by hearing impairment (from birth or early childhood), retinitis
pigmentosa (a progressive, degenerative eye disorder), and sometimes balance
problems. Loss of vision is gradual throughout life, often first noticed in
adolescence, and individuals with this syndrome tend to use sign language
initially and only later in life add Lorm to their communication skills.
This article is dedicated to the memory of Elsa Dreyfuss, a
deaf-blind woman who communicated with Lorms alphabet and Braille in more
than five languages. Elsa was born in Frankfurt, immigrated in 1938 to
Amsterdam, and died in a crematorium in a concentration camp because she was a
Jew (Cohn, 1951).
References
Deiml, E. (2007). Hebrejská verze Lormovy dotykové
abecedy [Hebrew versions of Lorm hand touch alphabet]. Specialni pedagogika,
17(12), 8187.
Cohn, L. (1951). Slepá, hluchá a prece
t'astná [Blind, deaf and still happy]. Práce
invalidù, 2 (1), 1314.
Landesmann, H. (1908). Finger-zeichensprache für
taubstumme, taube, taubblinde und sehwerhörige [Signing language for
deafdumb, dumb, blinddumb and partially deaf]. Brünn: Marie
Landesmann.
Jana Kaparová contributed the information about the
LORM Society for Deafblind in the Czech Republic (http://www.lorm.cz).
Author contacts:
Elon Deiml: E-mail: edeiml@yahoo.com
Elias Kabakov, Professional Director, Center for Deaf-Blind
Persons: E-mail: elias@cdb.org.il; or web site: http://www.cdb.org.il
Dr. Boris Titzl, Ph.D.: University of Hradec
Králové, Department of Special Education, Rokitanského 62.
E-mail: boris.titzl@pedf.cuni.cz
Keynote from the Kitchen
Nancy ODonnell Coordinator of Special
Projects Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
All professionals can benefit from a
network of colleagues with whom they share information and resources. In a
small and specialized field such as deaf-blindness, the need for such
collaboration is crucial. Yet, with travel costs exploding and the demand for
accountability in the workplace at an all-time high, those of us working in the
non-profit world are being called upon to become more effective and efficient
than ever.
For many years, I have been involved in research on Congenital
Rubella Syndrome (CRS). In the 1980s, we learned that adults with this syndrome
are at risk for developing additional health problems. The number of
professionals working with this population is quite small, and the need to
share information internationally is critical. How can we do this in a timely
and cost-effective manner? Last year, a colleague invited me to participate in
her very clever solution.
One Thursday evening last summer, I sat poised, ready, and a
little nervous at my kitchen table. This nervousness had nothing to do with the
usual source of my kitchen anxietymeal preparation! The kitchen table was
empty except for a glass of water and my laptop. My family had been asked to
avoid the kitchen for the next three hours. A handwritten sign on the front
door of the house asked visitors to enter quietly.
The screen on my laptop was opened to the first slide of a
PowerPoint presentation. A small square in the top corner of my monitor showed
an image of me as I would soon be viewed by others at a remote location. At
8:20 p.m., I heard a voice through my headset, welcoming me and checking our
voice and video connection. Once these were established, we went
live. I heard myself being introduced as the keynote speaker,
presenting on CRS to a conference halfway around the world and a half day
aheadin Japan!
The mechanism for this presentation was a free Internet-based
program called Skype. Skype and programs like it, such as Sight Speed, use the
Internet rather than telephone lines for voice and video communication. Instead
of speaking into a telephone handset, I spoke through a microphone plugged into
my computer. Instead of being dialed with my phone number, I was
called on my computer via my Skype username. When called, I heard a
sound on my laptop similar to a telephone ringing, I clicked
Connect, and I was able to hear my colleagues around the world
through a headset, also plugged into my computer. All of this while sitting at
my kitchen table!
The option of live video was made possible through the use of a
webcam, a video camera made specifically for computers and the web. My laptop
came with a webcam already built in. (If your computer doesnt have a
webcam, you may purchase one relatively inexpensively and install it.)
The mechanics of the presentation were quite interesting. In
Japan, my real time image was projected onto a large screen at the
front of the meeting room. Next to that was a second screen which showed my
slides translated into Japanese. A third screen showed my presentation in
English. First, colleagues at the conference introduced me to
several individuals with CRS and their families who were attending the
conference. Then, because the webcam is mobile, they panned the room with it to
allow me to see the participants and the physical layout of the setting. During
my presentation, the webcam was trained on the English version of the
PowerPoint visuals to help me keep my place. During breaks, they swung the
camera around so that I could see when the participants had returned to their
seats.
The success of this event was ensured with the help of several
preconference trial runs and great technical support. We tested the speed of
our Internet connection, played with lighting and location at my end, and
adjusted the pace of the spoken presentation, taking into account
English/Japanese/sign language translations. On the day of the conference,
everything proceeded seamlessly.
A huge thank you goes to Megue Nakazawa of the
National Institute of Special Needs Education, the creative and resourceful
person who pulled all of this together. In times like thesewhen the need
to share information is as important as ever but travel is costly and time
consumingthe use of technology like this makes fiscal and professional
sense. Besides that, it was great fun to present my keynote from the
kitchen!
The Morning Walker
John Lee Clark
I walk each morning through the woods. It is my job.
Someone has to do it to bring home morning light. I greet it in the glade
where dew rises
to let my white cane catch the light. Still fresh from
rising, the dawn is nervous, jerking in the shadows of the trees lining
my pathway. But my cane glows,
holding onto the light as it grows bolder in the
openings between the trees growing warm. As I make the last turn home,
it bounds ahead of me, chasing away
new-fallen leaves flying up to my door. By then, the
light has grown strong enough to flood my house, and with a flourish of my
cane I command it to do so. Light rushes
through the windows and around my legs in the open
doorway, all at once nuzzling my wife awake while tugging my sons out
of bed as it laps my glass of water
without draining it. Yes, it is my job to make each
morning do its job. I walk each morning through the woods because if
not for me, no morning would come
in this way. On their own, mornings would come too
bright, with a hollow light covering what should be seen imperfectly,
imperfectly or not at all, only warmed for imagination.
John Lee Clark, who is second-generation deaf-blind, is the
outreach coordinator for DeafBlind Relay Services at Hawk Relay.
Creating Opportunities for Tomorrow: DeafBlind
Transition Camp
Beth Kennedy DB Central
Jill Gaus SHI-M=DB and DB Central
In order for DeafBlind teenagers to become
self-advocates and succeed in college, they need a positive and solid
foundation on which to build. To help establish this foundation, DB Central
(Michigan Services for Children and Young Adults Who Are DeafBlind) has held
several summer DeafBlind transition camps (DBTCs) to help college-bound
students acquire the skills and knowledge they need to achieve success. DB
Central is supported in this effort by an important partner, Self Help for
Independency in Michigan Equalizing the DeafBlind (SHI-M=DB), an organization
of individuals who are DeafBlind.
Shirlisa
and Kortney practice the sign language alphabet (the Deaf and the hard of
hearing students wanted to be able to communicate directly with each other).
In June 2008, the third DeafBlind transition camp was held at
Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing. All three DBTCs have been held
at MSU because of the universitys strong commitment to accessibility. The
criteria for attending the camp are that participants must have combined vision
and hearing loss, be between the ages of 16 and 19, and have the desire to
attend college or obtain competitive employment. This year, for the first time,
registration was open to teens from throughout the United States, with priority
given to those from Michigan. Nine teens registered, and seven attended. The
teens came from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, California, Minnesota, and Florida.
There was no fee to attend the camp, but participants were responsible for
their own travel costs.
The camp agenda emphasized the skills and knowledge that college
students require for success and independence, including social,
time-management, problem-solving, self-advocacy, and self-determination skills.
On the first night, the teens participated in drama activities such as the deaf
telephone game and miming, to help break the ice and give them a chance to get
to know one another. Based on experience gained from the first DBTC, the first
presentation on the next day was a demonstration of the use of assistive
listening devices (ALDs). This enabled the teens to experiment with this
technology for the rest of the camp. Subsequent sessions informed participants
about a variety of resources, including support services for college students
offered by the Michigan Commission for the Blind, resources for students with
disabilities at MSU, and state and national DeafBlind consumer groups.
L-R:
Evan, Cassy, Erick, Kortney, Emily-Ann, Shirlisa, and Julian take time out to
pose for the camera.
Additional topical sessions covered vocational rehabilitation
services, career planning, and relevant disability laws and policies. Leader
Dogs for the Blind, an organization that provides dog guides to people who are
blind and visually impaired, gave a presentation about their training program.
Two DeafBlind individuals who had recently completed the program and received
guide dogs were part of the presentation. Some professional DeafBlind adults
gave presentations or participated in panel discussions about
self-determination and self-advocacy and shared their personal stories about
being teenagers and attending college. The goal was to provide essential
exposure to positive role models to whom DeafBlind teens can easily relate and
who serve as examples of what is possible with hard work and the right support
system.
The camp also provided multiple opportunities for the teens to
socialize and develop friendships with DeafBlind peers. All were pleased to
have an opportunity to meet other DeafBlind teens. For many, it was the first
time they had ever encountered another DeafBlind person their age. Most intend
to stay in touch with one another, and to facilitate this, we created a
directory of participants names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and
e-mail addresses. A separate directory was developed for family members so that
they can also contact one another.
The most important aspect of DBTCs is the provision of full
accessibility all of the time. The teens were able to participate fully in
every aspect of the camp, a tremendous boost to their self-esteem. To provide
this level of accessibility, we collaborated with the MSU residence hall staff,
the MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities staff, a CART (real-time
captioning) provider, sign language interpreters, and support service providers
(SSPs).
Before the camp began, we held a mandatory training program for
the interpreters and SSPs that included tips for DeafBlind interpreting,
instruction in sighted-guide techniques, an overview of the camps agenda
and activities, and combined-vision-and-hearing-loss simulation exercises using
blindfolds and earplugs. The DBTC teen registration form included questions
about accommodation and medical needs so that, with advance planning, each
participants needs could be met fully. Pertinent information from the
forms was used in the training to ensure that everyone was prepared to offer
necessary supports for the teens.
The presentations were held in a room with window blinds to
prevent glare. Each speaker was asked to provide overheads and handouts in a
variety of print sizes and in Braille to make the information accessible to
each participant. Many of the teens used CART, a form of closed captioning,
during the presentations. Each had his or her own computer monitor to view the
captioning. The CART provider showed the teens how to adjust the screen
background and print colors of the captioning to match their unique visual
needs. It was the first time any of the teens had experienced a captioned
presentation. Many stated that they would request this type of accommodation
when they returned to school.
Fun activities provided breaks from the more serious
presentations and built self-esteem, encouraged teamwork, and fostered the
belief that anything is possible. They were inspired by Games for People with
Sensory Impairments (Lieberman & Cowart, 1996) and included bean bag
tic-tac-toe, lawn toss, Frisbee toss, parachute pick-up, and baseball. The
teens played against adult staff members, who initially thought they would let
the teens win to make them feel good. Once the games started, however, it
became obvious that the teens did not need anyone to let them
win.
Most of the teens who attended the camp communicated that their
experiences and the information they received would assist them in college.
Kortney found the camp presentations to be very inspirational and said, I
now know that I should never give up. I will keep trying. Shirlisa said
that the presentations helped her to understand the importance of setting
goals. By the end of camp, she was inspired to work towards her dream of
learning Japanese and living in Japan. Erick, who at one point during the camp
gave a wonderful impromptu motivational speech to the other campers, expressed
an interest in returning as a presenter for a future camp. Two other teens
offered to return as mentors, and all hope to be involved with a future DBTC in
some capacity.
We believe that DBTC offers teens opportunities that they can
draw on to help make college a positive experience. The camp gave them a taste
of success, a self-esteem boost, and the knowledge and skills they need to
advocate for themselves. We hope that their camp experiences will contribute to
success in college and in their future lives. There will be additional camps in
2010, 2012, and beyond, as long as funding is available and DeafBlind teens are
interested. Information about future camps will be available on the DB Central
web site (http://www.dbcentral.org)
approximately one year prior to the start of each camp.
Reference
Lieberman, L. J., & Cowart, J. F. (1996). Games for people
with sensory impairments: Strategies for including individuals of all ages.
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
2008 AER International Conference: A Report from
the Multiple Disabilities and Deafblind Division
Amy T. Parker Texas Tech University
AER, the Association for Education and
Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, held its 2008 International
Conference from July 22 to 27 in vibrant downtown Chicago. The 1,200 plus
conference participants were offered a kaleidoscopic array of information and
innovative ideas from the fields of education and rehabilitation for adults and
children with visual impairments, including those who are deafblind. Conference
sessions covered a broad spectrum of topics ranging from early intervention, to
the latest vision-related neurological advancements, to veterans issues.
Audio-recordings and presentation slides for most of the conference sessions
are available for a fee via AERs web site (www.aerbvi.org).
AERs membership is comprised of a diverse group of
professionals, including administrators, vision rehabilitation therapists,
orientation and mobility specialists, low vision therapists, itinerant
teachers, and support personnel. Individuals may also join as associate
members, a nonvoting membership category for people who are not employed in the
field. AER has a number of divisions that represent the varied interests of its
members. Division 3, the Multiple Disabilities and Deafblind Division, has more
than 250 members, many of whom work in the field of deafblindness.
Representatives from this division made significant contributions to the
conference. In particular, they helped to plan and host a collaborative,
all-day session on the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), which outlines the
disability-specific teaching areas described in The National Agenda for the
Education of Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, Including Those with
Multiple Disabilities (Corn et al., 1995).
The ECC was developed to better meet the instructional needs of
students with visual impairments by teaching compensatory or functional
academic skills (including communication modes), orientation and mobility,
social interaction skills, independent living skills, recreation and leisure
skills, career education, use of assistive technology, sensory efficiency
skills, and self-determination (American Foundation for the Blind, n.d; Hatlen,
1996). The ECC is important for all children with visual impairments and is
especially critical for students who are deafblind because of the intensive,
individually tailored instruction they require. The ECC also provides a
framework that parents, guardians, family members, and students can use to
communicate with students educational teams about their unique
instructional needs (National Agenda Steering Committee Members, 2002).
With financial support and coordination from the American
Foundation for the Blind (AFB), representatives from Division 3 and three other
AER divisionsInfant and Preschool Services (Division 8), Education
Curriculum (Division 10), and Itinerant Personnel (Division 16)worked
together to present the special session on the ECC at the AER Conference, which
included the following topics:
- the upcoming reauthorization of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act and its relationship to the ECC;
- implementation of the ECC within early intervention and school
settings, including residential schools and inclusive classrooms;
- effective instructional practices for students with multiple
disabilities;
- university-level personnel preparation competencies related to
the ECC; and
- the empowering of families to advocate for appropriate
instruction in all areas of the ECC.
The collaboration between AER and AFB on this event underscores
the collective recognition of the ECCs importance.
Members of Division 3 also presented a number of conference and
poster sessions. Some examples of presentation topics included Children
with CVI: Outcomes and Opportunities by Christine Roman and Alan Lantzy;
Promising Practices for Students with Visual Impairments and Autism
Spectrum Disorder by Betsy Flener, Donna Brostek, and Sharon Froedge; and
Tools for Change: Advocating for Quality Services by Tom Miller and
Marianne Riggio. A few examples of poster sessions that reflected Division
3s focus included A Study in Self-Efficacy in Deafblindness
Education by Elizabeth Hartmann; The Nature of Social Experiences
of Students with Deafblindness Educated in Inclusive Settings by Silvia
Correa-Torres; and Response to Intervention: The Role and Contribution of
the TVI by Tanni Anthony.
Division 3 also held a business meeting at the conference to
discuss future goals and elect new officers for the 20082010 term.
Elizabeth Hartmann, San Francisco State University, was elected to be the new
chair and Julie Durando, University of Northern Colorado, chair-elect. I was
chosen to serve as secretary/treasurer. Jacqueline Brennan, Overbrook School
for the Blind, is the outgoing chair. The primary initiatives of Division 3 are
to assess the current memberships needs, expand our roster of members,
and to continue to focus on and advocate for the needs of children and adults
who are deafblind or have multiple disabilities. To do this, we need the ideas,
energy, and contributions of the readers of Deaf-Blind Perspectives. As the
field prepares for the upcoming reauthorization of IDEA, it is critical that we
all work together to make sure that the law supports the instructional needs of
students who are deafblind and those with multiple disabilities. For more
information about AER and Division 3, including membership information, go to
the web site www.aerbvi.org. We hope to see
you in Little Rock for the 2010 conference!
References
American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.) Expanded core
curriculum. Retrieved September 19, 2008, from http://tinyurl.com/3zpmev
Corn, A. L., Hatlen, P., Huebner, K. M., Ryan, F., & Siller,
M. A. (1995). The national agenda for the education of children and youths
with visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities. New
York: AFB Press.
Hatlen, P. (1996). The core curriculum for blind and visually
impaired students, including those with additional disabilities. RE:view,
28(1), 2532.
National Agenda Steering Committee Members. (2002). National
agenda for the education of children and youths with visual impairments,
including those with multiple disabilities: A parent perspective.
Retrieved September 18, 2008, from http://www.tsbvi.edu/agenda/parent.htm
NCDBs Personnel Preparation Consortium
Gail Leslie National Consortium on
Deaf-Blindness
When the National Consortium on
Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) was funded in October 2006, it was expected to add a
third area of focus to the work carried out by NTAC and DB-LINK, the two former
projects that came together as NCDB. Along with continued efforts in technical
assistance and information and dissemination services, the consortium was
charged with addressing issues related to personnel training in the field of
deaf-blindness.
The beginning of this effort occurred in Chicago, in March 2007,
when NCDB conducted a focus group to address and define issues of national
concern related to personnel training in deaf-blindness. Participants included
professionals from low-incidence-disability and deaf-blind-specific
personnel-preparation programs. After two days of brainstorming, a number of
issues, challenges, and solutions were identified and a commitment was made by
the focus group participants to come together as the national Personnel
Preparation Consortium to provide leadership in the field of deaf-blindness.
The goals of this group include:
- providing a forum to support ongoing dialogue on critical
personnel development issues;
- promoting cohesiveness on standards, practices, and services
for teacher training; and
- promoting national collaborative development of a new model of
personnel preparation and training.
The new consortium met for a second time in New Orleans in
November 2007. Building on ideas generated at the first meeting, participants
organized into work groups and developed action plans. An initial focus of the
consortium was on the need for more cohesiveness within personnel-training
standards and practices in the field. The Documents Work Group began this
effort by identifying current policies, guidelines, criteria, and competencies
used to develop training programs for teachers and interveners who work with
children who are deaf-blind.
NCDB Personnel Preparation Consortium Members: Linda
Alsop, Utah State University Susan Bashinski, East Carolina University
Maurice Belote, California Deaf-Blind Services Susan Bruce, Boston
College Roseanna Davidson, Texas Tech University Melissa Engleman, East
Carolina University Pam Hunt, San Francisco State University Effie Laman,
Texas Tech University Linda McDowell, University of Southern Mississippi
Stephanie McFarland, University of Arizona Jerry Petroff, College of New
Jersey Mary Jean Sanspree, University of Alabama at Birmingham Bill
Sharpton, University of New Orleans Rosanne Silberman, Hunter College
Alana Zambone, East Carolina University
NCDB
Staff:
Kathleen Stremel, Western Oregon University Gail Leslie,
Western Oregon University John Killoran, Western Oregon University Ella
Taylor, Western Oregon University
Mary Jean Sanspree of the University of Alabama at Birmingham
suggested that the consortium apply to the Council for Exceptional Children
(CEC) to establish national standards for educational personnel working with
children who are deaf-blind. The CEC is the largest national professional
organization for educators working with students with disabilities and is the
worlds leader in the development of standards for special education
teachers. The CEC provides leadership in the documentation of the knowledge and
skills needed by personnel for competency in all areas of special education. It
accomplishes this by coordinating the development of standards by professionals
in areas of specialization. Once adopted by CEC, the standards become what are
known as a Specialized Professional Association (SPA). They are used to develop
education policy, to determine professional licensure requirements, and to
develop practice in special education in conjunction with the standards of the
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) for the
accreditation of programs that offer degrees and certification.
With only five months to meet the April 2008 deadline for SPA
applications, a team from the November meeting, consisting of Mary Jean, Linda
Alsop from the University of Utah, and Alana Zambone of East Carolina
University, began the work of incorporating existing competencies for teachers
and interveners into the CEC format. Each description of required knowledge had
to be supported by evidence such as a research study, a textbook in the field,
or a practitioner publication. The intervener competencies were presented and
reviewed at a CEC SPA committee meeting in Boston in April 2008. The review
included a process of smoothing to eliminate duplication between
these and other CEC competencies.
The competencies for interveners were approved for field review
and in late August were distributed to more than 2,000 professionals, families,
and consumers for feedback and validation. The results of the review were
addressed at the September 2008 meeting of the CEC committee. The competencies
for teachers received their first appraisal at this meeting and will be
distributed for field review later in the year. It is anticipated that both
sets of competencies will be ready for final CEC committee review and approval
by April 2009. This is a landmark event for the field of deaf-blindness. The
competencies provide a step forward in the alignment of expectations for
personnel development and hold the potential to facilitate greater
collaborative efforts in personnel training.
The Personnel Preparation Consortium met again in May 2008 after
the NCDB Topical Conference in Orlando. This time the group focused on the
consortiums Research Action Plan Work Groups efforts to develop a
framework for classifying existing research in the field of deaf-blindness and
identifying future research needs. Other interests of this work group are
locating potential funding sources for new research and building connections
between the deaf-blind technical assistance network and the research community.
The next face-to-face meeting of the consortium will take place in
October 2008 in Washington, DC. The meeting will be held at the U.S. Department
of Educations Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). This location
will allow the federal project officers of state deaf-blind projects and
low-incidence-disability personnel-preparation programs to attend. The
consortium hopes to begin a dialogue with OSEP about its work and opportunities
for collaboration within the federal network.
The changes in special education introduced by the No Child Left
Behind Act have left many in the field of deaf-blindness feeling that they must
resolve issues related to the scarcity of highly qualified teachers, the need
for research-based strategies, and the challenge of providing quality education
for isolated low-incidence populations. With a commitment to coming together
twice a year, the Personnel Preparation Consortium has become an effective
workforce addressing issues and benefitting practitioners, educators, and
technical assistance providers across the country. For more information about
the consortiums work, visit the NCDB web site at www.nationaldb.org.
Sayreville Teen Overcomes Obstacles as High-School
Basketball Team Manager
Erica Harbatkin
This
link is to an article published in the print version of Deaf-Blind
Perspectives. The article is about Tim Stetler, an 18-year-old young
man who is deaf-blind and has severe brain damage. It describes his experiences
as a team manager for a local high school basketball team. It originally
appeared in the Home News Tribune, May 27, 2008.
Research Update
Influencing Outcomes for Children Who Are
Deaf-Blind with Cochlear Implants
Kathleen Stremel
The Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University has
been awarded a Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with
Disabilities grant from the U.S. Department of Education for a new research
project titled, Influencing Outcomes for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind with
Cochlear Implants. Collaborative partners include the Cincinnati
Childrens Hospital Medical Center and the Beach Center on Disabilities,
University of Kansas. In addition, 15 state deaf-blind projects have written
letters of agreement to participate: Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois,
Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts/Connecticut, Missouri, North Carolina,
Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
Project Staff
Dr. Susan Wiley and I are the co-principal investigators, and I
will serve as the project director. Dr. Susan Bashinski, formerly at the
University of Kansas and now at Eastern Carolina University will assist in the
development of assessment measures and analysis of videotaped data. External
consultants will include Dr. Larry Irvin, Professor of Special Education in the
College of Education at the University of Oregon, and Dr. Joe Spradlin,
Professor Emeritus for the Department of Human Development and Family Life at
the University of Kansas. Individual consultants with experience in
deaf-blindness will serve as interventionists and trainers in a number of the
states.
Project Purpose
Preliminary data on children who are deaf-blind and have cochlear
implants indicate that there is a great deal of variability in the auditory
perception, speech, and language outcomes they experience following cochlear
implantation. There are also significant differences in the availability of
appropriate intervention services for children (e.g., speech, language, and
auditory training) and training opportunities for family members, and this
likely has affected outcomes. Our study will address the following four
research questions:
- What effect does age-at-implantation have on child
outcomes?
- What effect does the duration of cochlear implant use have on
child outcomes?
- How do caregivers communication and interactive behaviors
with their children differ before and after implantation?
- What effect does speech and auditory training that incorporates
individualized support prompts have on child outcomes?
The objective of this project is to demonstrate that effective
communication strategies in the context of daily home routines positively
affect post-implant receptive and expressive communication and language
outcomes for children who are deaf-blind.
Methods
The 3-year project will focus on children from 6 months to 8 years
of age who have severe vision loss and severe/profound bilateral hearing
impairment, a population that often has additional disabilities. We will test
them before and after implantation using a number of receptive and expressive
communication assessment tools. In addition, we will develop a systematic data
collection system to examine the communication behaviors of caregivers and
their children as they interact during naturally occurring routines. These
strategies will include embedding receptive and expressive communication and
language opportunities in routines and activities adopted by families.
Products
We will develop and disseminate a number of products over the
course of the project. These will include (a) inventories of environmental
sounds for home and school environments, (b) individualized assessment
strategies, (c) fact sheets for parents and early service providers on
effective intervention strategies in real-world contexts, and (d) training
modules for service providers on auditory training, communication, and speech
and language development.
For Your Library
Practice Perspectives: The Path to Symbolism National
Consortium on Deaf-Blindness, August 2008.
The Path to Symbolism describes the importance of early
communication experiences for the development of symbolic communication in
children who are deaf-blind. The publication is based on research and review
articles by Susan Bruce (Boston College) and colleagues. Two recent studies by
these researchers are highlighted. The first is on the use of gestures in
children who are deaf-blind and the second is on the rate of intentional
communication acts in children with severe disabilities, including
deaf-blindness. Standard and large print versions are available on the NCDB
website: http://nationaldb.org/NCDBProducts.php?prodID=62.
Print and Braille copies are available free-of-charge from NCDB. Phone:
800-438-9376. TTY: 800-854-7013. E-mail: info@nationaldb.org. Web:
www.nationaldb.org.
Better Together: Building Relationships with People Who Have
Visual Impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder (or Atypical Social
Development) Linda Hagood. Texas School for the Blind and Visually
Impaired, 2008.
This manual presents a relationship-based approach to teaching
social skills to individuals who have dual diagnoses that include visual
impairment and autism or Aspergers disorder. It may also be helpful for
teaching visually impaired people who have other types of atypical social
development. Cost: $50.00 Available from Texas School for the Blind and
Visually Impaired. Phone: 512-206-9427. Web: www.tsbvi.edu.
Including Students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities in
Typical Classrooms: Practical Strategies for Teachers, 3rd
Edition June Downing. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company,
2008.
This text offers practical strategies for including students with
cognitive, sensory, behavioral, and physical disabilities in regular
classrooms. Topics include how to ensure access to core content areas, measure
student progress toward state and national standards, ease transitions between
grades and between school and adult life, write measurable IEP goals and
objectives, and encourage peer-to-peer learning and support. Cost: $44.95.
Publishers web site: www.pbrookes.com.
Trends and Unresolved Issues Impacting Individuals who are
Deaf-Blind Paper developed for the National Council on Disability by
The American Association of the Deaf-Blind and Helen Keller National Center,
2008.
This paper was written in response to a call by the National
Council on Disability (NCD) for public input on emerging issues and trends
affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Information gathered will be
used in the development of NCDs next annual progress report to the
President and Congress. Available on the web:
http://aadb.org/information/ncd/ncd_introduction.html
Interpreting for Deaf-Blind Individuals: Annotated
Bibliography National Task Force on Deaf-Blind Interpreting and
DB-LINK, 2008.
This document is intended for interpreters, interpreter educators,
and deaf-blind people who are looking for books, articles, and videos about
deaf-blind interpreting, communication, advocacy and rights, culture and
community, support service providers (SSPs), and more. It was prepared by the
National Task Force on Deaf-Blind Interpreting, in conjunction with DB-LINK at
the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness. Available on the web:
www.nationaldb.org/ISSelectedTopics.php
?topicCatID=767.
New Articles
Chen, D., Klein, D., & Minor, L. (2008). Online professional
development for early interventionists : Learning a systematic approach to
promote caregiver interactions with infants who have multiple disabilities.
Infants and Young Children, 21(2), 120-33.
Clark, C., & McDonnell, A. P. (2008). Teaching choice making
to children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities in preschool and
kindergarten classrooms. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness,
102(7), 397-409.
Peltokorpi, S, Huttunen, K. (2008). Communication in the early
stage of language development in children with CHARGE Syndrome. British
Journal of Visual Impairment, 26(1), 24-49.
Reda, N. M., & Hartshorne, T. S. (2008). Attachment, bonding,
and parental stress in CHARGE Syndrome. Mental Health Aspects of
Developmental Disabilities, 11(1), 10-21.\
Conferences and Online Learning Opportunities
Addressing the Needs of Students Labeled Deaf
& Low Functioning, At-Risk, or Deafblind November 20-22,
2008 Houston, Texas
This conference will include a wide range of sessions addressing
classroom strategies, communication, behavior management, transition to work,
and a variety of other topics. There will be opportunities to learn from
national and state experts, to network with others in the field, and to learn
about programs serving students and adults. For more information, contact
Theresa Johnson at tjohnson@esc4.net or
Hazel Semper at 713-744-6376, or register online at
www.theansweris4.net.
2009 Texas Symposium on
Deafblindness February 1214, 2009 Austin, Texas
This symposium is for parents, adult siblings, caregivers,
educators, rehabilitation professionals, and interveners/paraprofessionals
working with individuals with deaf-blindness ages birth to 22. Presentations
will be offered by state, national, and international speakers including adults
with deaf-blindness, family members, and experts in the fields of education and
rehabilitation. Topics include educational strategies, transition, early
intervention, and specific syndromes and conditions that cause deaf-blindness.
For further information, contact Brian Sobeck (512-206-9225;
BrianSobeck@tsbvi.edu) or visit
www.tsbvi.org.
Tangible Symbol Systems and Pre-Symbolic
Communication Online Classes
Two classes, developed by Charity Rowland and Philip Schweigert,
on communication for individuals who are deaf-blind (or have other severe
challenges), are now offered online by Oregon Health & Science University
(OHSU). Tangible Symbol Systems provides instruction on all aspects of teaching
an individual to use tangible symbols and also addresses the theoretical basis
and research related to this approach. Pre-Symbolic Communication addresses the
use of pre-symbolic means of communication by individuals who are not able to
use symbols to communicate. For more information contact Carolyn Mills, OHSU
Design To Learn Projects. Phone: 888-909-4030 or 503-494-2291. E-mail:
tangible@ohsu.edu. Web:
http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/d2l/training/.
(Note: this URL changed after printed version went to press).
Perkins School for the Blind On-Demand
Webcasts
Perkins is a leader in the development of training models for
educators who work with students who are visually impaired, with or without
additional disabilities. Webcasts from their experts are now available
on-demand at www.perkins.org/webcasts. Currently, there are webcasts available
on the following topics: creating vocational portfolios, mealtime skills, and
social skills. For further information, contact Marianne Riggio at 617-972-7264
or Marianne.Riggio@Perkins.org.
Announcement
New Personal Training Grant: Helen Keller
Fellows
Extending a Legacy: Training Personnel to Serve School Age
Children in Low Incidence Disabilities through the Development of Helen Keller
Fellows, is a collaborative effort to address the critical shortage of
qualified personnel in low incidence disabilities, with a particular emphasis
on deaf-blindness. The collaboration is between Western Oregon
Universitys Teaching Research Institute and masters degree programs
at nine universities (Boston College, East Carolina University, Hunter College
of City University of New York, San Francisco State University, Texas Tech
University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Arizona,
University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of Utah). The purpose of
the program is to develop a cadre of geographically dispersed and networked
teacher leaders who will be able to provide evidence-based practices and
positively impact the broader educational system.
Each participating university will nominate candidates who have
been accepted into their respective graduate programs. Over the four-year grant
cycle, it is anticipated that 36 Fellows will complete master degree programs
and become teacher leaders in the field of deaf-blindness. To facilitate their
education each Fellow will receive a $10,000 stipend. For more information,
visit the project web site (www.helenkellerfellows.org) or
contact Dr. Ella Taylor (503-838-8589, taylore@wou.edu).
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