Project Overview

Overview Information

The Oregon Project for Services to Children & Youth Who Are Deafblind (Oregon Deafblind Project), funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is coordinated through the Oregon Department of Education. This program provides technical assistance in support of mandated early intervention and special education services to children and youth who are deafblind from birth through age 21. Technical assistance and support is provided to IEP Teams serving students who are deafblind to implement the highly specialized services needed in the provision of a free, appropriate, public education for learners who are deafblind residing in Oregon. Students eligible to receive services through the Project must meet federal definitions of deafblindness:

"Children and youth having auditory and visual impairments, the combination of which creates such severe communication and other developmental and learning needs that they cannot be appropriately educated without special education and related services, beyond those that would be provided solely for children with hearing impairments, visual impairments, or severe disabilities, to address their educational needs due to these concurrent disabilities."

All Project activities are developed to provide technical assistance which supports the appropriate delivery of educational services to children and youth who are deafblind, their parents and other family members, service providers, classroom teachers, and Regional Program Specialists. By utilizing the skills and expertise of Regional Deafblind Consulting Teachers, other Oregon professionals, family members, and a cadre of consultants representing various topic areas, the Project offers technical assistance to students who are deafblind and the IEP Teams serving them.

Approach

Services provided to students who are deafblind are coordinated through the Oregon Department of Education. Each of the eight Regional Programs, the Oregon School for the Blind, and the Oregon School for the Deaf have an identified Deafblind Consulting Teacher who provide technical assistance to students who are deafblind enrolled in their respective regional area and/or Special School. The Oregon Project for Services to Children & Youth Who Are Deafblind provides initial training and on-going skills enhancement activities to the Regional Deafblind Consulting Teachers, with subsequent support and training provided to other regionally based Teachers of Blind/Visually Impaired, Teachers of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students, Classroom Teachers, Sign Language Interpreters and other related services support staff, and families of students who are deafblind. Technical assistance to IEP Teams serving students who are deafblind focuses on:

• identifying all children and youth who are or are at risk of being deafblind;
• developing and maintaining a cadre of in-state expertise in the area of deafblindness;
• developing and training teams to assist regional providers, classroom teachers, families, and agencies in the provision of high quality services to children who are deafblind;
• developing collaborative relationships with external consultants and agencies to support students who are deafblind in their transition to adult service agencies; and
• delivering assistance, consultation, and support to families of students who are deafblind

Technical Assistance Available

The purpose of the Oregon Project for Services to Children and Youth Who Are Deafblind is to assist service providers and families in preparing students who are deafblind for quality lives in their communities. Technical Assistance may include:

• assistance to staff through personalized on-site consultation, inservice training, workshops, and assistance with program development
• financial support for participation in training opportunities
• assistance in identifying children who are deafblind, through functional assessments, workshops, and other activities
• family support services, including family weekend retreats and participation in conferences
• information dissemination
• transition services (school to work) support
• collaboration with other technical assistance projects and programs

If you would like to request technical assistance, or for further information please contact:

or:

Contact any of the Oregon Regional Programs serving students with low incidence disabilities

This brochure is available in Spanish, Braille, and large print upon request.