Performers at Osaka's Big Stage - Deafblind International
Performers at Osaka's Big Stage - Deafblind International
Performers at Osaka's Big Stage - Deafblind International
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<strong>Deafblind</strong>ness in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania hasofficially identified theneed for intervenersRecently, Pennsylvania hasofficially identified theneed for interveners insupporting children withdeafblindness. The <strong>Deafblind</strong>Initi<strong>at</strong>ive and the PA Bureauof Special Educ<strong>at</strong>ion (BSE)are now addressing thisneed. Linda Alsop, deafblindeduc<strong>at</strong>ional consultants andfamily liaisons have initi<strong>at</strong>edworkshops across the st<strong>at</strong>e totrain teams of professionalsworking with children withdeafblindness. Plans for thefuture include offering anintervener credential trainingprogram.In addition to this, twoadvisory committees workwith the PA Director of theBSE to provide inform<strong>at</strong>ionand support to meet theneeds of students withsensory impairments. Bothof these committees - theEduc<strong>at</strong>ional resources forChildren with Hearing Loss(ERCHL) and Pennsylvania’sApproach to the N<strong>at</strong>ionalAgenda for the Educ<strong>at</strong>ionof Children and Youthswith Visual Impairments,<strong>Deafblind</strong>ness, and Visualand Multiple Disabilities(PANA) - have worked tocre<strong>at</strong>e agendas to identifyand address the needs ofchildren and youth withsensory loss and the needsof those with deafblindness.These committees representeduc<strong>at</strong>ors from thecontinuum of placementoptions, including OverbrookSchool for the Blind, parents,consumers, and other serviceproviders. The agendas, asadopted by the PA-BSE, takedifferent approaches andtogether address the broadrange and needs of childrenwith deafblindness.PANA addresses the10 goals of our n<strong>at</strong>ionalagenda and how they canbe achieved in Pennsylvania.These goals range from earlyidentific<strong>at</strong>ion, intervention,and family involvement toappropri<strong>at</strong>e testing andimplement<strong>at</strong>ion of theexpanded core curriculum(those skills th<strong>at</strong> a studentmust learn in additionto the general educ<strong>at</strong>ioncurriculum due to their visualneeds). ERCHL also focuseson early identific<strong>at</strong>ion,intervention and appropri<strong>at</strong>eassessment. Other areasemphasize language andcommunic<strong>at</strong>ion and offeringthe full continuum ofplacement options. Languageand communic<strong>at</strong>ion isaddressed throughout thedocument and includesidentifying the need for anintervener for a child who isdeafblind. ERCHL’s agenda isthe first document publishedby the PA Department ofEduc<strong>at</strong>ion and the Bureauof Special Educ<strong>at</strong>ion th<strong>at</strong>specifically includes the roleof an intervener for a childwho is deafblind.A very exciting timefor children and youthwith deafblindness inPennsylvaniaThis is a very exciting timefor children and youthwith deafblindness inthe Commonwealth ofPennsylvania. Throughthe leadership of John“ Families are now activelyinvolved in planning forthe annual Family LearningConference weekend th<strong>at</strong>brings together entirefamilies from across theCommonwealth ”Tommasini, Director of theBureau of Special Educ<strong>at</strong>ion,there is a focus on insuringth<strong>at</strong> our students withdeafblindness receive theappropri<strong>at</strong>e supports andservices so th<strong>at</strong> they can besuccessful.The ERCHL and PANAagendas were publishedby the Bureau of SpecialEduc<strong>at</strong>ion and are distributedthrough its three regionalresources centers called thePennsylvania Training andTechnical Assistance Network(PaTTAN).Copies of the agendas canbe obtained through thefollowing sites:Pennsylvania Agenda forStudents Who Are Deaf, Hardof Hearing, or <strong>Deafblind</strong>www.p<strong>at</strong>tan.net/files/DHOH/ERCHL-Agenda.pdf andPennsylvania’s Approachto the n<strong>at</strong>ional Agenda forthe Educ<strong>at</strong>ion of Childrenand Youths with VisualImpairments, <strong>Deafblind</strong>ness,and Visual and MultipleDisabilitieswww.p<strong>at</strong>tan.net/files/<strong>Deafblind</strong>/PANA-Agenda.pdfJan u a r y – Ju n e 2011 • DbI Review • 63
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