New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative

“Preparing Students and Systems for Multiple Pathways

to Graduation”

NYS Division for Career Development and Transition

March 26-28, 2014 Saratoga, NY

Interdisciplinary Transition Team Initiative (ITTI)

An Intensive Transition Planning

Approach for Young Adults

who are Deaf-Blind

Susanne Morrow

NYDBC Project Coordinator

New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative (NYDBC)

-Grant Award 2013-2018

Early Identification & Referral

Instructional Practice

Families

Related Services -Interveners

-Hearing & Vision Providers

Transition

To increase the number of children who are identified as deaf-blind between the ages of 0-3, and to improve their developmental and functional outcomes.

To increase the number of students receiving instruction from educational teams using evidence based practices that will lead to improved academic and functional outcomes.

To increase productive partnerships between families & service providers and to support family advocacy efforts leading to the increased use of evidence based practices in home, school, and community.

To increase the number of certified interveners in NYS working in educational settings and to increase the number of vision and hearing providers implementing evidence based practices with children and youth who are deaf-blind.

To increase the ability of educational and adult service systems to be responsive to the unique transition needs of deaf-blind youth and their families, supporting them in achieving valued life outcomes.

NYDBC INITIATIVES

Transition

To increase the ability of educational and adult service systems to be responsive to the

unique transition needs of deaf-blind youth and their families, supporting them in achieving

valued life outcomes.

• dissemination and distance trainings to build basic knowledge, increase identification and awareness

General/ Universal

• training activities delivered both in-person and through distance technologies based on affirmed statewide initiatives

Targeted/ Specialized

• personalized TA to identified and committed stakeholders delivered across all five initiatives

Intensive/ Sustained

NYDBC 3-Tiered Technical Assistance Model

Deaf-Blind Deafblind Deaf, Visually

Impaired Hard-of-Hearing,

Visually Impaired

Dual sensory loss Dual sensory impaired Combined hearing & vision loss Your term?

The federal government defines deaf-blindness as:

"concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination that creates such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education in programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness."

FR Dept. of Education, 34 CFR Parts 300 & 303. Vol. 64, No. 48.3/12/99

The Faces of Deaf-Blindness

Hearing Vision

deaf-blindness

+ X

=

Significant variability in life experience, communication and overall development:

Congenitally Deaf, Adventitiously Blind

Congenitally Blind, Adventitiously Deaf

Adventitiously Deaf-Blind

Congenitally Deaf-Blind

All students have diverse vision and hearing loss, with the presence or absence of additional disabilities.

Some individuals go on to college and/or live independently while others will require varying degrees of lifelong support.

What binds people who are deaf-blind are the

unique communication needs and the

challenges experienced with limited access to

the social and physical world that surrounds

them.

Who Are Deaf-Blind Young Adults?

Best practices in transition planning for young adults who are

deaf-blind

Transition Planning for

Young Adults who

are Deaf-Blind

Student & Family Centered

Planning Process Begins Early

Long-Term & Evolving

Comprehensive & Interdisciplinary

Build Social Capitol

Student & Family Centered

The set of activities for each student needs to be based on the student's individual needs, preferences, and interests.

Person Centered Planning

Develops a vision of a person’s future, based

on what is important and positive for that person and the family

Is a process to identify a person’s skills, capabilities, preferences and gifts

Seeks to identify a person’s needs, and the

supports that can be provided to meet those needs

This student demonstrated

interest in working outside. Thus, a

placement was found for him at a local

farm.

“The success of the Person Centered

Planning process is not measured by the content of the plan,

but by the quality of the life that a person

experiences as a

result of the plan.” Evelyn Popper

Comprehensive & Interdisciplinary

Edited by Susanne Morgan Morrow from “Transition Planning Guidebook for Young Adults who are Deafblind” drafted by the New York State Transition

Partnership for Children and Youth who are Deafblind

Successful

transition teams adopt an

interdisciplinary teaming

philosophy.

Long-Term & Evolving

Any transition plan should be viewed as a live, every-changing document

Preferences change

New resources become available

Life situations shift

Professionals come & go

Monitoring status and progress is critical

Think of building social capital as similar to creating a bank account, readily available for withdrawals when they are needed.

Build Social Capitol

Instead of depositing money into the bank you are adding resources of people and networks from which to draw upon in times of need.

Having social capital allows you to draw upon previously established relationships and networks. The relationships are reciprocal in nature.

Need a pick-up from the after school

program? -Call Sally down the

block

Need a transition counselor in the adult

service agency? -Call the HKNC

Regional Representative

Need a job experience?

-Call your contact at the local rotary club & town hall

Need a weekend leisure activity?

-Call your contact at the YMCA &

Girls Scouts

Planning Process Begins Early

Due to the complex needs of students who are deaf-blind, multiple people and various systems must come together to form a comprehensive, person-centered, clearly stated plan with action steps

This takes a lot of planning time

Students who are deaf-blind have complex needs

&

Families move from a system of entitlement to a system of eligibility.

Where to begin?

Interdisciplinary Transition Team Initiative

(ITTI)

~An Intensive Transition Planning Approach for Young

Adults who are Deaf-Blind

The Interdisciplinary Transition Team Initiative (ITTI) is a transition planning initiative that incorporates evidence based practices for young adults who have combined hearing and vision loss, their families and educational team members.

Began as a pilot project in 2012-2013 with a limited number of teams in downstate New York, now evolved into a multi-state initiative

17 states have signed a multi-state, multi-year partnership agreement

The ITTI is a muti-year long process with a hybrid design

Two large-scale face-to-face sessions

Webinars for content

Monthly web-based meetings

Monthly transition planning task

Face-to-face transition team meetings as needed

Online Community of Practice

Technical Assistance Agreement

Requirements: The team is centered around a student who is

deaf-blind between 14-21 Commitment on behalf of the family,

transition team members, and administrator. Permission to use school/agency technology Access to high-speed internet, webcam &

computer Participation in online Community of

Practice

ITTI Community of Practice

ITTI Transition Planning Timeline

Ages 12-14

ITTI Transition Planning Timeline

Ages 15-16

ITTI Transition Planning Timeline

Ages 17-18

ITTI Transition Planning Timeline

Ages 19-21

Benefits to Participation

Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration

Smoother IEP planning process

Person-centered goals designed to meet the student and family’s wishes

Enhancement of self-determined behaviors

Increased knowledge for families of the planning process and services outside of the educational environment

Enhanced quality of life for the student

We need your

help in identifying

transition age

students who are

deaf-blind to

participate in the

ITTI

RECRUITMENT

PHASE:

APRIL-MAY-

JUNE 2014

Contact:

Susanne Morgan Morrow

– NYDBC Project Coordinator

Email: susanne.morrow@qc.cuny.edu

Phone: 718-997-4854

Website: www.nydbc.org

www.qc.cuny/edu/nydbc

nydbc@qc.cuny.edu

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New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative

NYDBC Staff Samuel Morgan, Director Susanne Morrow, Coordinator Clara Berg, Family Specialist Eneida Lamberty, Assistant Dr. Patricia Rachal, Principal Investigator

For more information please

contact us at the number

or email below.

Queens College 65-30 Kissena Boulevard PH 200 - NYDBC Flushing, NY 11367 NYDBC@qc.cuny.edu www.qc.cuny.edu/nydbc 718-997-4856