National Evaluation of the State Deaf-Blind Projects

A report from the National Evaluation of the State Deaf-Blind Projects was published today. The study, sponsored by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), describes the work of the 48 State Deaf-Blind Projects awarded grants in 2013. It also describes the needs for technical assistance (TA) and services reported by individuals who work closely with children and youth with deaf-blindness (i.e., direct service providers) and, among those that received TA and services from their State Deaf-Blind Projects, satisfaction with the experience.

Key findings include:

• Technical assistance tailored to meet the needs of a specific child or youth with deaf-blindness was provided by all state Deaf-Blind Projects. However, almost half of the Projects reported that they did not have enough resources to meet the demand for this child-specific support in their state.

• State Deaf-Blind Projects reported offering TA and support for most of the topics that direct service providers reported as areas of need. There were topics that not all projects addressed but where service providers reported need. These included: teachers’ roles, credentialing, and competencies; cochlear implants; and state and local policies.

• Almost all direct service providers who received customized support from their State Deaf-Blind Project were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall experience. Specifically, TA providers were rated as highly knowledgeable and non-judgmental. However, satisfaction with the amount of information offered and the extent to which local context was taken into account was somewhat lower.

• Most State Deaf-Blind Projects reported collaborating with the National Center on Deaf-Blindness and with the federally funded State Parent Training and Information Centers or the Community Parent Resource Centers. Collaboration among the Projects was also common.