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Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind describes statewide outreach services for blind and deaf-blind students
Summary
The Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind outlined its outreach model, saying teachers provide one-on-one braille and assistive-technology instruction, work with families and classroom teams, and that districts meeting a 3% enrollment threshold can staff their own services or contract with USDB.
The Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind described a statewide outreach program that provides direct services and consultation to students who are blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind, emphasizing one-on-one instruction, braille training and collaboration with families and local schools.
Madeline Stafford, teacher of the visually impaired at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind, said outreach services are tailored to each student’s individualized education plan (IEP). "Every student is their own universe, so we meet our students where they're at," she said.
The outreach model serves students in multiple ways depending on need: in-home or in-school direct instruction, push-in supports for classroom teachers, and consultation for local teams. Brandon Watts, director of Outreach Vision Services, explained how funding and local capacity affect service delivery: "The 3% rule is if a district has 3% or more of Utah's student population, they generate enough funding to serve their own students and don't necessarily require the support from Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. They have their own teachers of the visually impaired, their own mobility specialists in some, in some districts, and they have the option to contract with us if they want to receive our services." The presentation described that districts below that threshold commonly rely on USDB outreach staff.
Staff described the range of students served: those who are blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, and students with multiple disabilities who may also need support from occupational or physical therapists. "For some of our students, their current and future need is to learn assistive technology, to learn braille, how to access their general or special education classroom," Stafford said. The presentation said staff assess eye reports and other evaluations to determine whether a student needs braille, assistive technology or classroom accommodations.
Teachers in the outreach program are required to meet certification criteria and are mentored while obtaining credentials, the presentation said. "Our teachers come very well prepared to do the work when they graduate from these programs," Stafford said. The outreach model also emphasizes collaboration with parents: staff said parents are "a very crucial part of our team because they know their child in the home and they want their child to be independent." A photo described in the presentation showed an outreach teacher meeting with a mother and two children outside a home in St. George, Utah.
The presentation noted USDB solicits feedback via surveys of teachers and parents; Stafford said the results are "so positive" and are shared with outreach staff. No formal votes or board actions were taken during the presentation; the session was informational.
The USDB logo and a slide listing the Open Shaw Education Center and the agency website (www.usdb.org) concluded the presentation.
