Previous Monthly Update - March 2024
Videos Added to Early Intervention Module
New content has been added to the module “Early Intervention for Children Who Are Deafblind” in the “Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators” series. “Parent Perspectives” includes videos of mothers of children who are deafblind, who share their experiences during the critical years of early intervention and the teamwork with practitioners that’s involved.
New Guides from FamilyConnect
APH FamilyConnect has two new guides Getting Started: A Guide for Families New to Blindness and Low Vision. One is for birth to 3rd grade and one for 4th to 12th grade. They provide information about visual development, education, eye care providers, adapting the home, and more.
PLC Updates
The Peer-Learning Communities (PLCs) page has been updated and many groups are welcoming new members. PLCs are a great way to for state deafblind project personnel across the country to collaborate and share their knowledge and expertise. If you would like to be involved, reach out to the contact person listed for the group(s) you are interested in. If you have any questions, email support@nationaldb.org.
New Article: Everyone Has a Voice
In the Exceptional Parent Magazine article, “Everyone has a Voice,” Nanci Bentley describes her journey of communication with her son who is deafblind. The article walks you through how the family learned about their son's hearing loss and cortical visual impairment, and the strategies they used to encourage and support his communication. Nanci is also a Family Engagement and Outreach Coordinator for the New York DeafBlind Collaborative.
Messaging from NCDB
There have been a few updates to the NCDB and State Deafblind Project Messaging factsheet to reflect recent changes in the Basecamp group. The factsheet covers ways that NCDB communicates with state deafblind projects and suggestions for how state deafblind projects can communicate with each other.
Utah Teacher Profiles
Join us in celebrating Utah’s teachers of the deafblind (TDBs)! We have added two more teachers—Erin Farrer Cook and Nicole Holmstead Marcelo—to the Utah Teachers of the Deafblind page. In their profiles, they share their experiences and how the TDB training has impacted their practice and professional life.
Child Count Submission Window
The child count submission window is now open until May 1. The submission portal can be found in the “Reporting” section of the Child Count Management page. Please contact Carlie Rhoads, crhoads@helenkeller.org, with any questions.
New Journal Articles
If you need assistance accessing either of these articles, contact support@nationaldb.org.
Gillam, S. (2023). Accessible books for my son: One mother’s journey. Visual Impairment and Deafblind Education Quarterly, 68(4), 17-26.
Leininger, B. et al. (2023). An introductory course in electrical circuits and coding for deaf and deafblind middle school students. Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, 26(1), 1-10.
Thompson, H. E., & Hanson, R. J. (2024). The use of a behavior chain interruption strategy to teach mands for help with an adult with intellectual disability and deaf-blindness. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 1-11.
Archived Monthly Updates
If you are looking for a prior months update, please email support@nationaldb.org and we can send you a PDF of any previous monthly update.