August Monthly Update
Report Identifies Family Needs and Priorities
An important new report from NCDB describes specific state-level priorities and national-level supports for families of children who are deaf-blind. “The Value of Family Engagement: Identifying Unique Needs and Priorities of Families with Children Who Are Deaf-Blind” is the result of a five-month visioning process that included state deaf-blind project staff, more than 100 families from deaf-blind specific family-based organizations, and national partner organizations who support families with children who have unique needs.
New Program: University of KY Announces DeafBlind Certificate Program
The University of Kentucky is now offering a graduate certificate in deaf-blindness. The program is fully online, with both synchronous and asynchronous instruction, so it is available to professionals in other states
KY DeafBlind Graduate Certificate
National Deaf-Blind Educator Network
The National Deaf-Blind Educator Network Community of Practice (CoP) is starting up again this fall, and their first meeting is September 20. Do you know an educator who would like to be involved? For more information, contact Brandy Johanson Sebera at brandy.sebera@usd.edu.
New Page: Utah Teachers of the Deaf-Blind
Join us in celebrating Utah’s wonderful teachers of the deaf-blind (TDBs). Utah is the first state in the nation to have certified TDBs. Each month, visit “Utah Teachers of the Deaf-Blind” and meet two of their TDBs, and others with specialized expertise in deaf-blindness, who’ll share their experiences and how the training has impacted their practice and professional life.
Interpreting Resource Center Name Change
The DeafBlind Interpreting National Training and Resource Center has become the Protactile Language Interpreting National Education Program (PLI). PLI is part of the Research and Resource Center with Deaf communities at Western Oregon University.
NCDB Professional Development Series
The first module of an important new series for educators is now available! Module 1, The Impact of Deafblindness on Learning and Development, provides practical, need-to-know information essential for working with children who are deaf-blind. This is the first in NCDB’s series Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators. Access it free online and incorporate it into your PD platform. For more information, contact support@nationaldb.org.
Articles on Assessment (DbI Review)
Between 2019 and 2022, DbI Review published six articles on assessment by Susan Bruce, a professor at Boston College, and her colleagues. All are available for free online.
"Assessment of Learners who are Deafblind: Basic Principles and Guidelines"
Issue #62, June 2019, 59-61
"Evidence-Based Practices for Assessment of Children and Youth who are Deafblind"
Issue #63, April 2020, 17-20
"Teaching Others to Implement van Dijk’s Approach to Child-Guided Assessment"
Issue #64, October 2020, 30-33
"The Applicability of the HELP and BCP Assessment Instruments to Students who are Deafblind"
Issue #65, April 2021,33-36
"The Relevance of the DASH-3 and Vineland-3 Assessment Instruments for Children and Adults who are Deafblind"
Issue #66 October 2021, 15-18
"Assessment of Communication in Children and Adults who are Deafblind"
Issue #67 April 2022, 17-20
Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders (GFPD) Survey
The Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders (GFPD) is conducting a survey on diversity and inclusion in the GFPD community. Its goal is to gain a better understanding of the current perception of how the GFPD meets the needs of their community. Access the Survey.
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