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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 466 081 EC 309 051 AUTHOR Holt, George TITLE Minnesota Deafblind Technical Assistance Project. Final Report: October 1, 1995 to September 30, 2000. INSTITUTION Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul. SPONS AGENCY Special Education Programs (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 2000-00-00 NOTE 209p. CONTRACT H025A50011 PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adults; *Agency Cooperation; American Indians; Child Advocacy; Databases; *Deaf Blind; *Early Identification; *Education Work Relationship; Elementary Secondary Education; Family Involvement; Inclusive Schools; Infants; Information Dissemination; Inservice Teacher Education; Interdisciplinary Approach; *Parent Education; Parent Participation; Teacher Education Programs; *Technical Assistance; Toddlers; Transitional Programs ABSTRACT This final report describes activities of the 4-year federally-funded Minnesota DeafBlind Assistance Project in meeting the following objectives:(1) provide technical assistance throughout the state; (2) deliver training to improve transitions from school to adult life for youth with deaf-blindness;(3) develop and implement procedures to locate and track individuals with deaf-blindness, with intense focus on early intervention and intervention for infants and toddlers;(4) facilitate family involvement and expansion of the family support program, with a focus on student advocacy;(5) provide educational training in current issues for individualized program development and inclusion of children and youth with deaf-blindness;(6) expand interagency collaborative planning and development;(7) develop a linking system with other Deaf-Blind Projects; (8) develop and disseminate resources of information services;(9) develop and implement first responder training for emergency care procedures for individuals with deaf-blindness; and (10) build linkages with the . inter-tribal council, Indian Health Services, and Indian Education Program, and to collaborate with states in the Great Plains Regional Alliance to improve identification and services to American Indian children and youth with deaf-blindness. A bibliography from the DeafBlind Resource Library and a management manual for parents are attached. (CR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Minnesota Deaf Blind Technical Assistance Project Final Report: October 1, 1995 to September 30, 2000 (Includes 12 month no-cost extension) Project Award #H025A50011 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement E CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. o Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEF COPY AVAIIA18UE 2 During this grant cycle, Minnesota's children who are Deaf Blind, their families and professionals working with them experienced great benefits from the Project. Families have received training to help them participate in their child's education as the leading member. They have been networking with one other via the Internet in multiple ways, including e-mail and listserves. Professionals have not only connected, but have received general deaf-blind and child specific training. On the whole, the state of Minnesota is more knowledgeable about children who are Deaf Blind, the census has increased and systems change continues to evolve as a result of the Project leadership. The Project has been fortunate to have a strong, consistent and experienced staff. The strength of the MN DeafBlind Project lies with its' dedicated and knowledgeable team members. When Project Director, George Holt(1995-1997), decided to leave his position at the Department of Children, Families and Learning to become an elementary principal, Carolyn Elliot took over as Grant Director(1997-1999). Carolyn was the state coordinator of the Regional Low Incidence Project, and facilitated the Low Incidence Work group through DCFL In the second year of the grant, Coordinator Eric Kloos took a leave of absence for a year to receive a M.Ed in DeafBlind education at Boston College. Three skilled individuals shared some of the coordinator responsibilities in his absence. Sally Prouty and Dr.Sandra Davenport, who both worked for the Project for several years, increased their time and responsibilities.Additionally, the services of Paula Knutson, a DeafBlind Specialist for St. Paul schools, were purchased for the year. Upon his return, in the third year of the grant Eric Kloos would take the role of Co- Director with Carolyn Elliot. Sally Prouty, who previously shared her position with the non-profit organization DeafBlind Services Minnesota (formerly FIND, Inc.), would put 100% of her energies in the Project as the Family Program Coordinator.In the carry- over year of the Grant, Carolyn Elliot retired, leaving vacant her position as Supervisor of the Low Incidence Disabilities Unit at the Department of Children, Families and Learning. Eric Kloos applied and was offered the position. Eric remains Director of the Project and his ability to influence policy and advocate for systems change on a state level could have huge implications for children who are DeafBlind in Minnesota. His leadership and experience are great assets to the Project. Sally Prouty became Coordinator and Cathy Lyle, the Educational Consultant. Cathy has 22 years experience working in all levels of education as resource teacher, itinerant teacher, and self- contained teacher for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Project has contracted with Intermediate School District #916 for the release of her time with the DeafBlind Project. The Project is also fortunate to have the expertise of Dr. Sandra Davenport, Pediatric Geneticist and Developmental Pediatrician, on staff. Team membership consisting of a parent, educator and pediatric sensory geneticist has led to the ability to view each child in a holistic manner. Numerous parents and individuals on 3 educational teams have commented positively on the team expertise provided to Deaf Blind children and families in Minnesota. The Project has benefited from the working relationship with our current fiscal host, the Educational Cooperative Service Unit in this grant cycle. The facilities, networking opportunities, dissemination possibilities, and the indirect costs have improved over previous fiscal hosts. On the state level, the working relationship through the Department of Children, Families and Learning has been very beneficial. The support and networking done throughout the Department has been a significant factor in the increased statewide exposure of the Project. The Project director is the point-of-contact for the department for all deaf-blind policy and related issues. Additionally, collaborative projects focused on guidelines for the interpretation of FAPE for students with deaf-blindness, graduation standards, assistive technology, policy, monitoring and compliance and implementation of the IDEA-97. Project representation on the Low Incidence Workgroup for the Department of Children, Families and Learning as well as with the Regional Low Incidence Facilitators has been overwhelmingly positive. Work has focused on building capacity through statewide low incidence education issues. These coordinated efforts have resulted in greater exposure throughout the state and multiple new referrals for technical assistance. In addition the Project has been able to keep a finger on the pulse of statewide regional and local needs as they change throughout the year. Multi-state collaboration with other state 307.11 projects provided successes in many areas. The Great Plains Regional Alliance (including Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana) met regularly, shared and disseminated information related to identification of students living on Native American Reservations. The Project will continue to collaborate on Model Demonstration Grants with the states of Utah and California. Project TRUST (TRansitions are centered around Understanding, with Support through Training), SPARKLE (Supporting Parent Access to Resources, Knowledge, Linkages and Education) and PRIIDE (Providing Resources through Interactive Instruction in DeafBlind Education) are grants through the SKI-HI Institute at Utah State University.Project SALUTE, another Model Demonstration Project awarded to California State University at Northridge, has included the MN Deaf-Blind Project to participate on their advisory and development committees by reviewing and field testing materials created to provide tactile learning opportunities for young children who are deaf-blind. The Summer Transition Program has had a huge impact on the state and transition-aged students with deaf-blindness. The Project collaborated with State Services for the Blind and school districts to make this three-week training opportunity available for transition aged students who are deaf-blind. Six students successfully participated in years three and four of the grant. The youth participated in training, work experience and social opportunities while living independently in supervised dormitories. In the carry-over year of the grant four teens attended NTAC's Self-Determination Seminar in affiliation 4 with the American Association of the Deaf-Blind bi-annual conference in Columbus Ohio. Two additional