Maintaining the Florida & Virgin Islands DeafBlind Registry
Florida Rule: 6A-6.03022: Exceptional Student Education Eligibility and Assessments for Students Who Have Dual Sensory Impairments requires public schools and districts to report students with concurrent hearing and vision losses to the state deafblind registry. FAVI requires that students be reported to the FAVI deafblind registry before they become eligible for services from our specialists.
Even if your student with multiple disabilities has not yet qualified for blind/visually impaired or deaf/hard-of-hearing services, please contact the FAVI DeafBlind Collaborative to report your student with disabilities to the registry and learn more about receiving technical assistance. We look forward to assisting your child / student, as well as their family, teachers, school, and team.
Providing Technical Assistance (TA)
The FAVI Deafblind Collaborative is a technical assistance and dissemination (TA&D) project funded by the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). TA services are a negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome. FAVI provides Universal, Targeted, and Intensive technical assistance. Targeted and Intensive services are child-centered and require parent guardian consent for exchange of information and records.
Universal Technical Assistance
According to the Office of Special Education (OSEP), Universal TA involves support and information that can be accessed with minimal assistance from state deafblind project staff. The purpose of universal TA is to provide useful information that raises awareness and increases knowledge of deafblindness. While providing universal TA, FAVI DeafBlind Specialists may share information and resources, answer general questions, and make referrals to other organizations and providers. Universal TA services are the first steps we take toward supporting deafblind individuals, their families, and their educational teams.
Targeted TA
Targeted TA involves establishing a relationship with a family and educational team. Targeted TA may address a variety of impacts on learning and development. It addresses needs common to many deafblind individuals, families, and teams. FAVI Specialists may provide training to schools and districts, or conduct virtual presentations, based on these frequently-requested topics. Targeted TA services are provided to individuals, families, and/or teams who have accessed universal supports but continue to need more specialized assistance.
Intensive TA
Intensive TA is individualized and based on the specific strengths, needs, and circumstances of the individual, family, and/or educational team. OSEP’s definition of intensive TA specifies that it may be provided on-site and requires a stable, ongoing relationship with the TA recipient. After constituents have accessed universal supports and participated in targeted training, more individualized services and supports may be provided to address the specific needs of an individual, family, and/or team.
Individualized Planning, Goal-Setting, & Implementation Coaching
An individualized TA plan may require FAVI specialists to provide any or all levels of services while addressing person-centered goals. When goals have been attained, targeted and intensive TA services will be discontinued–until new needs or goals are identified and a new TA request is made. FAVI specialists are experienced with identifying needs, setting goals, recommending services and supports, and coaching individuals and teams who are implementing recommended strategies.
Contact Shelly Voelker (email shellyv@ufl.edu) to learn more about how we can help.
Citation:
National Center on DeafBlindness (NCDB). 2020. Providing Technical Assistance to Families: A Guide for State Deaf-Blind Projects.