The Kansas Deaf-Blind Project provides technical assistance and training for families, service providers, and teachers who have children currently registered on the Kansas Deaf-Blind Census across the state. Technical assistance is provided either by group Inservice Training sessions (sometimes in collaboration with other agencies) or individual requests by the parents or local agency, or is provided by various media formats.

In order to determine the greatest need for technical assistance and training, an annual Kansas Deaf-Blind Needs Assessment Survey (PDF) and Kansas Deaf-Blind Agency Request Form is disseminated at the beginning of each project year (i.e. October 1 to September 30) to every service provider (e.g., administrators, contact persons, teachers of deaf and hard of hearing, teachers of students with severe multiple disabilities, teachers of blind and visually impaired, related service providers, interrelated resource room teachers, Part C Coordinators, and family service coordinators).

Individual Assistance

For those staff members who would like individual technical assistance, a Kansas Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Request Form may be submitted throughout the project year. Once the form is completed and sent to the Project Director, a contact will be made to determine the specifics of technical assistance activities. The Kansas Project Director will either (a) conduct the technical assistance activity with the students team members; (b) send the Agency Request for Consultation Form to Inclusive Network of Kansas Project (INKs) (opens in new window), or (c) hire a consultant to conduct the technical assistance activity. Based on the nature of the technical assistance activity, data will be collected from the recipients of the technical assistance prior, during, and after the activity occurred.

If the technical assistance is provided by INKs, contact will be made by an INKs Project Director or Project Coordinator. A field based consultant (FBC) will be matched to the technical assistance request. Consultation is free to the district or agency. Field based consultants provide technical assistance on-site, electronic mail, product dissemination, and/or by phone. They are available to provide on-site consultation and follow-up as stated in a technical assistance agreement between the project and the technical assistance recipient.

Technical Assistance in various Mediums

• The Kansas Family Association for Deaf-Blind Listserv

  The Kansas Family Association for Deaf-Blind Listserv is a listserv for families, service providers, and educators to learn about issues related to deaf-blindness, share experiences, and provide networking among listserv members.

• VIISA (Vision Impaired In-Service In America) Training

  VIISA training is a set of two cources offered by the Kansas Deaf-Blind Project in conjunction with the Ski High Institute and Utah State University. The courses can be taken for 3 hours of college credit or non-credit. One course focuses on infants and toddlers with visual impairments or blindness. The other focuses on preschoolers with visual impairments. The course is designed for persons working with young children however the information can be generalized for older children. Course work reflects both chldren with visual impairments and multiple handicaps coupled with visual impairments. The 09-10 training is the VIISA Course #2 Preschoolers with Visual Impairments.The VIISA Training Brochure includes registration information.

• Kansas Deaf-Blind Library

  The Kansas Deaf-Blind Library is located in the Kansas Instructional Resource Center at the Kansas State School for the Blind. The loan library is available to educators, parents, service providers, paraeducators, administrators, siblings, university students, university professors, or anyone who is interested in the education of infants, toddlers, children, and young adults who are deaf-blind. The library consist of videos, DVD's, CD ROMS, books, manuals, and binders. Some of the materials are available in Spanish. Those items are indicated on the CD ROM or online listings as SPANISH VERSION.

• Products

  The Kansas Project for Children and Young Adults which was part of the Kansas State Department of Education hds created and published many documents that relate to current needs in the field of deaf-blindness and are grounded in evidenced based practices. They are listed on the products page with ordering information.