As a teacher of the deaf as well as the classroom teacher, Kimberly Mockler works very closely with the teacher of the visually impaired. This involves sharing ideas, resources, and lesson plans for the deaf/blind students. Their lessons and goals are very similar and overlap in several areas. A major challenge for both of them is maintaining high…

Vocational Education, Community Training, and Occupational Relations Program (VECTOR) serves a variety of students with disabilities, about one-third of whom are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf/blind. As part of what the federal government calls a "traditionally underserved population," these students come from the homes of immigrants and…

It is essential that children who are deaf-blind have learning experiences that improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, even when educational teams work together to create individualized education programs, these students do not always have full and equal opportunities to learn. This issue of "Practice Perspectives" describes the basics of…

The newsletter describes the development of a vocational training model for severely handicapped and deaf blind adolescents. The need for innovative vocational models in the secondary school is discussed. Three stages of the vocational training model are presented--assessment in five job samples (food service, groundskeeping-agriculture,…

The document presents the final report of the Sensory Multihandicapped Project, which planned a comprehensive program for the education of children who were sensory multihandicapped (deaf blind, deaf with other handicaps, or blind with other handicaps) in Alberta, Canada. Project activities included reviewing the literature, visiting sites serving…

A summary of evidence regarding the prevalence of visual abnormality among deaf students, appropriate planning for and implementation of vision assessment services, and the importance of follow-up services for visually impaired deaf individuals is presented. The results of seven assessment studies based in educational programs for the deaf are…

Goals of a prevocational program for deaf blind students (ages 3 to 21) are outlined. The goals are divided into six levels of developmental skills and range from the Level II (no specific goals have been provided for Level I students) skill, mobility to and from work with minimal assistance, to development of work tolerance to one day (6 hours).…

Project ADVANCE currently provides vocational training to 26 deaf-blind adolescents and young adults attending Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts. The project has developed community work sites in four different vocational options: (1) competitive employment, (2) a student operated small business, (3) sheltered enclave within…

The authors describe how the "I CAN" physical education program, an individualized instructional management system for developing skills, associated concepts, and social growth in handicapped children, was adapted for use with deaf blind children (5 to 21 years old) at the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind. (SBH)

The document contains the coordinator's guide, recruitment guide, practicum guide, training model, curriculum guide, bibliography, and evaluation guide for TABS, (Trained Aides as Baby Sitters), a training program that prepares individuals to be competent sitters for deaf-blind children and that provides a curriculum tailored to the needs of the…

The lead article in this issue describes procedures developed by a model program for the deinstitutionalization of deaf-blind children and youth. Procedures are discussed for: (1) selection of participants; (2) coordination and cooperation among agencies; (3) identification of community residences; (4) involvement of the local education agency;…

The report details the development and design of a mechanical hand for communicating with deaf blind persons. It is explained that the device, which looks and functions like the human hand, forms the symbols of the one-hand manual alphabet upon command from a standard electric typewriter keyboard. The report addresses the following topics (sample…

Educational programs for the parents of deaf children are described, including a correspondence course, an evening program in which psychologists provide information on child management problems and help in dealing with parents' attitudes, a communication curriculum, and a demonstration nursery school. (DLS)

Four deaf-blind students at the Massachusetts Association for the Blind were involved in a pilot aerobic program consisting of jogging for 15-20 minutes three times a week. Students were chosen based on their enjoyment of this fast movement and they were given clearance for this activity by both a doctor and a physical therapist. The students'…