Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231188698
William M. Penrod, Ximena D. Burgin, W. Wiener, Eileen Siffermann, B. Blasch
Introduction: In 1983, Mark Uslan, Everett (Butch) Hill and Alec Peck conducted research to identify the competencies essential to the practice of the orientation and mobility (O&M) profession. This study compares the levels of agreement to those standards by O&M professionals in 2019. Methods: In a 1983 study, Uslan et al. interviewed practitioners to determine the goal areas and competencies that underlie the profession. In 2019, an institutional review board approved this study to compare current practice competencies related to O&M with the competencies documented in the 1983 study. The survey methodology utilized the survey used by Uslan et al. to determine if current practitioners have similar levels of agreement with the competencies and if there have been shifts in the ranking of their importance. Results: Survey data are surprisingly similar between the 1983 and 2019 evaluation of competencies, with some changes in the relative importance of some categories. The results indicated the current relevance of the competencies for the O&M profession in the twenty-first century. Discussion: The evidence indicates that the professional standards reported in 1983 remain extant and viable in the twenty-first century. As the profession develops, it is important these standards be revisited periodically to ensure they reflect the core standards of the O&M profession. Implications for Practitioners: It is evident that professionals support all original competencies and those competencies remain viable. Universities should be certain that all competencies are being taught to meet the requirements for quality services.
{"title":"Orientation and Mobility Competency Agreements From 1983 to 2019: A Comparative Analysis of Professional Standards","authors":"William M. Penrod, Ximena D. Burgin, W. Wiener, Eileen Siffermann, B. Blasch","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231188698","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231188698","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: In 1983, Mark Uslan, Everett (Butch) Hill and Alec Peck conducted research to identify the competencies essential to the practice of the orientation and mobility (O&M) profession. This study compares the levels of agreement to those standards by O&M professionals in 2019. Methods: In a 1983 study, Uslan et al. interviewed practitioners to determine the goal areas and competencies that underlie the profession. In 2019, an institutional review board approved this study to compare current practice competencies related to O&M with the competencies documented in the 1983 study. The survey methodology utilized the survey used by Uslan et al. to determine if current practitioners have similar levels of agreement with the competencies and if there have been shifts in the ranking of their importance. Results: Survey data are surprisingly similar between the 1983 and 2019 evaluation of competencies, with some changes in the relative importance of some categories. The results indicated the current relevance of the competencies for the O&M profession in the twenty-first century. Discussion: The evidence indicates that the professional standards reported in 1983 remain extant and viable in the twenty-first century. As the profession develops, it is important these standards be revisited periodically to ensure they reflect the core standards of the O&M profession. Implications for Practitioners: It is evident that professionals support all original competencies and those competencies remain viable. Universities should be certain that all competencies are being taught to meet the requirements for quality services.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"270 - 277"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49128101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482x231188882
R. W. Emerson
In this issue, the article entitled, “Improving Learning of Figurative Concepts in Individuals with Blindness: Adopting Teaching Strategies to Enhance Learning Motivation,” reports the results of a statistical test called Kendall’s W. The full name of the test is Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance, and it is a statistical test that is designed to measure the level of agreement among raters, or a measure of interrater reliability. It ranges from 0 to 1, with 1 being full agreement among raters and 0 being absolutely no agreement among raters. The easiest way to measure how much agreement exists among raters is by looking at the percent agreement, which also ranges between 0 and 1. A more rigorous and more common statistic is Cohen’s Kappa, which calculates the percentage of items the raters agree on but also accounts for the fact that raters might happen to agree by chance on some items. Cohen’s Kappa (k) also ranges from 0 to 1. As with most statistical tests, Kendall’s W comes along with a p value or level of significance. This means that the W statistic can be evaluated both from the point of view of statistical significance as well as the actual size of the effect. This item is similar to one known as a Pearson correlation coefficient, which is a measure of how closely two variables are related. This statistical test also results in an output measure (r) that ranges from 0 to 1 and a significance level. However, Kendall’s W is not a true correlation coefficient and the raw W measure cannot be viewed in exactly the same way that we view the r connection between two variables. However, there is a linear transformation between the two. The equation is
{"title":"Kendall's W and Inter-rater Reliability","authors":"R. W. Emerson","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231188882","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231188882","url":null,"abstract":"In this issue, the article entitled, “Improving Learning of Figurative Concepts in Individuals with Blindness: Adopting Teaching Strategies to Enhance Learning Motivation,” reports the results of a statistical test called Kendall’s W. The full name of the test is Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance, and it is a statistical test that is designed to measure the level of agreement among raters, or a measure of interrater reliability. It ranges from 0 to 1, with 1 being full agreement among raters and 0 being absolutely no agreement among raters. The easiest way to measure how much agreement exists among raters is by looking at the percent agreement, which also ranges between 0 and 1. A more rigorous and more common statistic is Cohen’s Kappa, which calculates the percentage of items the raters agree on but also accounts for the fact that raters might happen to agree by chance on some items. Cohen’s Kappa (k) also ranges from 0 to 1. As with most statistical tests, Kendall’s W comes along with a p value or level of significance. This means that the W statistic can be evaluated both from the point of view of statistical significance as well as the actual size of the effect. This item is similar to one known as a Pearson correlation coefficient, which is a measure of how closely two variables are related. This statistical test also results in an output measure (r) that ranges from 0 to 1 and a significance level. However, Kendall’s W is not a true correlation coefficient and the raw W measure cannot be viewed in exactly the same way that we view the r connection between two variables. However, there is a linear transformation between the two. The equation is","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"336 - 336"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45345053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231193970
Agnus M. Kim, Jae-Hyun Park
Introduction: Understanding depression in view of the characteristics of disability would be important for establishing strategies for mental health among people with visual impairment. This study was conducted to assess the mental health of people with visual impairments and examine the factors associated with depressive mood. Methods: The data were obtained from the 2016 Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled in Korea. The group difference in explanatory variables according to depressive mood was examined by the chi-square. To assess the effect of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health-related behavior, stresses, discrimination, and social relationships on depressive mood, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The prevalence of depressive mood was higher in people with visual impairments compared to the general population. The demographic characteristics of people with visual impairments differed from the general population in terms of economic conditions and marital status. Not only stress in daily life but also stress due to disability was found to contribute to a depressive mood. Satisfaction with relationships with friends and family was associated with a lower likelihood of depressive mood. Discussion: This study demonstrates that people with visual impairments are likely to be more susceptible to depression than the general population. The association of depressive mood with not only stress in daily life but also stress due to their visual impairment suggests that disability, aside from the inconvenience due to it, can have a negative effect on mental health. The association of friends and family relationship suggests the importance of their supportive role. Implications for Practitioners: The specific characteristics of people with visual impairments in relation to mental health need to be considered and reflected in designing mental health support for the population.
{"title":"Mental Health and Depressive Mood in People With Visual Impairments","authors":"Agnus M. Kim, Jae-Hyun Park","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231193970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231193970","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Understanding depression in view of the characteristics of disability would be important for establishing strategies for mental health among people with visual impairment. This study was conducted to assess the mental health of people with visual impairments and examine the factors associated with depressive mood. Methods: The data were obtained from the 2016 Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled in Korea. The group difference in explanatory variables according to depressive mood was examined by the chi-square. To assess the effect of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health-related behavior, stresses, discrimination, and social relationships on depressive mood, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The prevalence of depressive mood was higher in people with visual impairments compared to the general population. The demographic characteristics of people with visual impairments differed from the general population in terms of economic conditions and marital status. Not only stress in daily life but also stress due to disability was found to contribute to a depressive mood. Satisfaction with relationships with friends and family was associated with a lower likelihood of depressive mood. Discussion: This study demonstrates that people with visual impairments are likely to be more susceptible to depression than the general population. The association of depressive mood with not only stress in daily life but also stress due to their visual impairment suggests that disability, aside from the inconvenience due to it, can have a negative effect on mental health. The association of friends and family relationship suggests the importance of their supportive role. Implications for Practitioners: The specific characteristics of people with visual impairments in relation to mental health need to be considered and reflected in designing mental health support for the population.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"314 - 325"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47366836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231193021
Hsiang-Ping Wu
Introduction: This study examines teaching strategies that help enhance learning motivation in individuals with blindness to facilitate improved learning of figurative concepts: attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS). We began by teaching the origin of life and the reproductive system in the first unit of the relatively lacking gender-equality education. We established various teaching strategies through expert interviews. A teaching experiment was carried out to validate the strategy. Methods: Participants comprised eight individuals with blindness. They were first asked to draw various parts of the female reproductive system. Teaching activities based on the teaching strategy were then conducted. Upon completion of the activity, the participants were asked to redraw the diagram and the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey was administered to check the ARCS score. Results: The scores for each of the ARCS elements were attention = 3.99 (SD = 0.31), relevance = 3.99 (SD = 0.36), confidence = 3.61 (SD = 0.37) and satisfaction = 4.15 (SD = 0.46). The Kendall's W values obtained were attention = 0.21(p = .01), relevance = 0.31(p = .004), confidence = 0.25(p = .03), and satisfaction =0.67(p < .001). In the posttest, the average completion rate for each part of the drawing was 83.9% (standard deviation [SD] = 19.4) and the pretest was 35.7% (SD = 21.6). The test results were p < .001, t = −10.425, and the degrees of freedom = 7, thus, the learning effect is significant. Discussion: A, R, and S grades around 4 (agree) and C 3.61 (nearly agree) improved motivation. Additionally, a significant improvement was observed in the participants’ drawing-task performance as they could correctly express the relative position of each part. Implications for Practitioners: We conclude that the method tested in this study is feasible for teachers who wish to design teaching materials and lesson plans for figurative-concept learning and cognition. This teaching strategy could be referred to as a means of enhancing their students’ learning motivation and learning efficiency.
{"title":"Improving Learning of Figurative Concepts in Individuals With Blindness: Adopting Teaching Strategies to Enhance Learning Motivation","authors":"Hsiang-Ping Wu","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231193021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231193021","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: This study examines teaching strategies that help enhance learning motivation in individuals with blindness to facilitate improved learning of figurative concepts: attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS). We began by teaching the origin of life and the reproductive system in the first unit of the relatively lacking gender-equality education. We established various teaching strategies through expert interviews. A teaching experiment was carried out to validate the strategy. Methods: Participants comprised eight individuals with blindness. They were first asked to draw various parts of the female reproductive system. Teaching activities based on the teaching strategy were then conducted. Upon completion of the activity, the participants were asked to redraw the diagram and the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey was administered to check the ARCS score. Results: The scores for each of the ARCS elements were attention = 3.99 (SD = 0.31), relevance = 3.99 (SD = 0.36), confidence = 3.61 (SD = 0.37) and satisfaction = 4.15 (SD = 0.46). The Kendall's W values obtained were attention = 0.21(p = .01), relevance = 0.31(p = .004), confidence = 0.25(p = .03), and satisfaction =0.67(p < .001). In the posttest, the average completion rate for each part of the drawing was 83.9% (standard deviation [SD] = 19.4) and the pretest was 35.7% (SD = 21.6). The test results were p < .001, t = −10.425, and the degrees of freedom = 7, thus, the learning effect is significant. Discussion: A, R, and S grades around 4 (agree) and C 3.61 (nearly agree) improved motivation. Additionally, a significant improvement was observed in the participants’ drawing-task performance as they could correctly express the relative position of each part. Implications for Practitioners: We conclude that the method tested in this study is feasible for teachers who wish to design teaching materials and lesson plans for figurative-concept learning and cognition. This teaching strategy could be referred to as a means of enhancing their students’ learning motivation and learning efficiency.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"292 - 302"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48560487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231194634
Elyse M. Connors, Polly M. Abbott, Daniel E. Norris, Jennifer J. Ottowitz, Brigitte N. Morren
Introduction: The vision rehabilitation therapy (VRT) field is small in number and growing more slowly than needed to meet the expanding need for services for persons with vision loss. There has been little examination of how vision rehabilitation therapists (VRTs) understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the profession. Methods: Statements of potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were developed through a Delphi process. The final survey consisted of 11 demographic questions and asked participants to rate their level of agreement with 29 statements concerning the field. Participants were also asked to indicate which statements they believed were most important or impactful. Results: Overall, there was strong consensus among participants, with 19 of the 29 statements receiving 75% or greater agreement (strong agreement), with the highest consensus (87.2%) across the opportunity category. Discussion: Respondents perceive that the discipline's greatest strengths are that VRTs are the most highly trained professionals to provide education and rehabilitation for people with visual impairments across the lifespan, and they are a bridge between the medical, education, and rehabilitation systems. The lack of awareness of the job title and the roles of VRTs in the community, medical field, and in the field of vision was identified as the most impactful weakness of the field of VRT. Other related professionals being asked by employers to provide VRT services beyond their training, was identified as the most important threat. Implications for Practitioners: VRTs who responded to the survey indicate a fairly unified perspective on the state of the VRT discipline. Understanding the identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the field of VRT may serve as a foundation for unifying the voice of VRTs, to help coordinate a more uniform and strategic direction for growth. There are opportunities for all VRTs to contribute to the advancement and health of the VRT discipline, with the ultimate goal of providing high-quality services for persons with vision loss.
{"title":"The Perspectives of Vision Rehabilitation Therapists on the State of the Profession: A Time for Action?","authors":"Elyse M. Connors, Polly M. Abbott, Daniel E. Norris, Jennifer J. Ottowitz, Brigitte N. Morren","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231194634","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231194634","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The vision rehabilitation therapy (VRT) field is small in number and growing more slowly than needed to meet the expanding need for services for persons with vision loss. There has been little examination of how vision rehabilitation therapists (VRTs) understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the profession. Methods: Statements of potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were developed through a Delphi process. The final survey consisted of 11 demographic questions and asked participants to rate their level of agreement with 29 statements concerning the field. Participants were also asked to indicate which statements they believed were most important or impactful. Results: Overall, there was strong consensus among participants, with 19 of the 29 statements receiving 75% or greater agreement (strong agreement), with the highest consensus (87.2%) across the opportunity category. Discussion: Respondents perceive that the discipline's greatest strengths are that VRTs are the most highly trained professionals to provide education and rehabilitation for people with visual impairments across the lifespan, and they are a bridge between the medical, education, and rehabilitation systems. The lack of awareness of the job title and the roles of VRTs in the community, medical field, and in the field of vision was identified as the most impactful weakness of the field of VRT. Other related professionals being asked by employers to provide VRT services beyond their training, was identified as the most important threat. Implications for Practitioners: VRTs who responded to the survey indicate a fairly unified perspective on the state of the VRT discipline. Understanding the identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the field of VRT may serve as a foundation for unifying the voice of VRTs, to help coordinate a more uniform and strategic direction for growth. There are opportunities for all VRTs to contribute to the advancement and health of the VRT discipline, with the ultimate goal of providing high-quality services for persons with vision loss.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"303 - 313"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44941112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482x231204618
Sandra Lewis
{"title":"Thinking About Social Skills","authors":"Sandra Lewis","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231204618","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231204618","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"63 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135806566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482x231188886
S. Lewis
{"title":"Positive Influences on the Viability of the Journal and the Field of Visual Impairment","authors":"S. Lewis","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231188886","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231188886","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"197 - 198"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43841753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482x231188887
Tyler G. James
DeafBlindness is defined in the United States by the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) Part B as “concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness” (see 34 CFR §300.8; 2004). (In this Comment, I use the unhyphenated “DeafBlind” following suit of DeafBlind-led organizations. I also use personand identity-first language to give respect to people who prefer either approach.) Approximately 1% of children who are DeafBlind have profound hearing loss and total blindness (National Center on Deaf-Blindness, 2022). Generalist special education professionals are not positioned to address the unique needs of children who are DeafBlind (Alsop et al., 2000, p. 12; Okungu et al., 2020), one of the lowest incidence populations of children with developmental disabilities with substantial diversity in etiology (National Center on Deaf-Blindness, 2022). Due to the shortage of professionals and the diversity in presentation of DeafBlindness, many states do not have the capacity to provide DeafBlind-focused educational professionals to students (Howley & Howley, 2021; Howley et al., 2017). Recognizing the effect of DeafBlindness on childhood development and primary and secondary education, the United States allocates funds for State DeafBlind Projects (“projects”) and the National Center on Deaf-Blindness, which is collectively known as the “DeafBlind TA Network.” The DeafBlind TA Network provides technical assistance and dissemination services, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, to meet the needs of families and educational providers with children and young adults (birth to age 21 years) who are DeafBlind. DeafBlind program funds are established by Section 682 of IDEA [20 USC §1482(d)(1)(A); 2004] requiring a minimum $12,832,000 to address “the educational, related services, transitional, and early intervention needs of children with [DeafBlindness].” This minimum was established in 1997. During grant cycles between 1997 and 2022, the total allocation to the DeafBlind TA Network did not change. In 2023, however, Congress approved an increase of $1,000,000 leading to an average 10% increase in statespecific project budgets for the first time in 25 years (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). Although the funding allocated to projects has only recently increased, the salaries of project staff members and the cost of goods have increased annually. For example, in 2014–2015, the majority of projects were based in university settings where cost of living adjustments occur.
在美国，《残疾人教育法》(IDEA) B部分将聋盲定义为“伴随的听力和视觉障碍，其组合导致严重的沟通和其他发展和教育需求，无法在专门为聋童或盲童提供的特殊教育计划中进行”(见34 CFR§300.8;2004)。(在这篇评论中，我使用了不连字符的“聋哑人”，以遵循聋哑人领导的组织。我也会使用个人和身份优先的语言来尊重那些喜欢这两种方式的人。)大约1%的聋盲儿童有严重的听力损失和完全失明(国家聋盲中心，2022年)。通才型特殊教育专业人员无法满足聋哑儿童的独特需求(Alsop et al.， 2000, p. 12;Okungu等人，2020年)，是病因多样化的发育性残疾儿童发病率最低的人群之一(National Center on Deaf-Blindness, 2022年)。由于专业人员的短缺和耳聋的多样性，许多州没有能力为学生提供以耳聋为重点的教育专业人员(Howley & Howley, 2021;Howley等人，2017)。认识到聋盲对儿童发展和中小学教育的影响，美国为国家聋盲项目(“项目”)和国家聋盲中心分配资金，这些项目被统称为“聋盲助教网络”。聋盲助教网络由美国教育部特殊教育项目办公室资助，提供技术援助和传播服务，以满足有聋盲儿童和年轻人(出生至21岁)的家庭和教育机构的需求。聋盲项目基金是根据IDEA第682条[20 USC§1482(d)(1)(A)]设立的;(2004年)要求至少12,832,000美元用于解决“[聋盲]儿童的教育、相关服务、过渡和早期干预需求”。这个最低标准是在1997年制定的。在1997年至2022年的拨款周期中，聋哑盲人助教网络的总拨款没有改变。然而，在2023年，国会批准增加100万美元，导致25年来首次在特定项目预算中平均增加10%(美国教育部，2023年)。虽然拨给项目的资金最近才增加，但项目工作人员的薪金和货物费用每年都在增加。例如，在2014-2015年，大多数项目都是在大学环境中进行的，生活成本会发生调整。
{"title":"Inadequate Funding Impacts State DeafBlind Projects in the United States","authors":"Tyler G. James","doi":"10.1177/0145482x231188887","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x231188887","url":null,"abstract":"DeafBlindness is defined in the United States by the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) Part B as “concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness” (see 34 CFR §300.8; 2004). (In this Comment, I use the unhyphenated “DeafBlind” following suit of DeafBlind-led organizations. I also use personand identity-first language to give respect to people who prefer either approach.) Approximately 1% of children who are DeafBlind have profound hearing loss and total blindness (National Center on Deaf-Blindness, 2022). Generalist special education professionals are not positioned to address the unique needs of children who are DeafBlind (Alsop et al., 2000, p. 12; Okungu et al., 2020), one of the lowest incidence populations of children with developmental disabilities with substantial diversity in etiology (National Center on Deaf-Blindness, 2022). Due to the shortage of professionals and the diversity in presentation of DeafBlindness, many states do not have the capacity to provide DeafBlind-focused educational professionals to students (Howley & Howley, 2021; Howley et al., 2017). Recognizing the effect of DeafBlindness on childhood development and primary and secondary education, the United States allocates funds for State DeafBlind Projects (“projects”) and the National Center on Deaf-Blindness, which is collectively known as the “DeafBlind TA Network.” The DeafBlind TA Network provides technical assistance and dissemination services, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, to meet the needs of families and educational providers with children and young adults (birth to age 21 years) who are DeafBlind. DeafBlind program funds are established by Section 682 of IDEA [20 USC §1482(d)(1)(A); 2004] requiring a minimum $12,832,000 to address “the educational, related services, transitional, and early intervention needs of children with [DeafBlindness].” This minimum was established in 1997. During grant cycles between 1997 and 2022, the total allocation to the DeafBlind TA Network did not change. In 2023, however, Congress approved an increase of $1,000,000 leading to an average 10% increase in statespecific project budgets for the first time in 25 years (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). Although the funding allocated to projects has only recently increased, the salaries of project staff members and the cost of goods have increased annually. For example, in 2014–2015, the majority of projects were based in university settings where cost of living adjustments occur.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"256 - 259"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48326472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-01DOI: 10.1177/0145482X231178832
Hilary E. Travers, Rachel Anne Schles
Introduction: This study examined the interstate variability in eligibility criteria for the disability category of deafblindness. Methods: We systematically reviewed and coded information related to the location of state data, the use of federal language in state definitions, additional eligibility criteria (i.e., disability eligibility requirements, evaluative components), and required eligibility team members (i.e., specific school staff mentioned by profession to be present for eligibility determinations) for every U.S. state and territory, including Washington, DC. Results: We located deafblind eligibility data for 54 of 56 states. Thirty-one states provided an operationalized definition of deafblindness that included additional eligibility criteria. Seventeen states required students to first be found eligible as having visual and hearing impairments before they could be considered deafblind. Very few states required any eligibility team members with knowledge of sensory impairments or communication disorders to determine deafblind eligibility. Discussion: The findings of this work suggest there is large interstate variability in eligibility criteria for deafblindness. A universal operational definition of deafblindness with defined eligibility criteria may be necessary to ensure consistency in identification and access to appropriate personnel and services across states. Implications for Practitioners: Understanding the eligibility requirements in each state is critical to helping appropriately identify qualifying students with deafblindness. Practitioners should advocate for the identification of deafblind students by keeping any sensory-related information at the forefront of all eligibility discussions.
{"title":"An Examination of Interstate Differences in Eligibility Criteria for Deafblindness","authors":"Hilary E. Travers, Rachel Anne Schles","doi":"10.1177/0145482X231178832","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X231178832","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: This study examined the interstate variability in eligibility criteria for the disability category of deafblindness. Methods: We systematically reviewed and coded information related to the location of state data, the use of federal language in state definitions, additional eligibility criteria (i.e., disability eligibility requirements, evaluative components), and required eligibility team members (i.e., specific school staff mentioned by profession to be present for eligibility determinations) for every U.S. state and territory, including Washington, DC. Results: We located deafblind eligibility data for 54 of 56 states. Thirty-one states provided an operationalized definition of deafblindness that included additional eligibility criteria. Seventeen states required students to first be found eligible as having visual and hearing impairments before they could be considered deafblind. Very few states required any eligibility team members with knowledge of sensory impairments or communication disorders to determine deafblind eligibility. Discussion: The findings of this work suggest there is large interstate variability in eligibility criteria for deafblindness. A universal operational definition of deafblindness with defined eligibility criteria may be necessary to ensure consistency in identification and access to appropriate personnel and services across states. Implications for Practitioners: Understanding the eligibility requirements in each state is critical to helping appropriately identify qualifying students with deafblindness. Practitioners should advocate for the identification of deafblind students by keeping any sensory-related information at the forefront of all eligibility discussions.","PeriodicalId":47438,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness","volume":"117 1","pages":"212 - 223"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44762176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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