By Susan Patten

1. Greenhouse Education for Preschool Students with Visual impairments and Deaf-Blindness Developed and Taught High school Students By Susan Patten

2. Session Objective • Creative program development can enhance the lives of students with visual impairments and deaf-blindness. • Thinking “Outside the Box” • Community involvement

3. How Greenhouse Program Started • Idea came from evolved from teaching adults with disabilities • Spread to teaching students with blindness and deaf-blindness • Narrowed it down to preschool students from the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind (USDB)

4. Outline of Greenhouse Program • Implemented for two years • First year one class • Seven preschool students • Basic curriculum • Second year two classes • 18 preschool students • More high school students involved • More involved curriculum

5. Beginning Steps • Approval from High School administration • Approval from USDB • Set up schedule for USB preschool students • Developed explanation letter for parents • Obtain video releases for all students • Decide what training was needed for high school students

6. Pre-evaluations • High school students were given two pre-evaluations • Determine knowledge on vision impairments and deaf-blindness • Determine how comfortable they were interacting with individuals with disabilities

7. Mid and Post-Evaluations • High school students were given the same evaluation in January and then in March. • USB preschool students were evaluated using a five point Likert scale throughout the year

8. Training for High School Students • Simulation • Concept Development • Behavior

9. Greenhouse ProgramFirst Year • USB preschool came two times a month • Each USB preschool student was paired with one high school student • Both high school students and USB students made progress

10. Student Examples • Brayden • Lindley • Aiden

11. Greenhouse Education ProgramFirst Year • High School’s Presentation • Refer to Handout #1 • High School Video

12. Greenhouse ProgramSecond year • Analyzed what worked and what didn’t • Great publicity • Focus of high school students • Preschool students progressed • Too many high school students • Needed more curriculum training • Curriculum tied to expanded core

13. Second Year…Continued • Added one more USB preschool • Total of 18 preschool students • High school students taking data were assigned to a pair • Total of 48 high school students • Used curriculum tied to the expanded core • Social Interaction • Sensory efficiency skills

14. Second Year • Same pre and post evaluations used • Used same training model • Started with simulation • Concept development • Vision • Deaf-Blindness • Behavior

15. Student Examples • Gabe • Nevaeh

16. Differences in Second Year(less successful than first year) • More detailed curriculum was used. High school students developed curriculum • More high school students were involved • More classroom management was needed • Transportation and time became problematic for USB preschoolers

17. Greenhouse Program Second Year • High School Presentation • Refer to Handout #2 • High School Video

18. Conclusion • What we, USDB, learned… • Importance of “We Can” • Importance of collaboration • USB preschool students and high school students are all of our students • Importance of new social experiences • Importance of community involvement