180 likes | 326 Views
Outreach Services: 30 Years of Successful Services. Shelley Ardis Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Outreach Services. Complimentary projects funded with state and federal IDEA and state General Revenue funds Purpose:
E N D
Outreach Services: 30 Years of Successful Services Shelley Ardis Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
Outreach Services • Complimentary projects funded with state and federal IDEA and state General Revenue funds • Purpose: • Service and support to professionals serving students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Families • Goal: • Increase success for all students in any learning environment
Outreach Agencies • Resource Materials & Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RMTC: D/HH) • FSDB Outreach – Small & Rural Districts (SRD) • FSDB Parent Infant Program (PIP) Collaboration with other state Discretionary Projects and agencies
Other State Agencies • Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS) oversees the following projects [also]: • Critical Initiatives in Visual Impairments • Educational Interpreters Project (EIP) • Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired (FIMC) • Learning through Listening (Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic)
More state systems/agencies • Clearinghouse Information Center (CIC) • Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS) • Florida Division of Blind Services • Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services • Florida Outreach Project for Children and Young Adults Who are Deaf-Blind (FOP) • Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) • Deaf Service Centers • Centers for Independent Living
RMTC: D/HH • The RMTC is a statewide, specialized FDLRS center located on the campus of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. • RMTC serves as the coordinating unit for accessible materials including captioned and signed videos and books and other reference materials. • RMTC staff provide on-site training and technical assistance to all school districts, families, and discretionary projects. Primarily K-12 • Legislative Support – Established in 1978 and still today in Florida Statute
RMTC: D/HH • Services include: • Videos and books for interpreters and others learning Sign Language. • Captioned and signed videos and materials for classroom teachers • Presentations on • Accessible materials & Accommodations • Students with hearing loss in general education settings • Visual learning strategies to enhance access and classroom participation • Other special topics • Support, training and networking opportunities • Information and referral services
RMTC: D/HH Partnerships • Florida Diagnostic Learning and Resources System (FDLRS) • Workgroups and Advisory Committees • Florida Deaf-Blind Outreach Project • Florida Instructional Media Center for the Blind/Visually Impaired • FSDB Grants and Special Projects • National Deaf Agenda Leadership Team • PEPNet
FSDB Outreach – Small & Rural Districts • The Small and Rural District Support Program (SRD) provides assistance to small, mid-sized, and rural school districts across the state of Florida. • These services assist district staff serving deaf/hh or blind/VI students. • SRD also provides related parent support services to the districts and parent groups. • Program services are no cost to the requesting district or organization. Established in 2000. • Partnership Activities • Closely aligned with RMTC services • Advisory and Workgroup Committees
FSDB Small & Rural Districts • Services Include: • Onsite observation and consultation • Expert onsite advice and support • Recommendations on accommodations, modifications, and teaching strategies • Classroom considerations • Training and workshops for district staff, parents and other professionals • Orientation and Mobility Evaluations • Functional Vision Assessments • Information and referral services • Directory of local and state services
FSDB Parent Infant Program • The Parent-Infant Program (PIP) provides: • Home-based early intervention for families with infants and young children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing and/or blind/visually impaired. • Early Learning Program for children who are deaf/hard of hearing ages 18-36 months. • Training for qualified professionals who work with the families of these young children. • Partnerships • State-wide Conference “Florida Summit on Childhood Deafness” • Florida Department of Health
Projects’ Guidance • Direction of projects are guided by: • Needs Assessments • Focus Groups • Past Experiences • Technology Advances • Research on Teaching and Learning • Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education Student Services • State Performance Plan Indicators • Other state initiatives and law
Impact on Students • Accessible captioned and signed content • Increased advocacy and social skills • Enhanced learning activities as teachers have appropriate strategies for serving students in their classrooms • Access to software that scaffolds learning and allows students to demonstrate understanding • Awareness of tools that facilitate communication and classroom participation
Impact on Parents • Support from groups that understand their needs and concerns • Access to other parents • Access to materials that help them learn about deafness, sign language, etc. • Access to workshops and presentations that assist them in working with schools • Learn advocacy skills and IDEA • Referrals to other resources
Impact on Professionals • Learn strategies for teaching and supporting students who are deaf/hh • Learn about accommodations and other technologies that scaffold learning • Access to captioned and signed materials to use in the classroom • Awareness of technologies, peripherals, software and websites to enhance learning • Referral to other support service agencies
Impact on Other Service Providers • State Agency/Project Staff (FDLRS) • District Support Personnel • Local Assistive Technology Specialists • Interpreters, SLPs, etc. • District Administrators • Deaf Service Centers • Lighthouse for the Blind/Visually Impaired
Next Steps • On-going learning new practices from others around the nation & world • Fully utilizing distance learning technologies to support and enhance service delivery • Working to share & collaborate more and reduce duplication of resources
Thank You!! • Contact Information: • Shelley Ardis • Executive Director of Technology Services • ardiss@fsdb.k12.fl.us • ShelleyPA (on Skype, Twitter, Delicious) • 800-356-6731