State Leaders Summit : Making a Commitment to Systems Change in Deaf Education
May 7, 8 & 9, 2007, Columbia , MD
Session Date and Time: Session 1 May 8- 8:30-9:45AM
Name of Facilitator/Presenter Cheryl Johnson
E-mail Address Cheryl@colorado.edu
Name of Recorder Naomi DeDual
E-mail Address ndedual@dss.state.la.us
Topic title and brief description:
State compliance and monitoring of regulations specifically pertaining to children who are DHH.
Key Issues or Points of Discussion:
1. Some IDEA regs have been strengthened by language changes of from "shall" to "must";
2. Implications of "Response to intervention"
3. Not all IEPs contain info on communication assessment and strategies
- IEPs -Recommend that instead of having a box that is to be checked it would be preferred to have a discussion and specific recommendations etc.
- More documentation in writing is preferred to monitor IEP
- Would prefer to have a good sample communication plan included within the monitoring program for reference
4. Monitoring - questions over whether the state can effectively monitor each Deaf/HH student with an IEP and effectively address their communication needs/issues and whether that would be practical.
5. Family inclusion- How are states addressing the family's language needs?
6. How to provide ongoing parent counseling and training beyond early years?
- Parent counseling and training is an under utilized related service for parents.
- Video conferencing may be utilized to provide parent training and access.
- Family sign language is provided more often - not so much parent counseling
7. Gaps exist between all the good intentions and between what the Deaf child experiences -quality monitoring is essential - to allow the Deaf child to participate in the social experience by interacting, by developing a sense of belonging; IDEA doesn't require that communication plans require specificity; but the IEP really requires a knowledge of what the Deaf child experiences and needs in the classroom.
8. Deaf child Bill of Rights - without this a systematic plan isn't available and too many gaps exist.
9. Interpreting
- Some systems identify interpreters as paraprofessionals rather than professionals
- Database developed as to whom (interpreters) is qualified so to pull down state dollars
- OSEP annual report data indicates 79% are qualified??? How is this determined?
- If the state doesn't have a system in place, all interpreters are considered to have met the standards and that all are certified.
- If a state sets the standard, but can't meet them, they call the interpreters by another name.
- The reporting doesn't reflect the actual need for qualified interpreters!!!
10. Amplification devices is another area that needs to be tracked that we need to look at for system compliance.
Solutions/Strategies; Commitments of Participants; Improvement Suggestions:
- Cite Patty G. that communication is fundamental; however, Deaf kids have different communication strengths, styles, etc. The IEP should emphasize more on communication strategies beyond going to the speech teacher once per week; and that communication is beyond reading
- One State Dept. of Ed requires that educational interpreters must be state certified and licensed by their Commission
- North Carolina requires Level III on the EIPA; status is monitored by the state licensing board and also preparing a mentoring system.
- OSEP needs to look at what is occurring in the classroom with the kids to understand the issues and to appreciate the needs for accuracy More research is necessary to look at competency levels of professionals in the classroom. The interpreter is not the entire problem. Also, it's important for states to understand that it's important not just to look at their skills but the facilitation and outcome for the child -
- Their has to be a Right to Language for our children - the community has to be more assertive that the needs of the Deaf child aren't being fulfilled and that all good intentions aren't making the grade -we need to shift our thinking on a bill scale.
- Without basic access, they are cut off at beginning. Must become a part of the National dialogue.
- The children should not have all these separate interpreters. They need the interaction with their peers.