Return to: Georgia Sensory Assistance Project | On-line Newsletter | Revised 04/24/2004

Effective Technical Assistance Practices In the Schools

Having served for more than ten years as the Educational Coordinator for Georgia Deafblind Project,
I feel I can attest to the value of technical assistance provided in the classroom. The changing nature of our deafblind population has made it increasingly difficult for teachers. There is an ever-increasing number of children born prematurely who present with additional disabilities. Teachers often feel frustrated because they feel they are faced with educational challenges that were not included in their formal education. The student who is deafblind with multiple disabilities often needs special accommodations in the classroom. Materials must be modified to improve the student’s chance of success. Students who are non-verbal require an alternative means of communication. Orientation and mobility issues are paramount in the development of concept development and the ability to access the environment.

As we move into a brand new era as the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project (GSPA) our goal is to continue to provide excellence in the area of technical assistance to schools in Georgia. We will strive to improve our services and increase the number of parents, teachers and support staff we touch. Our hope is to expand upon the already existing network of teachers who have attended our workshops and gained some degree of expertise in deafblindness. Regional strength is the key to long term success and therefore we plan to continue our regional training's and educate more people about deafblindness. An increasing number of school administrators have asked the project to provide workshops in their system. Whether it is addressing a particular type of vision loss or looking at augmentative communication, the project will do its best to meet the needs of the schools. In recent years the project has been involved with transition related training sessions using programs such as MAPS or PATH. GSAP will continue to provide assistance with teenagers as they prepare to transition from school to adult life.

I thought it might be helpful if I described the process by which someone receives technical assistance in the classroom through GSAP. When a new student is identified with vision and hearing loss, the parent and/or teacher complete registration and release of information forms. This information is forwarded to the Census Coordinator who will then indicate whether a request for service form needs to be sent to the school. The request for service form is completed by the classroom teacher and it includes a section which lists the needs of the teacher. This form is then signed by the school principal or special education director and is sent to GSAP directly. Once the paperwork is complete, the coordinator will contact the teacher and arrange a visit in the classroom. A report including impressions and recommendations is then sent to the teacher and support staff. An action plan is written between the consultant and the teacher and follow-up services are provided within a six week period. It is possible to request one of the GSAP staff members to be present during IEP meetings or transition meetings. Workshops addressing the specific needs of students are through the project upon request.