Return to: Georgia Sensory Assistance Project

Description of Services

Technical assistance is provided to parents, teachers, agency members, or school staff in the form of information, skill development, and resources, enabling them to more effectively teach infants, children and youth who are deafblind. Technical assistance may be provided any number of ways, depending upon the needs of the person requesting assistance.

Consultation

In-home consultation. In-home consultation consists of family training and assistance to effectively facilitate learning and independence within the home.
School consultation. This technical assistance provides support to educational and related service staff on issues related to the education of students with deafblindness. 

Demonstration Site program. The program provides extensive technical assistance to targeted counties and schools throughout the state to improve services in the region.  Additionally, these classrooms serve as visitation sites to show exemplary practices. 

Consultation by phone. This form of consultation provides information, referral, and support  to families and educational staff in an expedient manner.

Training

Family Workshops & Training. The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project offers families a selection of workshops targeting issues related to deafblindness. The Ga. PINES/Kiwanis Parent workshop is typically offered in the fall and annually attracts approximately 100 families of children with sensory impairments.

Weekend Retreats. Weekend retreats are provided to families and professionals and address specific areas related to individuals with deafblindness.  Typically these begin Friday night and finish either Saturday or Sunday. Two to four weekend retreats are offered yearly. 
 
Summer Institutes. The summer institutes are typically a three day training opportunity in the education of individuals with deafblindess. SDU credit is provided. 

Parent Advisor Training. This Advisor program provides comprehensive training of special educators to become technical assistance providers to families of children, birth to five years of age, with sensory impairments. Family focused technical assistance occurs in natural environments. Educators are trained over six days, using the nationally validated INSITE curriculum and national trainers. SDU credit is provided.  

Networking

Family Networking. This networking program provides referral of families to agencies or other families to provide information and support.
Advisor Networking. This networking program provides advisors with the opportunity to interact and network  with each other through visits, phone calls, and workshops. Teachers may share information, materials and resources in order to expand professional expertise.

Resources

Materials. Materials can be loaned from the deafblind project.  These include adaptive positioning equipment and toys, vision materials, books, videos, switches, training models, curricula, educational material and devices, and other similar resources.

Referrals

Referrals are made through the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project.  Families and   professionals are linked to individuals or agencies who provide services   and support to individuals with deafblindness. Information Dissemination. A variety of information is provided by the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project, including written information, monographs, public service announcements, videos, articles and other pertinent information relating to deafblindness.

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