ABOUT CONNECTIONS

Connections Beyond Sight and Sound is a collaborative project between the Maryland State Department of Education and the University of Maryland.  In 2006 there were 216 students reported on Maryland’s census on deaf-blindness.  Connections is the only project in Maryland to provide specialized technical assistance to enhance the capacity of local education systems to meet the intense needs of these children.  The primary focus of this project is to deliver technical assistance and training throughout Maryland to foster systems change, build partnerships, and increase the capacity of local systems to provide educational services that will result in improved outcomes for these children.  The major strategies of this project are:  

1. Conduct ongoing, statewide, multilevel needs assessment to determine the array, type and intensity of technical assistance and training necessary to sustain students with deaf-blindness within the educational system as outlined in the provisions of IDEA and No Child Left Behind;

2. Provide technical assistance and consultation to families, Local School Systems (LSS), Local Infants and Toddlers Programs (LITP), State Operated Programs (SOP), private agencies, and rehabilitation programs that result in appropriate assessment, placement and support services to all children who are deaf-blind, enabling these children to make progress in their educational programs;

3. Provide pre-service and in-service training to administrators, educational professionals, paraeducators, and agency personnel that focuses on research-based, effective, and promising practices, and contributes to the State's provision of highly-qualified personnel;

4. Enhance State and local capacity to improve services and outcomes for children with deaf-blindness and their families;

5. Provide training and support to families of children with deaf-blindness to meet their needs in the context of the family, extended family, neighborhood, school, and community; and,

6. Facilitate ongoing coordination, collaboration and dissemination among families, MSDE, local school systems, national projects, and other relevant agencies and organizations to promote service integration, systematic change, and interagency cooperation.

Site-based, child-focused Technical Assistance provided by trained and experienced Connections staff, and supplemented by Deaf-blind Support Teams within Local School Systems.

Summer Institutes on issues and exemplary educational practices in the area of deaf-blindness, severe and multiple disabilities, and other low-incidence conditions, providing graduate level coursework to build a well-trained cadre of professionals.

B.E.S.T. Program (Building Effective Student Teams) to develop, train and support transdisciplinary educational teams which are child-centered and include representatives from the family, administration, related services and direct instructional staff in 5-7 LSS.

Quarterly Family Forums and annual Family Weekend to provide training and support to families and caregivers of children who are deaf-blind/severely disabled.

Quarterly Newsletter with state-wide dissemination and Web Site which are project-specific, as well as inclusion of project information and announcements in relevant publications of other agencies such as MSDE, AER, AADB, and MSB.

Family/Professional Lending Library to provide an extensive collection of resources on deaf-blindness, other low-incidence disabilities and related topics including inclusive schooling, collaborative teaming, early childhood education, and communication.

Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Multi-state Mentorship Project to train teams of mentors in the states of Maryland, Delaware, Vermont and West Virginia, with the goal of providing leadership and support in the area of CVI

Usher Syndrome Screening Project, planned and conducted with Local School Systems, Maryland School for the Deaf and the State Steering Committees for students with visual impairments and students who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing.

Advisory Committee with representatives from LSS, agencies, and families, who meet regularly and provide guidance and feedback to Connections project staff relative to project focus and activities, as well as facilitate collaboration and dissemination of information.

Linkages with various state and local organizations, services, agencies and committees which are involved in disability-related issues to foster collaboration and partnership, share information, avoid service duplication, maximize use of limited resources, and increase benefits for children and their families:  MSDE (Division of Rehabilitative Services, Division of Special Education, and Early Intervention Services), Maryland School for the Blind, Parents’ Place of Maryland, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, State Interagency Coordinating Council, Special Education State Advisory Committee, Center for Technology Education (CTE) program, Coalition for the Universal Screening in Newborns (CUSHION), State Steering Committees for Vision and Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing.

Improved services to children who are deaf-blind which reflect an emphasis on exemplary educational practices in natural and inclusive environments through training and technical assistance efforts and collaboration with MSDE and MCIE;

Increased child identification with more accurate and complete information on children with deaf-blindness;

Continuation of an ongoing program of support, training, and information to families;

Increased involvement of families in the educational programs of their children with a focus on building family-professional partnerships;

Increased use of collaborative, family-centered school teams to develop and implement educational programs which result in desired outcomes for children and families

Increase in the number and availability of qualified LSS staff within the state to meet local technical assistance needs;

Demonstration of improved knowledge and technical expertise by service providers.