ERIC ED345457: A Needs-Assessment of Agencies Serving Individuals with Deaf-Blindness: A National Profile of Transitional Services.

59 Pages·1.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUIENT REBUKE
EC 301 215
ED 345 457
Seiler, Lauren B.; And Others
AUTHOR
A Needs-Assessment of Agencies Serving Individuals
TITLE
with Deaf-Blindness: A National Profile of
Transitional Services.
Helen Keller National Center - Technical Assistance
INSTITUTION
Center, Sands Point, NY.
Department of Education, Washington, DC.
SPONS AGENCY
Jan 92
PUB DATE
CONTRACT
H025E90001
65p.; For a related document, see EC 301 217.
NOTE
Reports - Research/Technical (143)
PUB TYPE
KF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Adult Education; Agency Cooperation; Change
DESCRIPTORS
Strategies; "Deaf Blind; Delivery Systems; High
Schools; "Holistic Approach; Human Services;
Integrated Activities; National Surveys; "Needs
Assessment; Postsecondary Education; Professional
Education; Program Administration; Rehabilitation;
*Social Integration; Staff Development; Teamwork;
*Technical Assistance; "Transitional Programs; Young
Adults; Youth
ABSTRACT
A national needs assessment of 719 educational and
adult service agencies providing or proposing to provide transitional
services to individuals with deaf-blindness was conducted to
determine national and regional technical assistance needs. On
average, each agency expressed a need for technical assistance in 20
separate areas. In the area of general client outcomes, respondents
reported the greatest need for technical assistance in employment and
family support. In the area of specific direct services, respondents
requested aid in assistive technology, client assessment/evaluation,
and communication training. In the area of systems/administrative
issues, respondents indicated the greatest need in personnel
training, public education/awareness, funding, and interagency
collaboration. Findings also indicated that agencies continue to
organize the constellation of services they offer using an isolated
skills training and "readiness" approach. Infusion of all
transitional services within community -integratiA adult activities
and outcomes continues to be an elusive service delivery model. The
report recommends that future funding priorities and technical
assistance activities aggressively promote holistic and visionary
community-integrated client planning along with broad systematic and
administrative interagency nange supports. One recommended approach
is the use of technical assistance and support to state and local
level interagency teams, whose goals are to develop, implant, and
maintain statewide and collaboration transition efforts for youth
with deaf-blindness. (10 references) (Atthor/JDD)
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Repmductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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With Deaf-Blindness:
A National Profile
of Transitional
Services
January 1992
Lauren H. Seiler, Ph.D.
Jane M. Everson, Ph.D
tN)
Theresa S. Carr
BEST COPY AM 41E
A NEEDS-ASSESSMENT
OF AGENCIES SERVING INDIVIDUALS
WITH DEAF-BL1NDNESS:
A NATIONAL PROFILE
OF TRANSITIONAL SERVICES
Lauren H. Saler, Ph.D.
Jane M. Everson, Ph.D.
Department of Sociolov
Helen Keller National Center
Technical Assistance Center
Queesis College
of
Sands Point, New York
The City University of New York
Theresa S. Carr
Helen Kell& National Center
Technical Assistance Center
Sands Point, New York
Janumy 1992
The development and dissemination of this document was supported by funds from the
U.S. Department of Education (Cooperative Agreement #H025E90001). The opinions exPressed
are entirely those of the authors. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is
intended or should be inferred.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1
4
Methods
4
Needs-Assessment Instrument
4
Sample
5
Procedures
Results
6
Sample Characteristics
6
The Needs-Assessment
13
The Geographical D:stribution of Service Provision
and Technkal Asidtance Needs
25
Sources of External Training and Technical Assistance
31
A Factor Analysis of Direct Service Provision Responses
40
A Factor Analysis of Technical Assistance Needs
45
49
Conclusions
52
References
4
Abstract
Assistance Center administered a
In 1989, the Helen !Cella National Cemter-Technical
adult orrice agencies providing or proposing to
national needs-assestunent of educational and
The purpose of the
labels of deaf-blindness.
provide transitional services to individuals with
and
national and regional technical assistance needs of current
assessment was to determine the
sensory impairment
with
Chig
potential providers of transitional services to individuals
ageacies (a 67.9% response rate). The
Usable questionnaires were returned by 719 of 1059
needs-assessment conducted to date of agencies
results represent t1.1 most comprehensive national
each agency, among the 719 agencies surveyed,
serving individuals with deaf-blindness. On average
In the area of general client
20 separate areas.
in
evressed a need for technical assistance
employment
the greatest need for technical assistance in
outcomes, respondents requested
direct services, respondents requested the
opportunities and family support. In the area of specific
assessment/evaluation, and
assistance in assistive technolov, client
greatest need for technical
issues, respondents requested the
communication training. In the area of systems/administrative
funding,
in personnel training, public education/awareness,
greatest need for technical assistance
than the overwhelming need for transitional services
and interagency collaboration. More troubling
in which agencies continue to organize the
technical assistance nationally, however, is the way
continue to be offered using an isolated skills training
constellation of services they offer. Services
transitional services within community-integrated adult
and "readiness* approach. Infusion of all
elusive service delivery model. Future funding priorities
activities and outcomes continues to be an
aggressively promote holistic and visionary community-
and technical assistance activities must
systematk and administrative interagency change
integrated client planning along with broad
technical assistance
supported by this data, is the use of
supports. One recommended approach,
and support to state and local level interagency teams, whose goals are to develop, implant, and
maintain state-wide and collaboration transition efforts for youth with deaf-Mindness (Everson,
Rachal, & Midmel, 1992).
ii
6
Acknowledgements
assistance
would not have been possble without the
An undertaking of this size and scope
the
professionals. We would especially Re to thank
and support of many HKNC staff and other
needs-assessment
Affiliates who took the time to review the
HIM Regional Representatives and
Dr.
panel and pilot testing phases. In addition
instrument and provide feedback during the expert
provided valuable assistance with methodology
Nfichael Shafer of the University of Arizona
procedure&
Program
possible without the efforts of HKNC-TAC
Data analysis would not have been
well
student, Roseann Cost& Many, many thanks as
Associate, Janet Steve ley and Queens College
complete 'yet another survey.*
719 respondent agencies who took the time to
to the personnel in the
and
Assistant, Vivian Nixon, for her patience
Thanks to HICNC-TAC's Administrative
thank Mr. Charles
of this document. And fmally, we
endurance through many, many drafts
Project
Project Officer, and Dr. Sara Conlon, HKNC-TAC's current
Freeman, previous HKNC-TAC
the past six years.
Officer, who have supported our efforts over
LH. Seiler
J.M. Everson
T.S. Carr
Lii
..0?
A Needs-Assessment of Agencies Serving
hulividuals with Deaf-liThuinus:
Services
A National Profile of Transitional
introduction
first identified as a federal priority,
Since the mid-1960s when deaf-blind services were
have devekced and expanded tremendously.
educational and adult =vices fcw these irmlividuals
when transition, the process of transferring
Manses became evecially awarent in the mid-1980s
education programs to adult service agencies
youth with all levels of disabilities from special
community-based services and outcomes achieved through
received consideralie attention. Today,
approach to transitional services for induals
client-centered planning &scram a *best prictice
with deaf-tdindness.
and adult services. They include
Transitional services imidge the gap between educatimal
adults with acquiring skills needed to
educatiaial preparation services to assist children and young
also indude family support services needed
live, work, and play in their home communities. They
living working and recreation options.
by young adults to ensure success in community
mace?
including daily
unlimited set of "best
Comprehensive transitional services encompass an
and placement assistive technolog,
living skills training self-preservation training job develcvment
and family and sibling
job site training and support, personal futures planning case manarament,
practice are difficult to implement and sustain. They
support. By their very defmition, 'best
and resourcefulness. They require agency
require personnel with a hiei level of expertise, creativity,
and service delivery. And they
commitment to visionary and systemic changes in client outcomes
partnerships.
require the development of parent and professional
1
A Mitiand Needs Assessisent
As community-based services and outcomes became widely accepted, new roles and
responsilulities for agency personnel have begun to emerge. Programmatic =Oasis
on community-
based transitional services requires staff with eqxrtise in, among other things, developing
community-hitegrated jobs, developing functional conununication systems, using non-aversive
behavior management procedures, ushig partial partkkiation and other systematic instructional
strategies, biviementing personal futures planning strategiai, and building interagency coalitions
(e.g., Downing & Edinger, 1990; Everson & Burwell, 1991; Everson, Rachal, & Michael, 1991;
Goetz, Lee, Johnston, & Gaylord-Ross, 1991).
Trainhig and technical assistance efforts nationally have been succeseil ;41 introducing 'bat
puctkn" to professionals and parents. But unfortunately, tht
gap between professional knowlate
of *best practices' and application of practices in ccsnmunity-based client outcomes is great and
continues to grow (Kaiser & McWhorter, 1990). The bottom line is, nationally, large numbers of
individuals with deaf-blindness do not experience quality educational and adult services in
community settinp (e.g., Bullis & Otis, 1988; Wagner, 1989).
In 1989, the Hem) Keller National Center-Technical Assistance Center (HKNC-TAC)
administered a national needs-assessment of educational and adult service agencies providing
or
proposing to provide transitional services to individuals with labels of deaf-blindness
or dual sensory
upairment. The purpose of the assessment was to determine the national and regional technical
assistance nee& of current and potential providers of transitional servkes to individuals with deaf-
Nindness. Several research questions were initially posed: 1) In what areas is technical assistance
most required by agencies that provide services to those with deaf-blindness? 2) How gest is the
need for Technkal Assistance when a need is indicated?
3) Do agencies within RSA regions
provide equal services to individuals with deaf-blindntss and do tedmical assistance needs differ by
4) How are Technical Assistance needs met? and 5)How do agencks group their
region?
2
A Madam, Nee& Assessment
provion data describing the most comprehensive
transitional services? As a result, this profile
their
educatimal and adult service agencies and
national needs-assessment survey to date of
transitional services for youth with deaf-blindness.
technical assistance needs in the area of
tremendous *die:Wow for programs serving
The results of this needs-assessment have
the
of this manuscript is twofold, first, to describe
individuals with deaf-blindness. The purpose
and second, to draw implications for future personnel
methods and results of this needs-assessment;
individuals with deaf-blindness.
training and federal and state policies fcw services to
3
1 t