VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 4
My hopes for the future include a recognized intervener profession, with
well-trained interveners available for children and those adults who need them in
schools, homes, and in communities. Just as interpreters provide a least restrictive
environment for some children who are deaf, I envision a future with interveners
who are trained through higher education programs, who have degrees, and who
are available to provide a least restrictive environment for students who are
deafblind. If interveners were included under the definition of related services
within IDEA, they would become a viable option for students with deafblindness
in school. Adding intervener language to IDEA would require that states formally
recognize interveners. This will help reduce the frustration and struggle parents
often experience in advocating for intervener services for their children.
