VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 4
annual surveys/needs assessments to try to gain an understanding of what their
constituents need regarding students with deafblindness.
Conclusion
In summary, what has been learned from the survey and subsequent
interviews is that the intervener profession is a service that is in demand in most
states. However, interveners are not recognized by the majority of state education
agencies, nor are intervener services officially written in the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). At the time of this writing, certain consumer
groups are advocating on the national level to have interveners recognized as
related service providers under IDEA, as is the case with the Cogswell-Macy Act.
Highlighting the most critical challenges related to interveners:
• There is a lack of cohesiveness in the field of deafblindness regarding
intervener training, and there is a need for more discussion around this
topic.
• There needs to be more discussion about effective and efficient tools that
will be used by IEP teams to determine the need for intervener services.
• Without an intervener, most students with deafblindness are not able to gain
adequate access to the educational environment, learn and communicate.
• Families are struggling in their request to local school systems to provide
intervener services.
