VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 4
Family Vignettes
The following vignettes come from families from across the country who
have graciously agreed to share their journeys about advocating for their children
who are deafblind to have intervener services. These stories are similar to hundreds
of other stories from across the country. These families were quick to learn that
their school teams didn't understand the unique learning needs of their children.
They trusted the education system to provide appropriate services, only to discover
the lack of personnel trained in deafblindness, which put them in the position of
having to not only educate their child's team, but also to be their child's constant
advocate. It's important to note that because of their struggles, each of these
parents hope for better things in the future for children who are deafblind.
Educating the IEP team about interveners is the first step in advocating, and
in some cases, that alone is sufficient. However, in other cases, due process has to
be pursued. Thanks to parent advocates like these and professionals who support
the concept, the term "intervener" has become slightly more accepted and utilized.
Systems are changing (see advocacy article) and there is a glimmer of hope.
(Please note there is an additional parent story by Gwen Sirmans in the article,
"Meeting the Needs of a Student with Deafblindness in in the Academic
Classroom: A Model That Works."
