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notably, the segregation of the deafblind student population - there were two
significant characteristics that should be mentioned: the proliferation of college
programs dedicated to personnel preparation specific to deafblindness, and stable
funding with federally appropriated monies. These programs were able to ensure a
steady supply of well-trained teachers and allowed for specific teaching practices
designed to serve these students to develop within the field. (Collins, 1993).
In the decades following the 1970s we have seen a shift in educational
philosophy away from centralized programming and toward more locally inclusive
settings. As the population of our students with deafblindness has shifted to local
communities it has presented some challenges for students with low-incidence
disabilities as well as some benefits. A positive trend for students who are deafblind
in being served at the local level, involves students having greater access to the
standard curriculum. Recent national child count data shows over 60% of students
who are deafblind are attending local schools and 26% are participating in standard
instruction (Schalock & Bull, 2013). Additionally, students who attend local schools
are more often able to live at home and be a part of their family's daily routines. The
picture, however, of access and support for students is a complex one.
Many local school districts have difficulty providing students with access to
appropriate instruction within the classroom. They may be unable to provide
dedicated personnel time to a position focused on such a low incidence population. In
some districts in Texas, our project has seen an increase in hiring interveners (trained
paraprofessionals) to provide students with access to information, communication and
social support. Although the role of the intervener is designed to provide tremendous
direct support to students, it is not meant to replace the role of teacher, who is
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