The Arkansas Project for Children With Deafblindness is preparing its annual federal census of Arkansas children from birth to age 21 who have been identified as deafblind. The purposes of the census are to assist in the identification of children in Arkansas who are deafblind, and to update the information on children listed on the Arkansas Deafblind Registry already identified as deafblind under the Arkansas Project.
Children referred to the Project do not have to be totally deaf and totally blind, nor do they have to be identified as deafblind on the December 1 Child Count in order to meet the eligibility requirements for follow-up by the Project and to be included on the Project's Registry of children who are deafblind.
The Project is a federal grant administered through the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Special Education that provides technical assistance to educators and agency personnel who serve children identified as deafblind, and to the families of those children. To be eligible for follow-up by the Project, children must have both vision and hearing impairments, or have cognitive impairments that limit the use of both their vision and hearing.
The Project is required to submit an annual federal report on the children identified as deafblind in the State of Arkansas, and to provide additional information on those children, such as the causes of their deafblindness, where they receive their education services, and any additional impairments they may have. The enclosed pamphlet provides additional information on the annual Deafblind Census.
Also enclosed is a pamphlet explaining the Project's activities. On-site consultation is available to the teachers of students identified as deafblind. Parents of identified children are eligible to attend the annual parent training sponsored by the Project, as well as receive mail-outs, newsletters and other forms of technical assistance.
Attached is a Census Information form for you to use to refer or identify children you serve who may be eligible for follow-up by the Project. It has been simplified as much as possible for your use, and includes all the information required of the ADE for the federal Deafblind Census.
Please consider all the children you serve to determine who might qualify for follow up by the Project and complete a Census Information form on each child you think may be eligible. Again, they do not have to have been counted as deafblind on the December 1 Child Count to be eligible. Often these children are counted as having Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities or Other Health Impairment. If you are unsure about a child's eligibility, please refer him or her to the Project. Project staff will make the final determination of eligibility on all children referred.
If there are children residing in your district who have already been identified as deafblind by the Project, you will receive a separate letter identifying those children and asking for updated information on them. In order to minimize confusion, the same Census Information form can be used for new referrals and for updating the information on children already identified as deafblind.
Please return the completed form(s) no later than February 15, 1999 to the address indicated below. The return address is also listed on the last page of the Census Information form.
We appreciate your cooperation in our efforts to identify children who are deafblind who reside within the State of Arkansas. If you have any questions or need additional information, you may contact either Darleen Riley Tripcony, Family Consultant, or Barbara Haynes, Education Consultant, at the ADE, Special Education at 501-682-4222.
Please return completed form(s) by February 15, 1999 to:
Arkansas Project for Children with Deafblindness
Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education
#4 Capitol Mall, Room 105C
Little Rock, AR 72201
Attention: Darleen Riley Tripcony
There are attachments to this memo.