Transcript New England Center Deafblind Project CVI Advisor Training

Building State Capacity Through
Regional Collaboration:
Two Innovative Models of Professional
Development
Project Directors Meeting
Washington, D.C.
July 17, 2007
Presentation Team
• Tracy Evans Luiselli
 New England Center
Deafblind Project
 [email protected]
• Diane Kelly
 Connections Beyond Sight
and Sound, MD
 [email protected]
• Ruth Ann King
 WV Deafblind Project
 [email protected]
• Susan Edelman
 VT Project for Children and
Youth with Deafblindness
 [email protected]
Session Overview
• Who we are and how we came to the
identified need for a unique approach to
professional development
• CVI Multi-state Mentorship Project
• CVI Advisor Project
• Discussion
• Wrap-up and evaluation
We represent …
• TA, Training and Dissemination projects of eight
eastern states (ME, NH, CT, MA, VT, MD, DE,
WV)
• Professionals serving a low incidence disability:
deafblindness (~10,000 in US)
• States with varying…
 service delivery models
 resources ($, skilled professionals)
 varying population characteristics even among
deafblind
• “Low incidence” professionals
Our common need…
• Network, collegiality
• Connection to cutting edge research and
development
• Professional development
National Consortium on Deafblindness (NCDB
formerly NTAC) has served to bring DB projects
together annually to meet these needs and to
support professional development outcomes.
NTAC Topical Workshop 2001
• Introduced to a newly recognized
diagnostic category of visual
impairment: Cortical Visual
Impairment (CVI)
• Dr. Christine Roman
 Early Interventionist
 Teacher of Blind and Visually Impaired
• CVI Screening Interview (doctoral
dissertation)
• CVI Assessment Protocol based on
ten characteristic behaviors
CVI is…
 Leading cause of visual impairment in children
in the western world
 Neurological disorder
 Results in unique visual responses to people,
educational materials, and to the environment
CVI is…
 Diagnosed when:
 Medical history of central nervous system pathology
 Vision evaluation (eye exam) is normal or does not explain visual
performance problems
 Visual behavioral characteristics (10) which are the basis of the
CVI Assessment Protocol developed by Dr. Roman
 Responsive to specific educational (not medical)
strategies that address these characteristics environmental engineering
2001-2002
Maine
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Massachusetts
2001-2002
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New Hampshire
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2001-2002
Delaware
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Vermont
2001-2002
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Maryland
West Virginia
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In what ways might we…
• Provide more intensive training guided by expertise and
experience of Dr. Roman and other leaders in the field?
• Build on new awareness and knowledge of professionals that
resulted from introductory trainings across states?
• Establish skillful intervention design practices (changes in
practice)?
• Demonstrate impact relative to service provider, child, family
skills and state systems?
• Maximize the use of limited resources?
OSEP DB Proposals for 2003-2008:
Our opportunity to…
• Be creative, collaborative and strategic
• Develop 5-year training models for in-depth, sustained, guided professional
development
• Develop the knowledge and skills of a selected group of professionals in the
use of the CVI Assessment Protocol (C. Roman, in press, 2007)
• Build local capacity as these individuals serve as “CVI Advisors” or “CVI
Mentors” in their own states
• Use NCDB Outcomes and Performance Indicators (OPIs) in our planning
and evaluation (child, family service provider, systems)
 http://www.nationaldb.org/TAOutcomes.php
CVI Multi-state Mentorship
Project
A multi-state commitment to improving services for children and
youth with CVI
partnering with Delaware, Maryland ,West Virginia and Vermont
Planning Group Process
• DB project staff (8) and Dr. Roman as
consultant to the Planning Group
• Organized as a collaborative team
Interstate Agreement written into
individual state proposals
• Agreed to:
 Share costs
 Share all tasks and responsibilities
 Rotate lead
Planning Group Roles
• Dr. Roman
 Consultant
 CVI competencies
 Training content
 Syllabus
 Primary presenter/trainer
• State project personnel

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Primary designers of syllabus
Evaluation/data collection
Organization and logistics
Leads for home state teams
Trainers of specific non-CVI content (mentorship
skills)
Mentor Selection
Qualities/Criteria
• Have a passion for helping children
• Believe that children who have disabilities have the right to
an individually designed, appropriate education
• Support family-centered practices
• Respect the diverse cultures and values of families
• Recognize the importance of multidisciplinary
representation in educational teams
• Value the mentor model as a means of expanding access to
specialized skills
Why We’re Doing This….
CVI State Mentor Teams
• Delaware
• Vermont
 One teacher of the
deafblind
 One occupational therapist
 One paraprofessional
 One TVI
 Two physical therapists
 One deaf mentor
• Maryland
 Three TVIs from MD
School for the Blind
 Two project staff
• West Virginia
 Two TVIs
 One occupational therapist
 One early intervention
developmental specialist
Mentors are expected to…
• Commit to five year training according to the
expectations in the syllabus
• Be able to provide statewide outreach with state team
members
• Complete requirements of the syllabus
• Attain CVI Competencies and Mentor Competencies
(see packet)
Training Components
• Annual conferences
• Readings
• Videoconferencing/we • Field work
binars
• Phone chats with Dr.
Roman
• Trip to the NICU
• Case studies
Training Content
• CVI (competencies)
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CVI characteristics with and without ocular impairment
Medical conditions associated with CVI
Working with families
CVI Screening Interview and CVI Range
Interventions (environmental engineering)
• Mentorship (competencies)

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collaborative teaming
adult learning
peer coaching
presentation skills
Annual Conferences
• Burlington VT - 2003
• Rehoboth Beach DE - 2004
• Stonewall Resort WV - 2005
• Annapolis MD - 2006
• Burlington VT - 2007
Data Collection
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Scoring videos for reliability
Journals/Monthly field notes
Conference quizzes
Outcomes and performance indicators
Evaluations from state trainings
Case studies
Video documentation as part of assessments
Lessons Learned So Far…
• Participation of mentors - 100% continuation
• Mentor sharing across states
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Face-to-face annual conferences
Listserve (assisted by NCDB)
Webinar interactions
Networking and problem-solving
• Secretarial support provided by DE
• Field work
• Annual leadership rotation
More Lessons Learned So Far…
• Technology challenges (TA from NCDB)
 Video-conferencing
 Webinars
• One mentor inspired to do doctoral study on the
CVI Range
• Data collection and analysis
• Evaluation (TA from NCDB)
• Great honor & privilege to work with Dr. Roman to
receive knowledge and mentoring and to, in turn,
contribute to her refinement of the tools and
strategies (Practice to Research)
New England Center Deafblind Project
CVI Advisor Training Project:
Building a Foundation for Effective Local
and Multi-State Training
.
New England Center
Deafblind Project (NEC)
Unique Multi-State Project
Initial Questions
• Reliability and validity of CVI Range (C.
Roman, 2004)?
• Benefit from CVI intervention? (children,
families, service providers)
• State systems addressing needs of children
with CVI?
Initial Questions continued
• Correlation of CVI Range with acuity measures?
(validity)
• Influence on CVI Advisors’ skills, motivation and
service provision?
• Effective in addressing multistate training
needs?
• Effective in facilitating research to practice?
CVI Advisors
• All applicants accepted
• Initially 26 CVI Advisors; currently 22 CVI Advisors
• 16 Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired
(TVI’s), 6 teachers trained in deafblindness
• Prior commitment to increase knowledge and skills
and to provide training to others
Key Training Components
• Interagency agreements; supervisor approval
• 2-3 multistate trainings per year; interim phone
conferences
• Video case-study format
• “Real time” assessment, group discussion of
results, collection of reliability data
Data Collection Strategies
• Initial reliability measures on item per item
ratings - 76% reliability
• 2006-2007 - Score level , 92% reliability
• Self-report, interview, direct observation or
survey
All 22 CVI Advisors…
• Initially - overview of CVI characteristics
(Awareness/Knowledge Level)
• Began in-state training in the use of the CVI
Range to TVI’s in 2007 (Skill Level)
Impact
• 96 instate trainings; 1938 people trained
• Increased awareness of families and teachers (CVI
risk factors, characteristics, and intervention
strategies)
• Increased skills of CVI Advisors
• Increased referrals to NECDBP
Impact continued
• Development and support of “Community of
Practice” in 4 states
• Contribution to the refinement of the CVI
Assessment Protocol (in press, C. Roman, 2007)
• Development of products (CVI Journal; Training
Modules)
Child Measures
• 96% of children with increased visual skills
(per CVI Advisor ratings, 28 children)
Child Measures
•
Communication levels (percent of children
per CVI Advisor ratings) (C. Rowland, 2004)
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Preintentional – 4%
Intentional – 36%
Unconventional – 28%
Conventional – 7%
Concrete symbols – 11%
Abstract Symbols – 7%
Language – 7%
Family Measures and Impact
• 84% of families with increased skills about
CVI (per CVI Advisor ratings)
Service Provider Measures and
Impact
• 88% of teachers with increased knowledge
about CVI (per CVI Advisor ratings)
• Professional development (CVI Portfolios)
CVI Advisors
• 100% increase in knowledge
• 100% increase in skill
• Determination of level of competency
Systems Measures and Impact
• 37 state meetings and systems activities
Lessons Learned
•
•
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•
•
•
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Budget and training incentives
Supervisor agreement/support
University credit/certificate
Communication Assessment
IEP’s (pre/post)
Participants with high interest in the topic
Most working in isolation and need ongoing
support and feedback to develop skills
Lessons Learned (cont.)
• Video case study, live assessment with group scoring and immediate
discussion/feedback
• Commitment to training project and data collection
• In-State coordination and multistate coordination
• Model facilitates research-to-practice
• Model works well with the NCDB OPI’s
• Results would not have been possible without highly skilled trainer who is
passionate about the topic and understanding of issues facing teachers in
real-world settings.
Discussion: Guiding Questions
(for DB Projects)
• How can the CVI Mentorship and Advisor
projects best support your work?
• What “next steps” do you suggest?
• What other topics or research areas could
be addressed using these models of
training?
Discussion: General Guiding Questions
• What unique staff development strategies have
you used to…
 build skills around a new area of practice or
research?
 reach geographically-dispersed recipients?
 increase sustainability of new skills?
• What other topics or research areas could be
addressed using these (or similar) models of
training?
Wrap up and evaluation
• Feel free to contact us for more
information on these project activities
Thank you !