Interveners for Children Who Are Deafblind: The Parents' Perspective

Abstract

Students with a visual impairment and a concurring hearing impairment are considered deafblind under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004. Deafblindness is not limited to students who are totally blind and profoundly deaf; rather, it ensures that when students have a visual impairment as well as a hearing impairment that impacts their learning, appropriate services are in place for them to receive an appropriate education in the school setting. In the United States, the deafblind intervener model has been implemented in some states, whereby the intervener acts as a communication bridge between the student who is deafblind and the student's teacher, peers, and other school community members. However, because the intervener model is not required by law, it has not been adopted in every school district where students who are deafblind attend, leaving these students and their families without the option of having an intervener. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore parents' perspectives when working with their child's deafblind intervener. Eight parents of children with deafblindness who have an intervener were interviewed about their experiences with their child's intervener. Findings from this study are presented, along with implications for practice and future research, to inform the field about the benefits associated with students who are deafblind having support from a deafblind intervener. Themes in the areas of awareness, access, and advocacy are highlighted.