CDCI CARES Team consultants serve as members of the school team with specialized knowledge of the unique access needs of students who are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind (DHHDB). Consultants provide technical assistance and training to school teams in order to increase their capacity to meet the needs of these students.

All services can be provided either remotely, or in person.

2022-2023 services include but are not limited to:

 
Description of Service

In-service training. 

  • Consultants lead a review of what we know about the student’s hearing, the impact this may have on their access to communication/instruction, personal hearing equipment, recommended accommodations, and the care/use/troubleshooting of school hearing assistive technology.
School hearing assistive technology troubleshooting

Equipment: hearing assistive technology (FM/DM/HAT system supports).

  • Consultants guide school staff through the process of selecting, requesting quotes, ordering, fitting, and follow-up (verification/validation) for school hearing assistive technology.

Remote and in-person observations.

  • Consultants start with a remote “walk-through” to review the classroom design, classroom features (ceiling/floor), and student placement.
  • They then note any considerations for current hearing assistance technology use (FM/DM or classroom systems).
  • Consultants update accommodation recommendations for the team to consider for current and future academic year teams.

Remote and in-person functional listening evaluations.

  • Consultants train and support qualified (SLP) school staff to complete and understand results from informal functional assessments of listening at school.
  • Consultants are available to provide functional evaluations of a student’s ability to access remote meetings.

Team meetings.

  • Consultants have specialized knowledge of communication access challenges present when students are DHHDB.
  • Consultants serve on school teams to ensure the unique access needs of students who are DHHDB are considered.
  • Consultants update accommodation recommendations based on current strengths and challenges.
  • Consultants are available to update the school teams on any new hearing test results or recommendations for updated assessments.

Transition planning consultation

  • Into preschool
  • Between elementary – middle- high school settings
  • Post-secondary

Self-advocacy skill development conversations and direct instruction (both 1:1 and smallgroup)

  • Self-advocacy skill review and summary to team (based on expanded core curriculum for students who are DHHDB).
  • Skill practice and discussion.
  • Recommendations to team on goals related to self-advocacy.

Additional Remote Services:

  • Clinical audiology-school communication. Support with communicating with the child’s clinicalaudiologist to understand hearing evaluation results, personal hearing equipment, prognosis, treatment/management plans, and future needs.
  • Peer groups for students who are DHHDB.
  • Psycho-educational evaluations.
  • Counseling through technical assistance consultation.
  • Speech and language evaluations for students who are DHHDB.
  • Support with understanding assessments for students who are DHHDB.
  • Consultation on instructional strategies for students who are DHHDB.
  • Consultants support school teams with understanding the services available in Vermont for students who are DHHDB and how to access them.

 

 

Other trainings are available on request, based on topic, and consultant availability.

 

A Note on Consultation Services:

Our mission is to increase the school teams’ capacity to identify and meet the needs of students who are dHHDB. Consultation services are being provided at no charge to schools this year through a hybrid, remote and in-person, service-delivery model. We have a team of consultants supporting the needs of students across the state; our collaborative team has access to expertise from teachers for students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TFSDHH/TODs), educational audiologists, a psychologist, and a speech-language pathologist to help guide you in this work.

Our consultants support school teams and families with children who are dHHDB without bias around communication modality or methodology. Our consultants are trained and experienced in working with and supporting all communication choices and guiding school teams and families to additional resources to support their students' individual needs.

CDCI CARES Team topper

COVID Precautions

There continue to be high levels of COVID-19 transmission in Vermont communities; students, staff, and consultants are all routinely impacted by COVID-19 and school quarantine/contact protocols.

In order to ensure we protect students, school staff, and consultants while also striving to maintain coverage for the entire state throughout the year, we will provide as many services as possible through remote/virtual technology.