Service Delivery to 0-3 year olds with Visual Impairments (V I), Auditory Impairments (A I), and/or Deafblindness (DB)

Appendix A

Auditory Impairments

(0-3 year olds)

ECI refers to LEA if: (any of the following conditions are identified, with parental consent)

The child has failed a diagnostic auditory brainstem response (ABR) or otoacoustic emissions (OAE) test, or other diagnostic evaluations

The child’s record includes an otological examination that reports the child has a serious hearing loss after corrective medical treatment

The child uses amplification

The child is being followed by an otologist

The child has an audiological evaluation that indicates a hearing loss or a progressive condition resulting in hearing loss.

According to ECI Policy, upon receipt of an audiologicalevaluation indicating a hearing loss, ECI must refer the child to an otologist for an ontologicalexamination and, additionally, must refer the child to the local education agency (LEA) or Texas School for the Deaf, where appropriate for a communication assessment by a certified deaf education early intervention provider. There is no requirement that the ontological evaluation be received before the LEA representative, can complete the communication assessment. Documentation of both an audiological evaluation and an ontological evaluation must be on file and included in the data reviewed by the interdisciplinary team when considering eligibility.

LEA issues to address:

Be familiar with Eligibility Requirements:

  • Otological Evaluation:Related to eligibility, the purpose of the ontological examination is toidentify related physical conditions, to provide recommendations for medical/surgical treatment and to provide clearance for amplification when appropriate. There is no requirement that this report be in a specific format or obtained on a specific eligibility form.
  • Audiological Evaluation:Related to eligibility, the purpose of the audiological evaluation is toconfirm a hearing loss. A complete evaluation will assess the auditory system in each ear, assess hearing sensitivity across the speech frequency range, determine the type of hearing loss, and determine the need for amplification or other devices. A statement describing the implications of the hearing loss in a variety of circumstances, with or without recommended amplification should also be included.
  • Communication Evaluation:The purpose of the communication evaluation is to determine thecommunication needs of the infant or toddler. Appropriate communication evaluations for infants and toddlers may include observational or family/caregiver interview data. Information for this evaluation may be obtained by the certified teacher of the deaf as outlined in the MOU.

determine eligibility for AI services

  • Share the TexasSchool for theDeaf ERCOD brochure during an IFSP meeting. 0-3 services are available for families in the Austin area through in-home visits and a Toddler Learning Center. Other 0-3 and family services, resources, and programs are available through Outreach. See
  • Texas Education Code: §30.004 Information Concerning Programs.

Auditory Impairment Resources:

DSHS / Texas Early Hearing Detention and Intervention (TEHDI)

Deaf/HOH State Leadership for Ages 0-5

  • AI Eligibility Guidance Document: Birth to Three

TEA Deaf Services

Education Service Center

  • Each ESC has a Deaf Ed Contact

DARS / Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)

  • Training modules
  • Family Cost Share fact sheet

Texas School for the Deaf/ ERCOD:

  • Educational Resources Center on Deafness

Hands & Voices - Texas Chapter

  • DHH Children’s Parent Organization established in Texas

Guide by Your Side – Texas Chapter

  • Support and guidance by fellow parents of DHH children

Parent Companion – The First Five Years

  • Support and guidance by fellow parents to support and resources

Appendix B

Visual Impairments

(0-3 year olds)

ECI refers to LEA if:

If any of the following conditions are identified, the contractor is not required to complete the Texas Early Childhood Intervention vision screening but must refer the child, with parental consent, to the LEA. The referral must be accompanied by the DARS2006E, State of Texas Interagency Eye Examination Report form completed by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist.

The child appears to have no vision.

The child has a serious visual loss after correction.

The child has a progressive visual condition.

LEA issues to address:

determine eligibility for VI services

order & maintain VI assistive technology devices that are needed & are available through Quota Funds

include the infant or toddler on Annual Registration of Students with Visual Impairments (VI Reg)

Provide the brochure about TSBVI per TEC code

  • Texas Education Code: §30.004 Information Concerning Programs

Visual Impairment Resources

Texas Education Agency: Visual Impairments

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

  • Educating Students with Visual Impairments in Texas: Guidelines and Standards -
  • Guidelines describe the provision of services to students with visual impairments. Some of special interest to birth to 3 infants and toddlers are:
  • Guideline # 1: Eligibility is determined by an individual family service plan (IFSP) or an admission, review and dismissal (ARD) committee based upon a medical report, functional vision evaluation and learning media assessment.
  • Guideline # 4: Appropriate instructional time, accommodations and modifications are provided to meet all identified areas of individual student programs.
  • Guideline # 8: Families are active members of the instructional team.
  • Guideline # 9: Vision professionals are members of the instructional team for all birth – two year old children with visual impairments and available for services 48 weeks a year.
  • Resources for the Expanded Core Curriculum : Early Childhood
  • - (check Early Childhood)
  • Infant Teacher of the Visually Impaired: Roles and Responsibilities

DARS / Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)

  • Family Cost Share fact sheet

Appendix C

Deafblind or AI & VI

(0-3 year olds)

Issues to address:

Texas Administrative Code: §89.1050(c)(4)C) The Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) Committee

(c) ARD committee membership

(3) If the student is:

(C) a student with suspected or documented deaf-blindness, the ARD committee shall include a teacher who is certified in the education of students with visual impairments and a teacher who is certified in the education of students with auditory impairments. (Lastamended to be effective January 1, 2015, 39 TexReg 10446.).

include on annual DB Census

Review the required elements of services for a student with a visual impairment as well as those for a student with a hearing impairment

Resources:

TSBVI Deafblind Project :

TSBVI Deafblind Outreach Resources:

  • Early Identification of Hearing and Visual Loss is Critical to a Child’s Development
  • Observations of Learning Styles of Infants and Toddlers with Visual Impairments or Deafblindness
  • Suggestions and Activities for Infants and Toddlers with Dual Sensory Losses and Motor Problems
  • A Process for Identifying Students Who May Be At-Risk for Deafblindness
  • Early Childhood training and support - consultative services for infants and toddlers

Texas Education Agency:

  • ESC Statewide Leadership: Low Incidence Disabilities in Special Education
  • Education Service Center
  • Deafblind Specialist at each ESC
  • Other Resources:
  • Identifying Vision and Hearing Problems in Infants with Disabilities
  • DARS / Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) o Family Cost Share fact sheet

Appendix D

Enrollment of Infants and Toddlerswith Auditory or Visual Impairments in the School System

taken from the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook

Each year the Handbook changes, so always refer to the latest version

Refer to the Table of Contents:

3.3 Enrollment Procedures and Requirements

3.3.9 Infants and Toddlers with Auditory or Visual Impairments or Both

4.10 Other Special Education Services

4.10.1 Infants Receiving Visual Impairment and/or Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Services

4.10.2 Infants Receiving Auditory Impairment (Deaf) Services

4.10.3 Infants (Birth Through 2 Years of Age) Receiving Home-Based Instruction

Important: Only a district that operates an ECI program through a contract with the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) may code an infant with this instructional arrangement/setting code.

4.10.4 Infants (Birth Through 2 Years of Age) Receiving Center-Based Instruction

4.10.5 Infants (Birth Through 2 Years of Age) Receiving Services in Other Environment

Important: Only a district that operates an ECI program through a contract with the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) may code an infant with this instructional arrangement/setting code.

4.10.7 Regional Day School Programs for the Deaf (RDSPD)

1

Services Delivery to 0-3 year olds with AI/VI/DB

Low Incidence Disabilities in Special Education- Revised 3/19/15