Project Description:
For a number of years, the Center on Technology and Disability Studies (CTDS) has provided technical assistance and policy analysis and implementation to the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (DSB), primarily related to its Independent Living Program (ILP) and the Braille Literacy Project. This new project expands and improves the services offered to DSB by assisting them to improve performance and serve more individuals in their ILPs and providing more staff development and ongoing program evaluation. Activities to improve performance include developing an outreach and service plan for a specific under-served population; identifying and procuring items to update provider field kits with devices and resources commonly issued to ILP clients and items needed for client assessment; identifying and procuring a range of assistive technology devices that typically increase functionality and independence for older consumers with vision impairments; establishing or enhancing community-based demo/loan programs housed with ILP providers; and identifying online resources and making them easily available to providers and consumers for service delivery and information.CTDS will develop a distance learning curriculum for staff development with both short-term and long-term benefits to the ILP. The curriculum will initially be both in-person and distance learning, but by the end of the project all modules will be available on-line. The curriculum will prepare entry-level service providers to work in the ILP. Content will include modules on service delivery to older individuals who are blind and who have multiple disabilities or health concerns; services for individuals with both vision loss and hearing loss; effective delivery of assistive technology services, including low vision screening; delivery of training in adaptive skills of blindness, including daily living, written communication, basic orientation, adjustment counseling, and case recording.CTDS will also provide program management, including quality assurance and improved use of data. Program evaluation will consider effectiveness, efficiency, benefit to the public and client satisfaction. Each aspect of the services provided in this project will include collaboration with relevant stake-holders and partners such as other community service providers, consumers, DSB, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision.
