Event ID: 2784964 Event Started: 11/4/2015 8:00:00 PM ---------- Please stand by for realtime captions. >> We are getting close to the hour. We will start in just a minute or so. When you are ready to start. >> I will open it up. As soon as you think we have waited long enough for people to call in successfully, will you give me a heads up? >> Yes, we will give it -- just checking to see if anybody else is dialing in. Looks like we have just a couple more. I think we can get started. And I can get the recording going. >> Good afternoon, and I am really glad we have some participants that might want to engage in this conversation with us, as we spend and hour together. This is definitely an introductory conversation so we're hoping to get things rolling today and then continue on with fervor around this topic. And some of the topics that we will suggest, during this particular our together, when we get to slide 14, they are not necessarily numbered you will get an idea of when that is coming up. About midpoint. We will be asking some private polling questions, just a couple of them. And then we will also have a couple of questions that are open-ended to encourage some chat pod comments, questions, a little bit of dialogue today. So watch for that at about mid- point. But as you can see in the slide, before you, the focus of our conversation, we have about four areas of focus. Lots of ground we would like to cover and so we are just touching on things. For instance, first we will touch on some information about the national CEC knowledge and skills competencies that relates to teachers and their relate to intervenors. Him and him that touching, we realize that some of these conversations about competencies may be new to a few of you. But for a lot of you, this is not going to be new information. We will touch on that, and then secondly, we hope to introduce some of our thinking as of late about how these competencies are useful to the field at large. As a recognition of the field of deaf blindness, development, that we are excited about seeing these days. And how the competencies relate to both recognition and development. And then thirdly our third focus is to give some updates on how these national CEC knowledge and skill competencies are currently being used. They have been used for quite some time. But how they are being used with technical assistance and product development. And then forth, our focus is on describing to you and exception that we think is timely, the intervener initiative area, that will include some collaborative activities with network partners. For achieving this goal that we have always -- all wanted for quite some time, to have qualified personnel round each and every child with deaf blindness in our nation. Robbin or Amy, let's go ahead to the next slide it emphasizes that these competencies that we will speak about first are very much seen as national assets. What I mean by that is these are exciting times that we are in. In our nation rainout, there is definitely increased recognition around the need for trained intervenors, trained teachers, qualified personnel. And these national competencies once again the knowledge and skills that our field has identified for someone to be considered qualified have for a long time guided the course work that is in personal prep programs. It is what is used to guide what is in the courses to prepare someone. What I would like to go on and say at this point is these national competencies can guide also the content of professional development. When used to systematically we can talk the knowledge and skills that are needed practitioners in the field. And the other exciting thing about the competencies to me, they are very much an asset to our field that in partnership, building this field of qualified personnel, surrounding children for deaf-blind these identified competencies can also guide the intensive technical assistance that we provide in our TA network and they can guide also the contents of family leadership and education. So you can sell, I am a bit excited about just focusing today's conversation around the national competencies and a great asset they are to us. Amy will take it over at this point and talk a bit more about what these competencies are. >> Thanks so much Linda and I'm going to hold my phone when we talk because we have radiator heat in this Bill. It is interesting being on camera. Sometimes you notice what is behind you when you actually are on camera, and I wanted to gesture to this pin, which is from the CDC. And this pink button that is attached to the pin is actually something that Tracy Lewis [ Indiscernible ] created as a member of CEC. When CEC the division on visual impairment voted unanimously to become the division on visual impairment and deaf blindness. It was just a nice prop that I noticed. I always liked it when Maurice was speaking and I could see David Brown behind him. Him him him -- in their office in San Francisco. Sometimes you notice things about your office anyway. Linda is exactly right. We have been talking a lot and excitedly about the competencies as a national asset. There really could even be considered an international asset that for our conversation, we are really focused on them as a national asset. And we would be remiss if we did not say that there are examples, beautiful examples from Perkins, from other universities over the years, some of you have been involved in that competency development. I remember teaching at Texas cap Tech University in before the competencies existed, we actually use the Perkins competencies to train teachers. So competency development is not new. But we feel like it is highlighting these within a particular organization is important because they align with what other special educators are doing. And it aligns with what paraprofessionals are also doing so the CEC is concerned with that. And the US Department of Education also partners with the CEC. So it seems to me to be a viable vehicle for us as the rarest of low incidence disability fields. I have been saying the lowest of low incidence disability fields and my husband said I don't think you should call your field the lowest of the low. He said check your rhetoric there in color rare disability field and he is absolutely right. We are rare and that brings with it some particular challenges. >> These challenges to address them, the competencies are professionally agreed upon specialized knowledge and skill sets as this slide would convey. He competencies were designed to recognize quality training programs in special education. We think of them as ways to support when intervenors need to know, and what teachers need to be able to know and do with students who are deaf-blind. The CEC uses the word disposition. As other competency-based programs to as well. That has to do with the attitude where the belief that you have about your field, and we're certainly not short on passion or beliefs in our own field. And then the CDC says themselves and some of this is on website that are linked to this slide show which will be provided to you. And you can find a very easily on Google as well. The CEC encourages every special educator to use the standards for ongoing professional development and growth. And I remember again, it is not like someone comes from a training program and is fully developed. None of us develop that way. When you come out of a training program, you still need ongoing professional development opportunities. At ways to grow. And the thing that I think is really interesting and rare about our field is that we are challenged because we have so few personal prep programs. The Cubs we are rare and they are very hard to sustain. And we haven't had that recognition at the local level that many people believe it is time that we have. So I just wanted to cover -- I had a delightful conversation recently with Dr. [ Indiscernible ] Zamboni. Who was involved in this process with Linda Allsop and Mary Jean [ Indiscernible ] and actually going through the process of validating the competencies. This figure that you see can be found in the CEC validation study resource manual. It looks probably pretty small on your screen. And this may bore you to death. I realize that I may be a little slightly on the nerd spectrum to actually be excited when I look at this. I realize that in theory of mind, you all may not be excited in the same way that I am excited when I look at this. But what it takes me about it is that it says that the competencies which we have now, and all of the competencies at the CEC, go through a fairly rigorous process. They call it a consensual validation process. Which is an interesting terminology in itself. But what it basically beads is that a group goes through and creates a concept paper, develops a proposal him plan, and works with the CEC professional standards committee to basically apply and go through this process. We will talk a little bit more about that on the following slides. But there is a process for compiling and editing each competency. Surveying and reviewing as you see in large-scale here. And then finally after the reviewing and the smoothing process of the competencies a somewhat the field things, to share that final set with the field through web publishing. >> I spoke recently -- I am watching the time. Linda has warned me that when a person is excited, about, then seasonal way that other people may not be intrinsically excited, that you have to -- I have my iPhone beside me, don't worry. Anyone. I spoke with [ Indiscernible ] about the process that she and Linda Allsop and Mary Jean went through with the CEC. In 2008 it actually began. And then when they were starting to be published in 2009, the intervener competencies were published after process and then the 2010 competencies for teachers were published. They went through all of those stages. The preliminary planning, the compiling and editing of each competency, the surveying and reviewing of each competency and then the reporting. There is a link here in case you want to geek out on your own. And look at that process a little more carefully. But I think the take away is that in my conversation with [ Indiscernible ] and looking at some of this great work that was done, in the alignment, this committee of people in this process in working with the field, there was a recognition that deaf blindness wasn't just deafness plus blindness. And I know we say that all the time, but it can be very tempting even for personnel prep programs to look at what they have in terms of coursework and say here we have a coursework and vision and some coursework in hearing. We can put that together and that addresses the needs of deaf blind children. And instead of them of this committee really did due diligence and go through each of the competencies and put them through that process is what is described. A little more geek talk, I promise and we will move on. The CEC validation process and working with partners, you have to identify when you start out as a validation study team what division you are in. You can see that in this middle column. What division you are affiliated with, and then identify your external collaborators. And that is what is really exciting to us as a network. And when Linda and [ Indiscernible ] Zamboni and Mary Jane went through this before, they did talk to leaders at AER in many of you may remember this. You may have been involved. They reached out quite naturally to be funded not work and technical assistance in deaf blindness, the state deaf-blind projects and NCDB to surveying go through those, then sees. P, then sees, what is important for you to take away as they are going to be new opportunities, friends. New opportunities to revisit these competencies. I think that's why Linda and I wanted to draw your attention to them, that we as a network have a very close relationship to these competencies. That we can be parts of shepherding them through the CEC, that we can be a part of validating them, and hopefully using them as Linda alluded to in our practice. Just a little bit more, each of the competencies has to aligned with literature that is theory -based. Research-based. We know there's not a lot of that in our field. Or practice -based. And I actually got a report from [ Indiscernible ] Zamboni this week that was a 65 page report of the process that she went through with her item analysis. And I know that Linda also worked with the personal prep committee, with Gail Leslie, to go through the literature. Worked with the NCDB folks to try to align what we have an other university folks, to align what is existing with the proposed item and each one of these things. And we know that our practice grows and changes through our knowledge base. We know also that our research, there is new research out there in deaf blindness, thank heaven. Think goodness. So when these competencies are revisited at our looked at together, a lot of this information needs to be refreshed and renewed as we look at proposed items. >> Moving on, this is just a very quick tutorial on the competencies. If you have not looked at them, I recommend that you download them and look at them, the 2009 version of the intervener competencies which are the ones that exist at the CEC at this time, they are aligned with special education -- educator rather paraprofessional standards. SEP. When you look at any of the competencies you'll notice that there are standards that are included in those competencies which relate to any paraprofessional and special education would need to know. The only other paraprofessional competencies that exist at the CEC are those that relate to early intervention. But do you see how -- it may only be fascinating to a few of you, that these in this format where you have these broad competencies and then a very specific deaf-blind competencies, it shows the relationship of where the intervener fits into this framework that we call special education. And we feel like that gives us a certain amount of legitimacy. To be able to say to administrators and states and SCA's and alleyways, and whoever we are talking to. This isn't just invented. This isn't just made up. This isn't just one person's idea. This is aligned with something bigger. And he gives us some ground to stand on. I will say just a point of fact, these are also aligned with 10 standards. So into thousand nine and 2010, there were 10 recognized standards in the CEC. Which all of the special educators aligned with those standards, those broader standards. And I will use an example on the next slide. The competencies for teachers were updated in 2012. And in their updating, they were aligned with seven standards. So in 2012, the broader committee at the CEC took the 10 overarching standards for special educators and condensed it to seven. And when that happens, all the specialized competencies were also reorganized and what [ Indiscernible ] explain to me what happened in that period of time is that none of the 2010 competencies that she had worked on with the committee changed. They were just reorganized. And again why does this matter Amy? Why should anyone care about this at all? It's a good question. I'm glad you are bringing it up. That this top part of the competencies relate to what every special educator at the CEC things that every special educator should understand. Let's pick this one. Characteristics of one's own culture and use of language. And the ways that these can differ from other cultures and uses of language. They say for a teacher to be trained, and to be trained will, she needs to know this or he needs to know this. That means that that person has this element of knowledge in their practice. So it's important to say that when these deaf-blind competencies are put with these broader educator competencies, it is relating to the very specific role of teacher and the specific system. So here are some links for you to have some fun on your own. I don't want to have it all by myself. And you can play with this later and do some more looking at what this means. I'm going to turn this over to Linda in just a minute. I'm forgetting which slide we are on. Where almost two hours slide where there will be a pulled from Robbin. Get excited because this is your chance to interact in a private poll and we will also ask some questions for you that we would like your dialogue in the chat pod. But why do the competencies matter? I have pitched something to you about why Linda and I and others, some others in the field think that these competencies matter. It is we feel a starting place for alignment around these direct service roles in our field. It is a way for us to talk about alignment of effort and clarity of message in wire these personal prep programs important, why do we partner with them? Also when we are delivering, how are we focused in our TA around the current teachers and professionals that exist out there that are serving children tomorrow and today. And need our help right now. And how do we increase recognition of these very vital roles? Not only through advocacy, which we know that the Alice Cogswell and Alan Sullivan Macy legislation that many parents and others have worked on is important for recognition at that level. But how do we all represent and work at the local and state levels to discuss these competencies, but also to support the recognition for these roles? I will turn it over to Linda and in the meantime, please use the chat pod to share ways that competencies may matter in your state. Back to you Linda. >> I think we can move onto the next slide. To get some thinking going. We are about halfway through our conversation for the day so we need to try to entice some composition from participants. We ask Robbin to put up a poll. To let you -- stop for a minute and thing. Him Amy has given you a quick coverage of the CEC competencies, and so there is a poll to let you -- it is a private poll. Have your way with it. And we really want to know about your media part of what you know so far about CEC competencies and how relevant they are to your technical assistance work. When you think of your charge and your desire to see Paula five personnel through your TA efforts. The CEC competencies. The second polling question has to do with thinking ahead. And also right now is are you using right now the CEC competencies? Do you plan to use them in your TA? There is a rate to reflect what is going on right now and you are taking a look at the CEC, the way you consider what to train on, consider how to go in and provide technical assistance. Do use the CEC confidence? Do you plan on using it? Or are you not sure yet? The polling is going on and we will multitask here for just a second. And I don't know Robbin, if you can slide these polls a little bit around in order to come back to the PowerPoint, where we have a couple of open-ended questions to ask of everyone. We will use the chat pod to start with and see if that works. To get anybody's thoughts. If there is something you can share about the ways that you might be using the competencies in the work in your state right now, we invite you to put some comments there in the chat pod. Current ways that you use the CEC competencies. The second question that is -- that we're looking for. We've got some people typing there. I should pause and wait here. Because we're also going to look for as you might guess thoughts about the future. But we are first looking for ways that you may be using the competencies of this time. Amy? >> Linda as they are answering and we appreciate anybody wants to jump in and talk about competencies. I think in some of our thinking about technical assistance, and technical assistance from a systemic level versus an individual or professional level. So one thing that I didn't say that I actually meant to say is I think that when we think about the role of technical assistance providers, we could be thinking about talking about the competencies with state administrators or with community college partners or with our own training programs and states that really is a type of systemic technical assistance. And then there is the use of competencies and this is the only one I mentioned. Where we are having conversations with those teachers, paraprofessionals, or even practicing intervenors who have that training. People who have had training are working in the field that need our systems because as we said, no one in their training, it is not like you are a finished product ever. You need support or professional development, so be thinking about that systemic level of technical assistance and those groups with specific people. Which is more individual types of technical assistance or targeted technical assistance to groups of people. So those are the kind of questions that we have. I see that Maurice has some comments and others may as well. And we do have time, if people are more comfortable speaking. Raise your hand or go off of mute and speak up. That would be fine. >> I will read Maurice's comments and Susan's and others are typing in. Maurice said from California, be very interested in hearing how other states are using the competencies and professional development activities at the school level. I think that overlaps with some of Amy's comments, Maurice said we haven't used them in this way before but it is an interesting idea. And relationship to what Amy was saying, to me it is identifying things -- a little differently. So we are talking the same language. As we looked up personal prep programs following be competencies saying a qualified person needs to have these some knowledge and skills. When we are in the field with practitioners we can say yes and they are not quite developed so we are going to come in and work in this way but we are talking about the same sorts of knowledge and skills that we as a field identified. And I should stop talking and read Susan's comment. The competencies are powerful -- administrators looked at these when I introduced the [ Indiscernible ] module. The fact that CEC validated these -- confirmed their commitment to participate in [ Indiscernible ]. Robbin has added a comment to everyone if you would like to raise your hand and speak up and add to this conversation, star 62 unmute your phone. Ways the competencies are being used now in our TA work and them let's go ahead and open it up to if you can think up ways to ask NCDB to promote these competencies. We're really interested in your thoughts on that. Adam has added the teacher of deaf blindness pilot project currently underway in Texas is using the competencies to train teachers of deaf blindness in the state. I think it is a common way we have now when we think about these identified competencies. >> Linda, when we give this another minute, we may need to move on, but let's see what -- Amy Richards from Illinois is typing. Amy, we knew that we were going to get conversations started and that was our goal. We know we will not have enough time to keep too long on this. Amy has stated Illinois has used them in order to push through the approval through the state and the licensor Department. We're all celebrating that extreme -- >> It is amazing. That is a huge system TA accomplishment. I am sure with Michelle Klein as the technical assistance provider, working with Amy Richards, the representation of SCA. Maurice's question as interesting. Him him how do these connect to the OPI? Is that it was all using those? I don't off some and from Pennsylvania is on the call. But Nancy Steele has worked with the amazing folks from Pennsylvania who have aligned the they're some of the competencies with the OPI's. And they did that through their efforts around using [ Indiscernible ]. I see Molly black. Molly black is typing. And maybe you want to speak up Molly. I don't want to speak to Ms.. >> I know that in the users group, that might be a place to talk a little bit more or to call Pennsylvania up, they have done some great things related to service providers and child related OPI, which is very exciting for their intensive use of the modules as a part of professional development and TA. >> Baby we should level and then Robbin if we want to close the polls. >> Linda, did you want to rephrase the question are open up for people to continue the ways that NCDB they promote? >> I think we can go ahead. Just in response to the poll, it looked like we had a lot of -- we had a huge majority talking about that they are relevant. And then there is going to be a need for some expanded conversation on exactly what that would look like. I think that is just a briefing on that. >> Exactly Linda. And Linda is so right, in the introduction of this whole conversation, in the restructuring of this initiative a bit to include this focus, we need ways to talk about this is a field. We don't have this all figured out. We have some ideas and there are some exciting things that states are working on but I think it is a great opportunity for us to work within this initiative and workgroups to have those conversations and go deeper. >> Linda, is there anything you wanted to adhere or should I go ahead and plow ahead with the ways we have use the competencies as a network? >> Go ahead with that, that would be great. >> She is being so kind to me, the gate on the call. We all know that there were recommendations in 2012 to improve intervenor services. Many of you participated in those conversations and that wonderful report that Peggy Malloy helped to compile and lead with many people invested in interviews and that was quite a systematic process to put those recommendations together. The one of the things I came out of that was you will said that there was a need for an open access resource that aligns with the CEC knowledge and skill competency. In the modules. That's what was born. These are pictures from -- that might embarrass some people but I think it's beautiful myself. The many him and faces and brains that created this work. We had over 76 module critters. TA providers educational interpreters University faculty. Carolyn Monaco was involved an exciting project mainly because of the community. It wasn't a fancy hotels we stayed in or the Adobe room calls we had, was us. Part of the process all of these craters and teams worked very hard. Not only create content met the needs of intervenors to train to be intervenors. They align them with the competencies. And then improve our process. We worked with the creators of the modules to review modules and to align the modules with the competencies using a blooms taxonomy from her. I will not go into blooms taxonomy the competencies that were covered in each module. A creator who did not create worries, did not right to self-determination module. That he reviewed the module that Lori lead. And one through and noted the competencies that he saw. And then they had a conversation about it in a structured meeting. And then they went back together and I looked at the competencies and we have this nice massive grid that talks about where each module aligns with the competencies and it was a little more structured than that, but you get the idea. How have we been using the modules? Many of you heard about the [ Indiscernible ] beta test. And Eve portfolio system and diving into that work with eight practicing intervenors and state deaf-blind projects and university partners. We have really been looking ads a performance-based assessment tool that OSEP to asked us to take on. Not that we are wanting to keep this assessment tool to ourselves, but to try to find ways that people can demonstrate the competencies based on their practice. And artifacts from their practice. So very quickly, the competency-based Eve portfolio is not program based. Is not necessarily an analysis of the quality of a program or a training program, him it really is an assessment of an individual intervenor. And it's not done yet. We are very much as we going through the portfolio. Again with reviewers to look at how did the season intervenors uses processing use artifacts to demonstrate their comments. Interobserver to cross reviewers look at that portfolio independently and me as a rubric or scorn protocol to score, are they in the same ballpark. Do they see the same things. This shows I have knowledge or skills in these areas. These are aligned with the CDC competency. >> Our picture is gone. It's okay, and happen. Was on the horizon. Probably plan to engage with the community. >> We have continued work. Ozzie whole modules are being field tested and refined. >> We are in year three. And the module work is underway for completion. We also of course are -- the modules that have been completed are being used. With practicing teachers and teams, family members, there is used going on and there is information that is being utilized. The question that Maurice asked earlier about the relationship between the competencies, the CDC competencies which have helped organize the content of these modules, which are helping then organize how does someone demonstrate what it means to be qualified as an intervenor. It is through the definition that we could get. From these national competencies. The knowledge. You have this goal. The OPI's are outcomes, so when I really see this person in action. What do I see happening there. And the OPI's also speak to what the system has in place. The families, the knowledge and skills that family have. It is just a way to me they align in ways that say it really made a difference. And the classroom with the child and in the home with the family. So that work is continuing. What we are talking about today is some future plans and we are enticing interest hopefully through this webinar, to establish some additional work, expand what we think might help as a field to have qualified personal. Intervenors teachers you want everyone to know what to do. We can see progress in these children's lives. Two things that we have RD generated some ideas Amy and I communities of practice. What are the activities that would help at that time. To support those teachers who are all in field now around our nation. Working with the children with deaf-blind us and need to be in conversation with each other. And I could go on but our time is -- we're running a little short and we have a couple more questions to ask the group here in a minute. So we are really looking at establishing some of these additional workgroups, the one around teachers, and then some workgroups that have to do with working with the personal program's. It would be a collaborative effort. Between those of us who are in technical assistance, and those people who are in personal prep, where they are preparing new teachers to bring to the field and what role would we play as technical assistance providers to welcome those new teachers, help expand their competencies as they get into the classroom, get into the community, what would be our role in partnership with personal prep? Other activities that are in my mind, having been a part of a work like this before. Personal prep workgroup that I think it would be great if we could get back together again and do some collective activities that would enhance our field across the nation. Anyway, our question to the group is at the top of this slide. It starts off with how do we plan to engage with the community, but that we is greater than we, Amy and I, so I think Amy we could move to the next slide. Do you want to add to what I have -- >> Sure Linda. And I think that what each of these groups that we are thinking of structuring under the qualified personnel initiative and I have talked with Nancy Steele about this as well. Just a little but. So having some our conversation here. Around teachers of students who are deaf-blind. Whether we call them teachers of the deaf blind or teachers who are trained to serve students with deaf-blind us, all this nomenclature, what does this really mean? So we have the competencies as a Northstar for us. To guide the knowledge and skill set at this time. We know the CDC is going to be updated the competencies soon. That's important thing for people -- to have on the rising. Our workgroups within the qualified personnel initiative helping review this competencies. A part of that dialogue. Insert lame we want to be at the table. And the continued discussion around as Molly black the chat pod. How Pennsylvania is using the modules. A rich developing community that Nancy Steele leads is certainly being led by leaders in states how are they using this resource and how do they use the resource of [ Indiscernible ] for technical assistance and getting more clear on that. And Sam Morgan is going to help us from our staff about how do we really defined technical assistance in that row? These are exciting subcommittees under this advisory twig, so you know that we love the acronym twig. The work group at NCDB. And this advisory twig would give advice about the overall initiative picture. Then each of the subcommittees, ongoing work to finish [ Indiscernible ], the certification workgroup and the beta testers, we are finishing that this year. Our practicum subcommittee will still continue work within these and Nancy will still continue to lead and have support and little users group but these new opportunities here as Linda talked about personal prep, teachers, the teacher role, existing teacher networks. And this interpreters role, which I know Susie Morgan had talked to me before about using the modules with interpreters and uses them that way. This group may or may not be rhetoric -- ready to grow yet but I am gesturing to the interpreter group. May not be ready to take off. That may be something that we keep on the horizon for the future. The people are telling us now that we do need more conversation about teachers. And we do need opportunities to partner for personal prep to partner with technical assistance and to have more of those conversations. So the beauty of being small is that we need these opportunities to take care of our field, to protect our field, to grow our field in deaf blindness in this initiative can be a small part of that or even a larger part of that because of how rare we are. So this is a structure that we are playing with and we are certainly open to dialogue and we invite you, we invite all of you if you are interested to think about ways to join and engage. In these conversations. Small but mighty. Thank you Susan. I agree. I love our field. Back to you Linda. >> Our final slide. >> We did it. >> Yes. To entice future conversations, which was our whole goal for the day, is to give you some updates, do some review, but think ahead to the future ask these questions of all of you, and so we are going to if you want to jump ahead and put some comments in the chat pod in response to this, feel free. But we are focused now on the intervenor initiative, moving on into a broader title of initiative around having qualified personnel. Broader than intervener to include teachers for sure, and anyone else who is serving around a child. So we know that you are busy at that already. In your state. You're wanting qualified personnel so we went of course as we look ahead to these new workgroups. Always, what are the activities that we should be engaged and that will help support you. As you are still at it and having qualified personnel in your space. Got three other questions. In what way with this support the work of the whole field? That is the big system that we are at this time awaiting legislation to recognize the field in what way can this initiative the a part of being ready for that? How are we going to have enough personal prep programs to support when we finally have a legislation that says you have a child with deaf-blind us, you need a teacher. Where is the training happening? Do we have enough programs to sustain that when that happens? How will that look? So we have these new committees and these new activities in the works. And we look to each of you to help us define the actual activity. So Amy, back to you. >> I would just say very briefly Linda that some of you have shared a real concern of having a field that emphasizes intervenors without having teachers. And some people have voiced the concern we are out there on their own and no one recognizes what we do. We don't have the support for a mentor, a network, and we heard that from intervenors themselves of the shift in our focus to qualified personnel really has -- it has been growing. It is like a vendor that is rolling off in the distance that we see it on the horizon. The storm clouds are coming our way. It is a good storm we need rain. Several of us are been in drought. Any comments -- we cannot without for the dialogue. Actually we have seven. Generally this webinar. These are private polls relevant and how useful this particular webinar was. I am looking forward to hearing some people Amy did a recent blog. That you could respond the test -- give us the need for qualified personal I don't know if you want to speak about keep the conversation rolling specifically. >> Not only through our subcommittee structure but we always welcome people to share their ideas. I think everyone that was involved in the early intervener initiative work, you received a letter from Linda and I with a link to a survey. It was just a way to begin to dialogue again with our partners. We don't make progress without you. We are a network. We are too small not to have everybody on board. So we is Linda mentioned on the NCDB website under our initiative page. Linda is referring to the blog that I wrote that she gave some great feedback on. That you are welcome to comment on and we communicate by any means necessary old school. If you want to give us a call we are trying to do this. I am interested in a subcommittee. I status focused on existing teacher networks. We have a community of practice. We would like to tap into this discussion or contribute in some way. There are many opportunities to share. >> Maurice has given us a,. In California grappling with a question of what exactly is a teacher. For students who are deaf blind. We have credentials in California that authorized deaf blindness that those people do not really meet the standards. A specialized program here, San Francisco State University. And those folks come closer. But even they aren't really quite there. And Amy I don't know part of what we are anticipating trying to do is at least be more descriptive to the field of where is personal prep going on in our nation. Is it an add-on to an existing deaf hard of hearing program teacher training program. Add-on additional information within a vision impaired. Or is it a standalone program that is trying to cover all of the knowledge and competencies in deaf blindness or is it a part of a severe program? What do we currently have in his it meeting the need and if not what should we do about it. Because we do want teachers to have all the competencies. All the knowledge and skills and it is really -- >> It is a chance I think Maurice to look at those competencies again is a network to engage in dialogue about what it means. And to say you look at a beautiful program at San Francisco State University and you say those teachers do have some of these identified competencies. They may have other competencies and severe disabilities that aren't a part of the deaf-blind competency. But we start to look at -- you never throw anything away. It's like a good soup. You're looking around and say what are our assets? I see our assets as teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing who are interested in training and deaf blindness. Those people are assets, whether they decide to go onto become a full teacher of the deaf-blind or pursue additional training, we can still talk about that in the realm of competencies. Or available training programs that do exist in our field even though they are rare. And teachers of the visually impaired. I know I had some exciting conversations with faculty members, teachers of visually impaired programs who do include cut that it deaf like this. It does the we've it is a teacher of the deaf-blind in the semi that all of the competencies address but they do gain some of those competencies and that the cell. So I think this is what we are talking about on the initiative is where we need a lot more conversation. And maybe the structure that we are talking about is the way to have that conversation. >> Joined in the chat pod to say that in North Carolina we are struggling with this as well. With our certificate program and deaf blindness. It is just not enough. That is part of why I think we intersect so well, and technical assistance. [ Event Concluded ]