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by Kathleen Stremel
Evidence has been accumulating that children with CHARGE derive the greatest benefit from early intervention and education programs that address functional hearing and vision simultaneously. Spoken and signed language together may benefit children with auditory and visual deficits. Children who are totally blind may need habilitation techniques that include tactile (e.g., touch cues, tactile sign language), movement, and sensorimotor strategies. Current early intervention and educational placements for children with CHARGE include a range of educational settings, including residential schools, separate schools, home schooling, separate classes, and regular classes. Perkins School for the Blind has the only classroom specifically for children with CHARGE.
A coordinated effort among families, early intervention specialists, and state deaf-blind projects must be a priority if children with CHARGE are to receive well-coordinated services, appropriate adaptations to access their environments, early communication systems, and intervention within the context of daily routines in natural environments. Educators in programs that serve these children are currently focusing on the following issues: the effects of multiple disabilities on educational outcomes, educational expectations with cochlear implantation, and pragmatics in communication. There is a great need for appropriate curricula for children with CHARGE, as well as parent training materials and qualified service providers.
The National Technical Assistance Consortium (NTAC) maintains the national census of individuals with deaf-blindness and provides technical assistance to deaf-blind projects in all states. These services will be continued by a new organization called the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children and Youth Who are Deaf-Blind. The Web site for this new organization describes how the addresses for all state deaf-blind projects can be accessed. Children with CHARGE should be registered with their state deaf-blind project, which provides technical assistance to families and service providers for appropriate educational programming and other activities.
Kathleen Stremel is project director of the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children and Youth Who Are Deaf-Blind, and is affiliated with the Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University.
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