Educators of students who are deafblind in the United States: A snapshot of their perceived needs for teacher preparation programs

Abstract

The needs of students who are deafblind are unique in that it is not simply the addition of vision loss and hearing loss but the impact of both together. Often times, professionals who work with students who are deafblind face challenges for which they may not be prepared. The purpose of this study was to identify priorities for university programs preparing educators of students who are deafblind in the United States. A total of 205 educators participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete an electronic survey to answer questions related to demographics, professional background, and to rank items related to educational practices and needs when teaching students who are deafblind, from highest to lowest priority. Participants were recruited through electronic announcements sent to major professional organizations in the fields of visual impairments, deafness, and deafblindness. The top three priorities identified by participants when working with students with deafblindness were the following: (a) understanding the unique needs of students, (b) teaching techniques effective with students who are deafblind, and (c) accessibility to resources. Recommendations for personnel preparation programs will be discussed.