Attitudes about Educational and Related Service Provision for Students with Deaf-Blindness and Multiple Disabilities

Abstract

Over the past two decades, exemplary practices regarding support services have been shifting away from specialist-reliant models and toward approaches that rely more on natural supports. This study explored attitudes regarding educational and related service-provision practices from the perspective of professionals and parents ( n = 119) who were educational team members for students with deaf-blindness and multiple disabilities in general education settings. The findings highlight sample respondents' agreements and disagreements with exemplary practices, as well as differences across subgroups and within teams. Analyses suggest some internal inconsistencies regarding important service provision practices, as well as continuing gaps between attitudes and proposed exemplary practices.