Section 235.135 - DeafBlind Standards: Early Childhood-Grade 12(a) DeafBlind Standards. The standards identified in this section are targeted for teachers of students who are DeafBlind. The standards address the discipline associated with the theory and practice of teaching students who are DeafBlind. The standards inform appropriate teaching techniques, methods, and teacher actions, judgments, and decisions by taking into consideration philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of DeafBlind education, characteristics of students who are DeafBlind, understandings of the needs and strengths of students who are DeafBlind, and the backgrounds and interests of individual students.(b) Foundations. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind understands the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of DeafBlind education. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands interaction, communication, and language theories, approaches, and research that are applicable to teaching learners who are DeafBlind;(2) understands the history of the practices, people, and events that have impacted people who are DeafBlind (congenital and acquired) and the relevance of those histories to educational practices; (3) understands access and inclusion from the visual, auditory, and tactile perspective of a person who is DeafBlind;(4) understands specialized roles and responsibilities of the educational team members, including learners who are DeafBlind, teachers of students who are DeafBlind, other educators, related service personnel, and family members;(5) understands the rights of learners who are DeafBlind and their family members;(6) understands clinical, functional, and legal definitions for eligibility of services as students who are DeafBlind/Blind/Visually Impaired/Deaf/Hard of Hearing;(7) accesses and evaluates current related research and practices in the field of DeafBlindness for their relevance in educational practices;(8) educates, facilitates, and collaborates with all educational team members, including family members, to ensure that the student's unique needs are being supported by all necessary team members during evaluation and instruction in home, school, and/or community settings;(9) ensures that the educational team considers proper eligibility criteria for the student who is DeafBlind; (10) establishes reciprocal interactions with learners who are DeafBlind; and(11) advocates for effective individualized interaction, communication, and language development.(c) Learner Characteristics. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind demonstrates understanding of the complex and unique effects of the combined vision and hearing loss as well as the strengths of the tactile sense of learners who are DeafBlind. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands the positive perspective of the learner who is DeafBlind, including functional hearing and vision as well as the experience of touch;(2) understands typical child development and methods for supporting a child who is DeafBlind throughout the various stages of development;(3) understands the critical roles of vision, hearing, and touch in learning;(4) understands the range of vision and hearing loss of learners who are DeafBlind;(5) understands the diversity within the culture of learners who are DeafBlind;(6) understands the implications of combined sensory loss and the importance of the tactile sense on access to information and the environment;(7) understands the potential isolating effects of combined hearing and vision loss upon the learner who is DeafBlind;(8) understands the potential impact of the combined effects of hearing and vision loss upon the learner's opportunities for incidental learning;(9) understands the potential emotional implications of combined hearing and vision loss upon the learner who is DeafBlind, including the biological impact of stress;(10) understands the potential impact of the combined effects of hearing and vision loss and the tactile experience upon the learner's personal relationships with others, including the importance of sensory-attuned reciprocal interactions, on bonding, attachment, inclusion, and friendships;(11) understands the potential and complex effects of additional disabilities upon learners who are DeafBlind;(12) understands the potential and complex effects of additional sensory disabilities (e.g., touch, vestibular, proprioception, taste, smell) upon learners who are DeafBlind;(13) understands the potential effects of the age of onset (congenital vs. acquired), degrees, and/or progression of hearing and vision loss upon learners who are DeafBlind;(14) understands the major etiologies of DeafBlindness and the possible implications on the learner who is DeafBlind; (15) understands the potential impact of the combined effects of vision and hearing loss and tactile accessibility upon the development of concrete and abstract concepts; (16) understands dynamic forms/modes of communication used by learners who are DeafBlind (i.e., body movements, gestures, bodily emotional traces (BETS), Visual American Sign Language (VASL), VASL adaptations, Signing Exact English (SEE), Tactile American Sign Language (TASL), speech, other manual modes);(17) understands static forms/modes of literacy, including real objects, tactile symbols, pictures, print, braille, and digital technology;(18) understands the structure and function of the auditory, visual, and tactile systems;(19) understands impairments in the structure and functions of the auditory and visual systems; (20) understands the influence of vision and hearing loss on tactile and sensorimotor development;(21) understands the learner's social history and its impact on the learner's current biology and physiology;(22) effectively explains the impact of the combined effects of hearing and vision loss and tactile accessibility to the educational team in relation to typical development; and(23) guides the educational team to ensure the development of communication-rich environments that support sensory-appropriate modes of social engagement within the context of developmentally-, age-, and grade-appropriate functional and meaningful activities.(d) Evaluation and Assessment. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind understands the educational evaluation and assessment processes to identify learner strengths and needs and applies appropriate formal and informal evaluation strategies to support the continuous development of all students, from birth through age 22. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands the legal protocol for administering evaluations relative to his or her certification as a teacher of students with visual impairments and/or teacher of students who are Deaf/hard of hearing;(2) understands evaluation of communication modes/forms along a continuum from pre-intentional and pre-symbolic to formal communication and language used by learners who are DeafBlind;(3) understands the importance of a functional sensory evaluation as a foundation for accommodations, adaptations, and strategies;(4) understands how to interpret functional evaluations and clinical assessments of vision, hearing, and medical/neurological information with reference to etiology;(5) understands the specialized tools needed to perform evaluations of hearing and vision;(6) understands the child-guided approach for evaluation of learners who are DeafBlind;(7) understands the evaluation of the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) for learners who have visual impairment, including those learners who are DeafBlind and with additional disabilities; (8) understands how to identify a learner's preferred mode of communication;(9) understands strategies for supporting the learner's educational team in determining appropriate modifications and accommodations of evaluations and state-mandated assessments and interpreting the assessment results based on individual learning characteristics;(10) collaborates with the educational team using learner-centered evaluations and planning processes to determine appropriate program planning, instruction, and setting;(11) conducts evaluations and ensures evaluations/assessments conducted by others are in the preferred mode(s) of communication for the individual learner who is DeafBlind;(12) evaluates in co-active, child-guided, functional routines and motor sequences, as appropriate for the learner who is DeafBlind;(13) evaluates or actively participates in conducting the functional vision evaluation, learning media assessment, communication evaluation, functional hearing evaluation, and ECC evaluation of the learner who is DeafBlind;(14) evaluates or actively participates in evaluating the communicative intent related to observable behavior of the learner who is DeafBlind;(15) assesses and adapts to learners' pace/timing ofcommunication;(16) evaluates or actively participates in evaluating communication along a continuum from pre-intentional and pre-symbolic to formal communication and language used by learners who are DeafBlind;(17) evaluates and interprets or actively participates in determining the meaning and function of the learner's formal and informal literacy medium/media;(18) evaluates, interprets, and affirms the meaning of the learner's communicative initiatives (e.g., natural gestures, affect, bodily movements, vocalizations);(19) evaluates with consideration of physical environments, bio-behavioral states, and preferred/non-preferred sensory channels of the learner who is DeafBlind;(20) actively participates in the evaluation of tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, and kinesthetic systems of the learner who is DeafBlind;(21) interprets evaluation results and explains current and future implications of combined vision and hearing loss of the learner to the educational team, including family members;(22) determines appropriate modifications and accommodations of evaluations and state-mandated assessments and supports the interpretation of the results based on individual learning characteristics;(23) recommends the learner for additional visual and auditory evaluations/assessments when necessary; and(24) explains the effects of specific etiologies on all sensory systems.(e) Planning for Instruction. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind plans for instructional opportunities in home, school, and community environments that are adapted to the diverse needs of learners who are DeafBlind. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands the pacing and structure of programming for short- and long-term objectives within the context of functional routines for learners who are DeafBlind;(2) understands how to include or introduce novelty into familiar routines based on the individual needs of learners who are DeafBlind;(3) understands the elements of planning for life-long learning in current and future environments for students who are DeafBlind;(4) understands the importance of creating lesson plans that provide direct sensory experiences for learners who are DeafBlind;(5) understands appropriate instructional accommodations and modifications for learners who are DeafBlind;(6) understands the process for the development of a shared formal language with learners who are DeafBlind, based upon the learners' unique needs when planning instruction; (7) understands the need for learners who are DeafBlind to have competent communication partners who are present and actively engaged in all activities and settings;(8) understands how to incorporate appropriate assistive technology that enhances auditory, visual, and/or tactile functioning;(9) understands how to select the visual, auditory, and tactile characteristics of materials needed by learners who are DeafBlind;(10) understands how to incorporate student preferences to design motivating instructional activities;(11) gathers, maintains, and shares descriptive records/portfolios of the learner's communication repertoire across all settings to assess strengths, challenges, and progress;(12) plans additional time for tactual modeling and exploration;(13) plans additional time for individual learner processing and response; (14) based on learner needs, plans instruction that includes the appropriate literacy system(s);(15) plans extra time for conversations that facilitate the learner's anticipation of a change in routine or schedule; (16) creates opportunities for turn-taking and serve-and-return conversational exchanges in all interactions and instructional settings;(17) plans time for choice-making opportunities in multiple instructional settings; (18) acquires devices and materials that are required for each lesson;(19) obtains, operates, and maintains assistive technology related to vision and hearing; and(20) adapts materials to accommodate for multi-sensory needs.(f) Learning Environment. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind understands individual and group motivation and behavior in order to create a positive learning environment that encourages social interaction, active engagement, and joy of learning. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands the array of learning environments within different service delivery models; (2) understands the importance of competent communication partners who can interact with the learner who is DeafBlind to match his/her mode of communication;(3) understands how to facilitate a multi-modal learning environment by using the learner's functional hearing and/or vision, while also promoting the bodily/tactile sense, as prime components of information gathering and expression;(4) understands the potential for elements in the environment to be perceived as stressful by the learner who is DeafBlind and the impact that may cause to his/her biology;(5) assists others in the development of trusting relationships and in becoming competent communication partners with the learner who is DeafBlind;(6) facilitates communication and interaction to provide social and environmental access for the learner who is DeafBlind;(7) makes appropriate adaptations to enhance the learner's auditory, visual, and tactile functioning in a variety of environments;(8) uses appropriate assistive technology to promote the learner's access, participation, and independence;(9) selects, adapts, recommends, or implements classroom management strategies that reflect understanding of the individual learner's needs;(10) promotes an environment that allows learners to orient themselves, move safely, and interact positively with peers; (11) promotes an environment that feels predictable and safe for the learner who is DeafBlind;(12) reduces or eliminates unnecessary visual, auditory, and tactile clutter in the learning environment; and (13) adapts the learning environment by considering the impact of the elements of the learning environment (e.g., glare, lighting, auditory input, seating position) on the learner.(g) Instructional Delivery. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind emphasizes individual student potential and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage the learner's feelings of connectedness, success, and independence in order to promote development of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in both the academic and expanded core curriculum to the greatest degree possible. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands how to create learning experiences to make content meaningful for each learner who is DeafBlind; (2) understands co-active teaching principles and practices that support the competencies of the learner who is DeafBlind;(3) understands attachment theories of human learning that support the importance of reciprocal emotional involvement and basic trust;(4) understands the importance of learners who are DeafBlind having control and influence over their own lives as an essential aspect of well-being;(5) understands the developmental phases of dyadic interaction between the adult and the learner who is DeafBlind; (6) understands the developmental phases of triadic interaction in the shared partnership between the adult, the learner who is DeafBlind, and the external world;(7) understands how to support the development of positive self-esteem in the learner who is DeafBlind;(8) understands visual, auditory, and tactile adaptations that enhance social/communicative interactions between the learner who is DeafBlind and others;(9) understands the use of augmentative communication devices and other assistive technology that are appropriate for the learner who is DeafBlind;(10) understands various instructional strategies specific to and/or adapted for learners who are DeafBlind; (11) understands the development of language and literacy in the communication mode(s) of learners who are DeafBlind;(12) understands the basic principles of orientation and mobility for learners who are DeafBlind; (13) understands how to adapt and scaffold the general education curriculum for learners who are DeafBlind; (14) understands curricula specific to and/or adapted for learners who are DeafBlind, including all areas of the expanded core curriculum;(15) applies co-active teaching strategies with the learner who is DeafBlind in daily routines, as appropriate;(16) applies tactile learning strategies in functional and play activities, as appropriate;(17) provides opportunities for the learner's increased proprioceptive and kinesthetic awareness during daily routines and planned activities;(18) provides opportunities for the learner to develop confidence by making choices; (19) provides the learner with opportunities for self-advocacy;(20) creates opportunities for learners to initiate conversations in their preferred communication mode about their topics of interest;(21) determines and uses optimal proximity for access between the learner and communication partner(s);(22) determines optimal proximity of the learner in relation to others that will enhance participation in group activities;(23) identifies him- or herself and uses salutation rituals in the mode appropriate to initiate and end interactions; (24) acts as a bridge in order to provide access to information about the environment, other interactions, and events taking place around the learner who is DeafBlind;(25) provides opportunities for the learner who is DeafBlind to observe (auditorily, visually, or tactually) conversations or interactions between others;(26) provides opportunities for co-created topics of instruction based on the learner's mode of communication and interests;(27) provides multi-modal opportunities in order to support the organization of events and the formation of mental images and holistic concepts for the learner who is DeafBlind;(28) uses scaffolding within the context of academic and functional routines to provide consistent and predictable experiential instruction for the learner who is DeafBlind; (29) develops and implements communication systems appropriate to the mode and developmental level of the learner who is DeafBlind;(30) uses formal language and literacy systems, as appropriate, to provide visual, tactile, and/or auditory access;(31) selects and prioritizes receptive and expressive vocabulary that is meaningful and motivating to the learner; (32) develops strategies to encourage the learner to use multiple static and dynamic modes/forms of communication;(33) provides multiple opportunities to use and expand vocabulary through frequent and natural conversations;(34) modifies existing literacy materials to adjust for the learner's language level and reading media;(35) designs and makes low-tech communication devices that are appropriate to the learner's needs;(36) selects and/or adapts assistive technology devices as tools for communication or to meet other learner needs;(37) provides opportunities for the learner to use augmentative communication devices in a variety of environments and with a variety of communication partners, as appropriate;(38) uses naturally occurring events for the learner to use and practice communication skills; (39) recommends appropriate positioning to optimize visual, auditory, and tactile functioning;(40) implements strategies to accommodate for and to improve the learner's visual, auditory, and tactile functioning based upon evaluation results;(41) supports spatial orientation strategies for the learner who is DeafBlind; (42) supports mobility techniques appropriate to the learner who is DeafBlind;(43) supports the learner who is DeafBlind to develop his/her awareness of kinesthetic and proprioceptive sensory systems as they relate to the body in the environment;(44) based upon clinical and functional evaluations, uses and creates materials that will maximize the learner's use of vision, hearing, and touch in specific situations to meet the learner's visual, auditory, and tactile needs; and(45) incorporates language and literacy as part of everyday activities, according to the learner's experiences and interests.(h) Collaborative Consultation. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind has knowledge of effective written, verbal, and visual communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, instructional coaching, and supportive interaction among professionals, family members, interveners, paraeducators, and learners who are DeafBlind. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands the importance of gathering and sharing the social history of each learner who is DeafBlind and the effect it has on biological and developmental needs, including bonding and attachment with family members and primary caregivers;(2) understands the role of the intervener for individual learners who are DeafBlind to assure that the learner has optimal access to opportunities for receptive and expressive communication, peer-to-peer interactions, and the development of shared meanings;(3) understands the effective use of instructional coaching strategies to support the educational team;(4) understands how to access appropriate resources that provide technical assistance at the local, state, and national levels related to the field of DeafBlindness;(5) understands how to access appropriate resources for home and community services and supports for learners who are DeafBlind and their families;(6) interprets and explains evaluation results to the learner's educational team members, including the learner's stage of developmental communication and implementation of strategies that support positive interactions in order to build an environment that promotes bonding, attachment, and a sense of safety; (7) provides information and education to educational team members, including family members, about the uniqueness of DeafBlindness;(8) promotes family engagement opportunities to connect families with educational, social, and peer support within school and community settings;(9) provides appropriate opportunities for peer-to-peer and group interactions with other individuals who are Deafblind; (10) promotes the exchange of information about the learner's communication mode(s) and developmental stages with other educational team members to ensure consistency of interpretation and use of the learner's communication system;(11) works with the educational team to ensure appropriate instruction is provided to peers and adults to communicate effectively with the learner in the learner's preferred communication mode; (12) collaborates with educational team members to facilitate understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the intervener and to use the intervener model according to the needs of the learner in multiple environments;(13) coaches the intervener and provides training to support the intervener's role and responsibilities related to the needs of the learner;(14) recommends appropriate referrals to other specialists in collaboration with educational team members to assess the need for assistive devices or additional evaluations;(15) collaborates with orientation and mobility specialists and other appropriate specialists in adapting strategies to support the learner in moving safely and independently; (16) collaborates with the educational team to identify and provide support related to the learner's access to the general education curriculum;(17) guides the educational team to consider appropriate modifications and accommodations needed for the learner who is DeafBlind;(18) consults and collaborates with community partners and family organizations who provide care, education, early intervention services, and/or adult services to individuals who are DeafBlind;(19) provides training to caregivers, school personnel, and peers that will improve the quality of their interactions/relationships with the learner who is DeafBlind; (20) works with the learner's educational team to create a transition plan for the learner who is DeafBlind that includes opportunities for a high quality of life beyond the educational setting; and(21) develops and implements communication systems appropriate to the mode and developmental level of the learner who is DeafBlind.(i) Professional Conduct and Leadership. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind understands teaching as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, adheres to ethical and equitable practices, and provides leadership to improve students' learning and well-being. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands special education laws as they relate to students who are DeafBlind;(2) understands how appropriate placement and services are determined for students who are DeafBlind;(3) understands how appropriate service intensity is determined;(4) understands the professional code of ethics for special educators and how it applies to his/her role;(5) advocates for learners who are DeafBlind and their families to obtain high-quality services ranging from early intervention to transition to adult services;(6) serves as the team lead for the entire instructional team, including family members, to facilitate education, support, and collaboration in the areas unique to DeafBlindness; (7) demonstrates professional ethics and etiquette across all settings; and(8) demonstrates cultural competence across all settings.(j) Reflection and Professional Growth. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind is a reflective practitioner who has knowledge of systems, available resources, organizations, and services for students who are DeafBlind; who continually evaluates how teacher choices and actions affect learners, family members, and other professionals in the learning community; and who actively seeks ongoing opportunities to grow professionally. The teacher of students who are DeafBlind: (1) understands local, regional, state, and national initiatives related to the field of DeafBlindness;(2) understands the role of communities of practice in enhancing professional growth;(3) understands the professional organizations related to the field of DeafBlindness and the benefits of memberships therein;(4) understands the importance of professional development and its positive impact on effective practice;(5) understands the value of ongoing reflection as a practice to improve instructional effectiveness;(6) participates in local, regional, state, and national efforts related to the field of DeafBlindness;(7) connects with other professionals within the field of DeafBlindness through a variety of sources, including professional organizations that focus on DeafBlindness;(8) joins communities of practice related to the field of DeafBlindness;(9) participates in professional development opportunities and applies the information to his or her practice; and (10) regularly utilizes self-evaluation and intentional reflection on instructional practices and adjusts strategies accordingly.19 Tex. Admin. Code § 235.135
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 41, October 9, 2020, TexReg 7266, eff. 10/15/2020