The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

By Peggy Malloy, Research Librarian, DB-LINK / Managing Editor, Deaf-Blind Perspectives

The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) is a technical assistance and dissemination center that combines the resources of the Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University, the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, and the Hilton/Perkins Program at Perkins School for the Blind. All are experts in the field of deaf-blindness.

NCDB is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) which also funds state technical assistance projects for children who are deaf-blind. NCDB works directly with these projects to provide technical assistance and training.

NCDB's two-pronged mission is to promote academic achievement and results for children and youth who are deaf-blind through technical assistance, model demonstration, and information dissemination activities and to address state-identified needs for qualified personnel who have the necessary skills and knowledge to serve children and youth who are deaf-blind. NCDB's primary service areas are:

Technical Assistance - NCDB works with state deaf-blind projects to build the capacity of state and local agencies to identify and meet the needs of children who are deaf-blind, their families, and their educational teams.

DB-LINK Information Services - NCDB has an extensive collection of information about deaf-blindness available via its website or by contacting the project directly.

Personnel Training - NCDB is part of a national effort to promote personnel training on implementation of IDEA and evidence-based practices.

Activities in each area involve collaboration with OSEP, other federal technical assistance and dissemination projects, professionals and other agencies in the field of deaf-blindness, and families of individuals who are deaf-blind.

NCDB works on initiatives related to early identification; literacy, math, and science; underserved families; accountability and evaluation; and transition. NCDB and the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) are collaborating on revising assessment tool Indicator 13 that the U.S. Department of Education uses to evaluate states' compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. NCDB's transition workgroup also is exploring activities related to customized employment that would involve collaboration with NSTTAC and a number of state deaf-blind projects.

Information Resources - DB-LINK has the world's largest collection of cataloged materials on deaf-blindness. It lists items from the Teaching Research Institute, the Perkins School for the Blind, and the Helen Keller National Center. Now part of NCDB, DB-LINK provides in-depth information free to anyone interested in deaf-blindness, including:

• Access to DB-LINK's library of materials on deaf-blindness and related topics
• Information about national, state, and local services and supports
• A toll-free phone line staffed by information specialists
• An in-depth website that provides access to resources and full-text information

NCDB publications
Deaf-Blind Perspectives is a free newsletter published twice per year, and Practice Perspectives, are short, user-friendly documents on specific topics. Practice Perspectives: Transition, NCDB's newest publication in this series, describes the importance of in-depth transition planning to meet the unique needs of children and youth who are deaf-blind and the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as measured by Indicator 13. Standard and large-print versions are available on the NCDB website: nationaldb.org/NCDBProducts.php?prodID=62.

Contact NCDB by phone or email for print or Braille copies.

For more information on NCDB, deaf-blindness or resources in a specific state, contact:
National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness Teaching Research Institute
Western Oregon University
345 N. Monmouth Avenue
Monmouth, OR 97361
Voice: 800-438-9376
TTY: 800-854-7013
E-mail: info@nationaldb.org
Web: http://nationaldb.org

Resources at http://nationaldb.org
Selected Topics - web pages with links to full-text information on a variety of topics:
• Person-Centered Planning
• Postsecondary Education
• Transition
State Resource Fact Sheets - projects, agencies, and organizations in each state that provide services for individuals who are deaf-blind.
Publications Database - search the world's most comprehensive collection of books, articles, proceedings, videos, and other materials about deaf-blindness, including email Discussion Groups and NCDB Products.