PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Hand In Hand: Understanding Deafblindness 2025

Ready to Register? Click here for Hand in Hand Registration

NEW LOCATION! Kansas City, MO
Dates: October 20-24, 2025

Location: Children's Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI)
Kansas City, MO

  • Want a preview? See the Hand in Hand DRAFT agenda here.

    • This course provides instructional strategies and practices specific to the education of students with combined vision and hearing loss with or without additional disabilities. The course is taught by specialists in the field of DeafBlindness and contains two sessions. Session one, includes information on such topics as common causes of DeafBlindness, assessments specific to students with DeafBlindness, and instructional strategies shown to be most impactful for this population of learners. Session two, dives deep into the communication needs of learners with DeafBlindness and the specific application of materials from part one for the individual students being served by participants. Follow-up coaching and mentoring is available from MoDBTAP Project staff to deepen comfort levels with real-world application.


    The target audience for this course includes any members of the educational team serving a student with combined vision and hearing loss inclusive of those with multiple disabilities. We welcome all teachers (general or special ed.), the learner’s caregivers/parents, paraprofessionals, related service providers, or post-secondary students intending to work with learners with combined vision and hearing differences.

    FALL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEEK 2025!

    Ready to Register? Click here for FALL PD Registration

    When: September 29-October 3, 2025

    Where: Missouri School for the Blind Annex

    3867 Magnolia Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110

    Sept 29 | Mon | Camp Abilities Fest 2025 with Dr. Lauren Lieberman

    Sept 30 | Tues| Calendars and Routines for Increased Communication

    Oct 1 | Wed | Welcoming Students Who Are Visually Impaired/Blind To Your School

    Oct 2 | Thur | Sensory Disabilities 101

    Oct 3 | Fri | Interpreting for the DeafBlind (a.m.)| O&M for the DeafBlind (p.m.)

    Descriptions:

    Monday September 29-Camp Abilities Fest with Dr. Lauren Lieberman

    An active and engaging day. Parents, special and general educators, physical educators, O&Mers, therapist, and TVIs are going to learn accessible soccer, swimming, track and field, biking, goal ball! You're gonna love it!

    Tuesday September 30-Calendars and Routines for Increased Communication.

    Empower your student with independence and increase their expressive communication! Routines can serve many functions regarding the development of language acquisition. A calendar system can function as a timepiece providing structure to the day’s events, but more so, provides a static form of communication.

    Wednesday October 1-Welcoming Students who are Visually Impaired/Blind to your School!

    Everything you need to know from Abacus to Zoom! This day supports all educators working with a new student to your school who has a visual impairment. How to procure equipment, where to get braille materials, how to empower your student, how to support the staff-everything you need to know, we cover it on this day!

    Thursday October 2 Sensory Disabilities 101-

    Do you work with a student who has hearing differences and vision differences, perhaps multiple disabilities? This day covers the impact of sensory impairments on communication and instruction. You will walk away with strategies that will make a big difference to your students.

    Friday October 3-Interpreting for the DeafBlind/Orientation and Mobility for the DeafBlind/Multiple Disabilities.

    Interpreters, parents, paraprofessionals, and interveners will increase their knowledge about deafblindness and interpreting for students with deafblindness. Do you use haptics, and touch signals with your students during O&M travel? Come learn how to utilize non-verbal instruction to your students while keeping them focused on their travel.

    VIISA Course I 2025

    Working with Infants and Toddlers with Vision Impairments

    The purpose of this course is for participants to gain and develop skills in understanding the unique needs of infants and toddlers who are blind or visually impaired. The purpose of this course is for participants to gain and develop skills in understanding the unique needs of infants and toddlers who are blind or visually impaired in a home-based setting. The focus will be on working with these children, as well as in collaboration with the family and other members of the service delivery team. Transitioning from a home setting to preschool will also be addressed. Participants will gain knowledge and skills in observation, assessment, intervention techniques, use of appropriate methods, curricula and materials in teaching skills in all developmental domains, developing the use of all senses, meeting the child's needs in the group setting, socialization, early literacy and orientation and mobility.

    Make n Takes, lunch, materials all at no cost!

    Click here to review VIISA 2025 agenda

    Ready to Register? Click here for VIISA Registration

    This year's VIISA will be a hybrid with two days virtual and four days in person!

    Dates: Session I of II Nov 12 (virtual), November 13 through November 14, 2025 in person

    Session II of II November 19 (virtual) November 20 through November 21, 2025 in person

    Location: Missouri School for the Blind
    3815 Magnolia Avenue
    Saint Louis, MO 63110

    For more information contact:

    Jane Herder
    jane.herder@msb.dese.mo.gov
    314 633 1582

    Open Hands Open Access Training

    The program, Open Hands Open Access (OHOA) is an online, work at your own pace training program that offers modules designed to increase knowledge and encourage the use of best practices for supporting children with combined vision and hearing loss. OHOA/ DeafBlind Intervener Learning Modules are a national resource designed to increase awareness, knowledge, and skills related to intervention for students (ages 3 through 21) who are deafblind and being served in educational settings. If you are currently working with a student with dual sensory loss, you may be eligible for a stipend for every successful completion of modules and monthly consultation from our DeafBlind Project staff.

    Stipends provided if approved!

    For more information, contact:
    Dena Molen
    School Support Specialist
    Dena.molen@msb.dese.mo.gov
    314 633 1553

    INSITE: In-Home Sensory Intervention Training and Education

    When: July 21-25, 2025

    Location: Missouri School for the Blind
    3815 Magnolia Avenue
    Saint Louis, MO 63110

    A curriculum model of home intervention for infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children who have a visual impairment and may have other multiple disabilities, including DeafBlind.  The INSITE model and training is for Parent Advisors for MoSPIN (Statewide Parent Involvement Network) home visits.  This curriculum includes the following areas: communication, hearing, vision, cognition, motor impairments, and developmental resources.

  • To be considered, click here for You Could be a PA form!

    • Contact:

    Melissa Moore

    MoSPIN Coordinator/Lead Parent Advisor

    314-663-1591

    Melissa.Moore@msb.dese.mo.gov

     

    Intervener Certification

    In the United States, state deafblind projects and university certificate programs are the primary sources of intervener training. Coaching and supervision, in addition to coursework, are essential. MoDBTAP is your source for intervener training. For intervener training and for certification, contact dena.molen@msb.dese.mo.gov. MoDBTAP can provide tuition assistance to support your certification. (However, you must be working with a student with deafblindness!)

    Considering becoming an Intervener?

    Start with MoDBTAP, and explore these certification programs:

  • Central Michigan DeafBlind Intervener Certification
  • Utah Intervener Program
  • San Francisco State University
  • Shawnee State (Ohio)Intervener Program

    • Unified English Braille Code

    To find more information on Unified English Braille Code, please visit the BANA UEB webpage.

    Coursework Leading to Certification as a TVI and O&M

    CLICK HERE FOR TVI and OM programs breakdown

    Training and Certification (undergraduate and graduate)

    Considering a degree program?

    The following college and university programs have successfully completed the accreditation process and have earned the distinction of “AER Accredited.” Each of these personnel preparation programs has demonstrated adherence to high quality standards that lead to a valuable academic experience; and the competencies needed for employment and certifications.


     

    Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis Tuition Reimbursement Program

    The Tuition Reimbursement Program was developed for individuals who are specializing in the field of service to persons who are blind or legally blind. This program is for college students in their senior year in an undergraduate program, OR a graduate student OR a paraprofessional that is currently employed and working in the field.

    So you want to be a TVI/OM?

     

    AER Accredited Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Programs

     

    AER Accredited Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) Programs

     

    AER Accredited Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) Programs

     

    DeafBlindness Programs