Hand In Hand: Understanding Deafblindness 2025

Ready to Register? Click here for Hand in Hand Registration

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

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!

SAVE THE DATE!

When: September 29-October 3, 2025

Where: Missouri School for the Blind

3815 Magnolia Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110

Tentative Schedule

VIISA Course I 2025-2026

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.

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) through November 14, 2025

Session II of II November 19 (virtual) through November 21, 2026

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

For more information contact:

Jane Herder
jane.herdere@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.
For more information, see https://www.nationaldb.org/products/modules/ohoa/

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.

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:

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)