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State School for Deaf, Blind Sees Increased Demand
As students walked the hallways Thursday at the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind, some communicated using a combination of sign language and talking.
Others used white canes to navigate the campus.
Gooding-based Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind offers services for children with visual or hearing impairments from birth to age 21.
“You have to get to kids as early as you can,” Administrator Brian Darcy said.
Over the years, the demand for services has increased. About 1,400 Idaho students are receiving help, including 85 who attend school at the Gooding campus.
That’s up from about 900 to 950 students just five years ago. The growth in demand, Darcy said, has led to a need for more employees.
It’s a proposal that Darcy brought before the state Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee last month. Funding for IESDB is a line item under the Idaho State Department of Education’s budget.
Darcy asked for funding to create new positions — two for the Gooding headquarters and two regional teaching positions. The agency is also asking for four new vehicles to replace ones with high mileage.
But Darcy said Gov. Butch Otter has recommended the annual $7.5 million budget remain about the same next year. Darcy said that amount would require officials to come up with creative ways to provide services and attract qualified employees.
Reaching out to children with visual and hearing impairments begins at an early age. Up until age 3, teachers work at home with children and their parents. Once students reach school age, there are regional preschool programs. Then, some students enroll at traditional public schools.
The state agency partners with public school districts to help students who have hearing or vision problems.
“We’re really just a resource out there for teachers,” Darcy said.
For instance, an interpreter may be needed for a deaf student. IESDB has a total of 117 employees statewide. Many can make recommendations about
which services would work best for children.
Darcy said IESDB emphasizes “total communication” for hearing-impaired students, which can be a combination of methods such as sign language, talking and understanding others through reading lips.
At the Gooding campus, though, there’s a difference in needs between students with visual and hearing challenges.
“We are really talking about two separate schools,” Darcy said.
Technology is also a tool used to help students communicate. At the Gooding campus, most classrooms have interactive whiteboards. Darcy said they’ve also purchased more iPads, which are helpful since there are video chatting features and a voice option that reads information out loud.
For parents, there’s the option of taking sign language classes using the Idaho Education Network.
The campus runs on a Monday through Thursday schedule. There’s on-campus housing for students who live outside the area.
Darcy said many students come to ISDB at a young age, transition into a school district for a while and end up coming back.
“Some of our kids are very academic,” he said, but struggle with social skills.
For students who have met high school graduation requirements, there’s a “super senior” program to help teach independent living skills.
As students walked the hallways Thursday at the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind, some communicated using a combination of sign language and talking.
Others used white canes to navigate the campus.
Gooding-based Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind offers services for children with visual or hearing impairments from birth to age 21.
“You have to get to kids as early as you can,” Administrator Brian Darcy said.
Over the years, the demand for services has increased. About 1,400 Idaho students are receiving help, including 85 who attend school at the Gooding campus.
That’s up from about 900 to 950 students just five years ago. The growth in demand, Darcy said, has led to a need for more employees.
It’s a proposal that Darcy brought before the state Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee last month. Funding for IESDB is a line item under the Idaho State Department of Education’s budget.
Darcy asked for funding to create new positions — two for the Gooding headquarters and two regional teaching positions. The agency is also asking for four new vehicles to replace ones with high mileage.
But Darcy said Gov. Butch Otter has recommended the annual $7.5 million budget remain about the same next year. Darcy said that amount would require officials to come up with creative ways to provide services and attract qualified employees.
Reaching out to children with visual and hearing impairments begins at an early age. Up until age 3, teachers work at home with children and their parents. Once students reach school age, there are regional preschool programs. Then, some students enroll at traditional public schools.
The state agency partners with public school districts to help students who have hearing or vision problems.
“We’re really just a resource out there for teachers,” Darcy said.
For instance, an interpreter may be needed for a deaf student. IESDB has a total of 117 employees statewide. Many can make recommendations about
which services would work best for children.
Darcy said IESDB emphasizes “total communication” for hearing-impaired students, which can be a combination of methods such as sign language, talking and understanding others through reading lips.
At the Gooding campus, though, there’s a difference in needs between students with visual and hearing challenges.
“We are really talking about two separate schools,” Darcy said.
Technology is also a tool used to help students communicate. At the Gooding campus, most classrooms have interactive whiteboards. Darcy said they’ve also purchased more iPads, which are helpful since there are video chatting features and a voice option that reads information out loud.
For parents, there’s the option of taking sign language classes using the Idaho Education Network.
The campus runs on a Monday through Thursday schedule. There’s on-campus housing for students who live outside the area.
Darcy said many students come to ISDB at a young age, transition into a school district for a while and end up coming back.
“Some of our kids are very academic,” he said, but struggle with social skills.
For students who have met high school graduation requirements, there’s a “super senior” program to help teach independent living skills.
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