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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Collaborating to Enhance Services for Children with Complex Needs ' Track: 3-Early Intervention and Beyond Audience: Primary Audience: Secondary Audience: Tertiary Audeince: Keyword(s): Multiple Disabilities, Complex Needs, Collaborative Planning, Early Intervention Learning Objectives: 1. Describe Clerc Center program for teaming to meet the needs of young deaf and hard of hearing children with mulitple disabilities. 2. Describe considerations for working with young deaf and hard of hearing children with numerous complex needs. Abstract: Increasing numbers of children are presenting with complex needs in addition to deafness. Included among these are deaf and hard of hearing children with vision loss, autism spectrum disorders, and significant cognitive, motor, and sensorimotor delays. No one program, agency, or professional is typically qualified to meet the complex challenges of these children and their families. Collaborating and working with a team is essential. The Parent-Infant Program at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center demonstrates a collaborative model of how to include multiple agencies, programs and professionals in meeting the needs of these children. This presentation will address considerations for providing a comprehensive assessment model, collaborative planning between service providers and families to meet the child’s full spectrum of needs, efficient service coordination between service providers, and professional training across disciplines. It will share the collaborative practices and experiences from the Clerc Center PIP program that have been found to be successful by both professionals and families. Handouts: Handout is not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Debra Cushner - Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center      Credentials: MA, Deaf Education, Multiple Disabilities, Gallaudet University       Debra Cushner is the lead Early Childhood Education Teacher at the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University. Since graduating with an M.A. from Gallaudet University in multiple disabilities and a B.A. from Syracuse University in Special Education, she has worked at KDES since 1980. Since 1981 she has focused on designing and implementing early childhood programs and has presented in a variety of venues on this topic. Brenda Perrodin - Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center      Credentials: M.A. Family Centered Early Education,Gallaudet University       Brenda Perrodin is an Early Intervention Provider at the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University. Brenda has a BA from Gallaudet University in Early Childhood Education. In addition, she earned an M.A. in Family Centered Early Education from Gallaudet University in 2001. She has worked at the Clerc Center since 1996. She is also a mentor with the KDES Shared Reading Program and has taught KDES family classes in American Sign Language (ASL).   AUTHOR(S):