Interpreter Resources
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Resources
Deaf-Blind Resources
The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund
    The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund Reports
    The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund Instructions
    The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund User Guides
    Kansas Deaf-Blind Resources
Blind/Low Vision

Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA)
TASK12 (Training and Assessment Systems for K-12 Educational Interpreters) (external link)
     (Kansas interpreters must register for EIPA assessments through the TASK12 site.)
     Questions about TASK12 including onsite testing location questions should be directed to Lori Colwell, lcolwell@kssdb.org.
     Dates and locations for the EIPA are posted on the TASK12 website. Interpreters may test at any site. Advance registration is required.
     Patterns in EIPA Test Scores and Implications for Interpreter Education (External PDF)

EIPA Professional Development
EIPA Training Workshops 2023-24 (PDF). For more information please contact Sarah Reed sreed@ksde.org

Registration is now open for the EIPA Video Conference Workshop scheduled for September 23, 2023. 

Presented by Robin Shannon, B.A., MA, CDI, CLIP-R and Shawn Shannon, MA, CDI
The first hour of this workshop reviews the basic meaning of CL and shares facts about the current trend of STEM in ASL. The second part of this workshop focuses an hour on application to each school level: Elementary (Ecosystem), Middle School (4 Elements), and High School (Frog Dissection).

The workshop will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. When BOTH enrollment and registration are completed in a timely manner, the $75.00 registration fee is covered courtesy of the KSDE Special Education Title Services Team. 

Step 1 Enroll and apply to attend. Deadline: Kansas participants must be entered into the KSDETASN database by 5:00 pm on September 15, 2023 to have workshop fee waived, no exceptions. Participants go to www.ksdetasn.org/events/qBS2Wg, select ‘Register for this Event’ and follow the prompts to enroll as a ‘Kansas’ participant. Note: If this is your first time participating, click on Login in the upper right corner, then select Sign up and create an account. Within a short period of time, you should receive an email from accounts@ksdetasn.org confirming the successful account set up.

Step 2: Monitor your email: Verified Kansas workshop participants will receive an email from Sarah Reed sreed@ksde.org. This email contains the vital information you will need to register with Boys Town and be able attend the workshop free of charge.

Step 3: You must register with Boys Town. Follow the prompts and instructions contained within Sarah Reed’s email referenced in Step 2. Doing so will grant access to the EIPA Workshop Registration website in the form of link and code to waive the registration fee. Next, the Boys Town EIPA training center will send instructions to you on how to access the online training platform shortly before the September 23, 2023 workshop.
Please contact Sarah Reed with any questions at sreed@ksde.org

• September 23, 2023 STEM: CL in Science (Registration deadline 5 pm September 15, 2023)
• November 4, 2023 Translating Children's Literature
• February 3, 2024 Ignorance Isn't Bliss: Equity Implications for Educational Interpreter Supervision
• April 6, 2024 Deaf Interpreters in K12 and Administrator Perspectives on Deaf Learners

Recordings of Past EIPA Training Workshops
DVDs of past EIPA training workshops are available for loan. DVDs are loaned for up to 30 calendar days.
Please send the completed KSDE EIPA DVD Library Check Out Form (PDF) to Sarah Reed sreed@ksde.org

Bachelors’ Degrees: ASL Interpreter and Deaf Studies
This personnel preparation program is offered at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) in partnership with the University of Kansas, Edwards Campus (KUEC). Both campuses are located in Overland Park, KS. For more information visit https://edwardscampus.ku.edu/asl-deaf-studies (external link)

Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) (external link)
      Interpreter Registry contact Megan Essary Megan.Essary@ks.gov
National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE) (external link)
      Professional Guidelines for Interpreting in Educational Settings (external link)
      Eduational Interpreter Code of Ethics (external link)
RID’s Standard Practice Papers (SPPs) (external link)
KCDHH Announcement regarding transition to RID & KIDA (PDF)
Categorical Aid information including- Educational Interpreter Prof Dev Plan (link)

Kansas Resources
Kansas Hearing Screening Guidelines 2022 (PDF)
Kansas School for the Deaf (external link)
    Language Assessment Program for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students (LAP-DHH). For more information, contact Angie Walker at awalker@kssdb.org.
Kansas Teachers of the Deaf (TOD) Endorsement and Professional Development Project (external link)
This program is open to any person who holds a valid Kansas teaching license in general education, special education and/or content area endorsement. The TOD Project will provide tuition assistance, as well as, books, fees, materials, and travel. Selected applicants will be enrolled in a pre-approved university program in Deaf Education (Master's level) to receive an endorsement as a Teacher of the Deaf (TOD).
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ks.gov) (external link). Contact Robert Coooper, Executive Director at robert.cooper@ks.gov.

National Resources
Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Educational Services Guidelines (3^rd ed) (2019). (external link) National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE).
National Deaf Center - Resources (external link)

The Kansas Deaf-Blind Project (external link)
         Marites Altuna maltuna@kssdb.org
The Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) (external link)
         The Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) Regional Office, questions should be directed to: Beth Jordan beth.jordan@hknc.org
National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB) (external link)
The National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) (external link)
Identification Of Children With Deaf-Blindness: Resources For School Administrators (external PDF)

State Deaf-Blind Fund Reports

State Deaf-Blind Fund Report FY 22-23 (PDF)
State Deaf-Blind Fund Report FY 21-22 (PDF)
State Deaf-Blind Fund Report FY 20-21 (PDF)
State Deaf-Blind Fund Report FY 19-20 (PDF)
State Deaf-Blind Fund Report FY 18-19 (PDF)
State Deaf-Blind Fund Report FY 17-18 (PDF)

State Deaf-Blind Timelines and Instructions

State Deaf-Blind Fund Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
State Deaf Blind Fund Timelines (PDF)
The Overview of the State Deaf-Blind Fund (2023) (PDF)
Audio Deaf-Blind Fund Training (mp4)

State Deaf-Blind Fund User Guides

LEA User Guide of The State Deaf-Blind Fund System (2021) (PDF)

State Deaf-Blind Resources

Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities and Dual Sensory Losses (External PDF)

Kansas State School for the Blind (external link)
     One page flyer regarding KSSB services (PDF)

Kansas Teachers of Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired (TSVI) and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS) Preparation and Mentorship (external link)
This program is open to any person that holds a valid Kansas teaching license in general education, special education, and/or content area endorsement The TSVI and/or the COMS Program will provide tuition assistance, as well as books, materials, travel support, and other related expenses. All coursework is at the Master’s level. Mentorship is provided during the students’ practica experiences at Kansas State School for the Blind. Questions should be directed to Aundrayah Shermer, ashermer@kssdb.org

Kansas Instructional Resource Center (KIRC) (external link)
(KIRC) assists school districts in obtaining braille, large print, recorded textbooks, and other educational materials for students who are blind, have a vision loss, or have a print disability. – Services are provided only to Kansas students. Questions should be directed to Tony Harrell, tharrell@kssdb.org

Kansas Talking Books
Kansas Talking Books provides personalized library support and materials in a specialized format to eligible Kansas residents to ensure that all may read.

Kansas Advisory Council for the Blind/Visually Impaired (KACB/VI) (external link)
This organization is an affiliate of the American Council for the Blind. Current information about events, resources, and information as it pertains to Kansas, is disseminated in a quarterly for individuals who are blind/visually impaired across all ages.

The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) (external link)
This is a professional membership organization dedicated exclusively to professionals who provide services to persons with vision loss. There is an annual conference held each year to provide updates on certificates, research, current topics and relevant topics about the education and rehabilitation.

The Assocaition for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) Division 9: Orientation and Mobility  (external link)
Division 9 of AER provides research and development, information and training for professionals who are blind/visually impaired. Division 9 works closely with the certification of professionals who meet the standards established by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals in order to work as a Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor (COMS).

American Printing House for the Blind (APH) (external link)
This organization has provided resources, equipment, research and development, as well as other pertinent information for educations, administrators, and students who have vision disabilities. Additionally, APH operates the Quota Funds for schools each year. Quota Funds were enacted in 1879 to provide adapted educational materials for students who are eligible (meet the definition of blindness). These funds can be applied to students who are preschool to post graduate level.

"Dear Colleague" letter from OSEP concerning the use of braille in educating students who are blind or visually impaired.(2013).

National Instructional Media Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) (external link)
A technical standard utilized by curriculum and other instructional publishers to produce XML source files that are used to present content in a variety of specialized formats, such as braille or audio books. These specialized formats are used by students who are blind, have low vision, or have a print disability.

The National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) (external link)
This electronic file repository is where NIMAS files are converted to printed instructional materials, and made available to authorized users in each state. Authorized users are responsible for distributing the accessible formats (e.g., braille, audio books, or large print) to students who meet eligibility criteria defined in IDEA.

InfiniTEXT (external link)
InfiniText is a program to provide digital text for qualified K-12 students with print disabilities. This program is available to the Infinitec Assistive Technology Coalitions and K-12 schools across Kansas.

Learning Ally (external link)
Learning Ally (formerly Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that houses the largest audio textbook library for students with print disabilities.

Bookshare (external link)
This is the world's largest online accessible library for individuals with print disabilities, such as blindness, low vision, physical disabilities, or reading disabilities that make it difficult or impossible to read standard print.The library has - books, including fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, educational reading, newspapers and magazines, plus free software applications that read digital content.