STATEWIDE COLLABORATIVE SURVEYS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF, DEAFBLIND OR HARD OF HEARING Melinda Marsolek, MPH
MN Collaborative Partners Maximizing & Monitoring Learner Progress for Children who are D/HH and their Families Parents Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans Teachers of the D/HH PACER MN Hands & Voices MN Depts of Education Health Human Services Employment & Economic Development School Administrators Schools for D/HH Clinical Audiologists University of Minnesota Educational Audiologists MN Association of Deaf Citizens DeafBlind Technical Assistance Project
Collaborative Goals for Birth-5 Workgroup 1. All young children who have hearing loss will maximize their communication and learning potential and will be able to begin kindergarten with communication, social, and early literacy skills at a developmental level similar to that of their typicallydeveloping hearing peers, or to the maximum extent appropriate for the individual child. 2. All families will receive the supports they need to help their children develop & learn.
Parent Survey 30 Questions Resources and services used Child s development IFPS/IEP meetings
Parent Survey 30 Questions Resources and services used Child s development IFPS/IEP meetings Mailed to all parents of children age 5 and under who are deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing
Parent Survey 30 Questions Resources and services used Child s development IFPS/IEP meetings Mailed to all parents of children age 5 and under who are deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing Supplemental telephone survey of parents whose preferred language is not English 45% overall response rate (246 completed surveys)
Parent Survey: General Respondent Information Metro Region 54% Suburban area 53% Hearing loss identified before 6 months of age 77% Child communicates using: Spoken language 52% Spoken & sign language 24% Sign language 14% Child has additional disabilities affecting development 29% Child cared for by: Parent 60% Daycare provider or nanny 38%
Parent Survey: Communication Choice 100% 8% 7% N/A % of Respondents 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Had enough info to make a communication choice 88% Made communication choice without pressure 90% Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Parent Survey: Resources & services to support language development 100% 5% 8% N/A % of Respondents 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Receiving services needed to develop language and communication skills 94% Have enough resources to support communication development 89% Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Parent Survey: Communication Choice, Resources & Services by Preferred Language % of Respondents who DISAGREE/ STRONGLY DISAGREE 50% 25% 26% 15% ASL (N=13) English (N=216) Not English (N=22) 14% 0% 8% 7% 4% 0% Enough info to choose Chose without pressure 9% 5% 0% 0% Receiving needed services 8% Have enough resources
Parents Feelings about Language Development % of Respondents 100% 75% 50% 25% 6% 6% 11% 83% 24% 70% Don't Know Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 0% I expect that my child will develop language skills like other children his/her age. My child is developing language skills like other children his/her age.
Parents Feelings about Language Development by Preferred Language 60% ASL (n=13) English (n=209) 52% % of Respondents who DISAGREE/ STRONGLY DISAGREE 40% 20% Not English (n=23) 17% 10% 24% 0% 0% 0% I expect that my child will develop language skills like other children his/her age. My child is developing language skills like other children his/her age.
Parents Greatest Challenges Gauging their child s development Communicating with their child Lack of time/logistics challenges Finances Hearing aids
Teacher Survey 45 Questions: Children s access to services Resources used by teachers Children s development Emailed to teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing 65% response rate (164 completed surveys) 51% of respondents had children age 0-5 on their caseload
Teacher Survey: Factors that would most improve learning/development 50% 40% 25% 19% 11% 5% 0% More family involvement More support from a D/HH teacher More support from general education staff More support from related service providers
Teachers Assessment of Access to Educational Services 50% 38% % of Children Age 0-5 on Reported Caseloads 6% 15% 22% 0% Do NOT receive adequate services from a D/HH teacher Receive appropriate types of services, but need additional service hours Do NOT have access to the full continuum of education placement options Have access to the full [ ]options, but experience logistics barriers
Teachers Needs 66% feel they have the resources and training to adequately meet the needs of the students on their caseload. Teacher resources that would be most helpful: Curricula and adaptations specific to D/HH children (40%) Access to support staff with expertise in D/HH-related areas (30%) Training specific to D/HH children and their families (25%)
Additional questions or comments: melinda.marsolek@state.mn.us