CVI Community of Practice
Dr. Christine Roman and the following State Deafblind Projects:
 Delaware Program for Children with Deafblindness
 Connections Beyond Sight and Sound (Maryland Project on Deaf-Blindness)
 Vermont Project for Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness
 West Virginia SenseAbilities Project
Purpose
The purpose of this multi-state project is to pool resources and consolidate
efforts of four state Deafblind Projects to address a common need for in depth
training and mentoring in the areas of screening, assessment, program planning and
intervention for individuals with Cortical Visual Impairment.
Overview of CVI Partnership Project
Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) has recently been recognized as the leading
cause of visual impairment in children in the United States. As a result, the
professional world is inadequately prepared to respond to the fast growing need for
effective identification of CVI and interventions for this population. Partnering states
are collaboratively planning and implementing a partnership training program over a
two-year period under the guidance of an expert consultant. This group will set
criteria for partner selection. Each state will be represented by a team of “partners”
who will receive intensive training and conduct extensive fieldwork enabling them to
provide consultation within the state, and to build local capacity to address this
growing need. .
Training of partners will include a 2 day workshop each year probably in
western Maryland since that is the most central location. Workshop topics will
include causes and characteristics of CVI, coexisting conditions, assessment,
monitoring techniques, appropriate goal development, program interventions and
adaptations. Webinars will be conducted with Dr. Roman and the CVI Mentor teams
throughout the process. The training will build the partners’ knowledge and skills
through acquisition of current research information, guided practice, application in the
field, and evaluation of effectiveness.
Benefits and Responsibilities
PARTNERS
Benefits to CVI Partners:
1. Leadership development in your state with respect to CVI
2. Comprehensive instruction in all facets of CVI by Dr. Christine Roman, the four
WV CVI Mentors and other state CVI Mentors.
3. On-going collaboration with colleagues from a variety of agencies within your
state
4. Acquisition of valuable resource materials
5. Participation in and long term consultation around case studies, while learning
skills for application across a variety of students
6. Participation with a four state network of partners from a variety of disciplines
7. Access to and develop of skills in through webinars
8. Opportunity to confer with other states and learn about unique programs and
practices related to each state’s Deafblind Project
9. Skill development in the area of consultation and mentorship of others in your
state serving children with CVI
Responsibilities of CVI Mentors:
Training
 Participate in two 2.5-day workshops over the two years, requiring out of state
travel
 Participate in multi-state webinars at in-state sites with Dr. Roman and CVI
Mentors
(2 half days per year)
Assignments
 Complete all training requirements (reading, assignments and follow-up
activities)
 Videotape children with CVI for training with support from the state Deafblind
Project
Future responsibilities
 Will participate in follow-up meetings between training sessions
 Identify individuals with suspected CVI and make necessary arrangements,
including parental permission, to conduct assessments and interventions
required for the training
 Develop and utilize data collection systems
 Work with state Deafblind Project to identify outreach strategies
 Secure necessary sponsorship documentation
Benefits and Responsibilities
SPONSORING AGENCY
Benefits to Sponsoring Agency:
 Student case study directly linked to your services and/or programs
 Development of expertise within your agency to meet the needs of children
with CVI, their families and service providers
 Development of partnerships across agencies in your state providing services
to children with CVI, their families and service providers
 Access of resources of a multi-state initiative for creative problem solving and
cross discipline collaboration or consultation (re: programming, funding,
staffing)
 Expansion of quality services to students and families
 Provision of training to selected partner in best practices of CVI by nationally
renowned expert
 Long term collaboration with state Deafblind Project
 Opportunity to improve partner’s skills in technology
 Develop partner’s skills in teaching, consultation and mentoring others
Responsibilities of Sponsoring Agency:
 Provide documentation of agreement to support partner participation
 Provide professional and/or release time for partners to:
- Attend two 2 day workshops over the two years requiring out of state travel
- Participate in webinars with CVI Mentors 2 half days per year
- Assist in the development of training videos
- Develop operating procedures for the state partner team
- Develop/analyze data collection
- Participate in state partner team meetings between training sessions
- Work with state Deafblind Project to identify and implement outreach
strategies
Benefits and Responsibilities
MULTI-STATE PLANNING TEAM
(State Deafblind Projects and Consultant)
Benefits to State Deafblind Projects
 Implementation of an innovative service delivery model for training partners in
screening, assessment, program planning and intervention for CVI
 Efficient utilization of Dr. Christine Roman’s expertise within the multi-state
region, allowing each state to deliver training with the necessary intensity and
frequency to achieve results
 Capacity-building within each state and across the region through the use of a
partner model
 Production of training materials for replication and dissemination of training
materials regionally and nationally
 Expanded access to information through technology (e.g., webinars, training
modules, web conferencing and website communication
 Stronger networks among families and service providers within the multi-state
region and across states with similar needs
Responsibilities of Deafblind Projects
 Commit to the multi-state collaboration as outlined in individual federal projects
 Set criteria for partner team membership
 Develop protocol for training with consultant/Projects
 Establish Project goals and proposed outcomes
 Select state partner teams through application/interview process
 Develop service delivery model
 Develop training modules
 Provide annual 2 day partner training workshop
 Contribute funds and staff resources to plan, implement and evaluate workshop
 Develop partnership training guide
 Develop protocol to establish screening sites with medical providers
 Conduct telephone interviews with perspective partners
 Provide training and feedback to partner teams via workshops, webinars,
email and/or website
 Provide intervention materials and guidelines
Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Partnership Project
Cooperative Agreement
__________________________
(partner)
__________________________
(sponsoring agency)
in Collaboration with Dr. Christine Roman and the following Deafblind State Projects:
 Connections Beyond Sight and Sound (Maryland Project on Deaf-Blindness)
 Delaware Program for Children with Deafblindness/Delaware Part C
 Vermont Project for Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness
 West Virginia SenseAbilities
This agreement is proposed with the greatest spirit and intent of cooperation. The
above-mentioned partner and sponsoring agency representative(s) have agreed to
participate in a special technical assistance activity entitled Cortical Visual
Impairment (CVI) Partnership Project.
The following partner and agency representative have agreed to participate in and
support this special technical assistance activity in the following ways (check item):
Approved release time for partner to participate in this initiative
Name (please print)
Signature
Title
Agency/Project