Skip to content
  1. Home
    Right-facing arrow
  2. Info Center
    Right-facing arrow
  3. NCDB Products
    Right-facing arrow

Practice Guides

One of NCDB's current product development projects is the creation of practice guides that outline essential components of instructional practices commonly used with children who are deafblind. They are primarily intended as a tool for state deafblind project personnel and practitioners to inform training and coaching needs.

A key purpose is to let technical assistance providers or coaches and practitioners know what a practice involves when implemented correctly. The more clearly the components of an intervention are known and defined, the better it can be successfully implemented (Fixsen et al., 2013). NCDB Practice Guides also serve as quick reminders of the purpose and key elements of a practice. The guides are not intended to provide instruction on how to implement a practice and should be used in combination with technical assistance/coaching and information resources (e.g., factsheets, articles, videos, modules).

Six guides have been published so far:

Building Trusting Relationships

Appropriate Assessment Strategies

Optimizing Availability for Learning

Preparing the Learning Environment

Hand-Under-Hand Technique

Active Learning

Development Process

Creating Practice Guides

NCDB Practice Guides are being created using a process adapted from the Practice Profile format developed by the National Implementation Research Network that involves:

  • Extensive literature reviews
  • Semi-structured group interviews with practitioners and community members to identify activities involved in a practice, as well as its underlying principles
  • Vetting of initial drafts by state deafblind project staff, personnel preparation providers, family members, and other key stakeholders

Work Group

The following group of state deafblind project staff and personnel preparation faculty  have provided advice and input regarding practice guide development:

  • Maurice Belote, California Deafblind Services
  • Susan Bruce, Boston College
  • Silvia Correa-Torres, University of Northern Colorado
  • Sue Dell, Rhode Island College
  • Adam Graves, Texas Deafblind Project
  • Sarah Ivy, University of Utah
  • Julie Maier, California Deafblind Services
  • Stephanie McFarland, University of Arizona
  • Phoebe Okungu, Texas Tech University
  • Cathy Nelson, University of Utah
  • Rona Pogrund, Texas Tech University
  • Sandra Warren, East Carolina University

Reference

Fixsen, D., Blase, K., Metz, A., Van Dyke, M. (2013). Statewide implementation of evidence-based programs. Exceptional Children, 79(2), 213-230.