Practice Guides
Practice guides 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 use for training and coaching.
A key purpose is to describe what a practice involves when it is 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). The guides are not intended to provide instruction on how to implement a practice and should be used in combination with technical assistance or coaching and information resources (e.g., factsheets, articles, videos, modules).
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
- Interviews with practitioners and community members to identify activities involved in a practice, as well as its underlying principles
- Review of initial drafts by experts such as state deafblind project staff, personnel preparation providers, family members, and other key stakeholders
Acknowledgements
The following workgroup provided advice and input to NCDB on the process for developing practice guides.
- 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.