What is Project Reach?

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Program awarded a multi-year grant to the Illinois State Board of Education for serving deaf/blind children and youth, called PROJECT REACH. The Illinois State Board of Education contracts with the Philip J. Rock Center and School to administer the goals and objectives for PROJECT REACH.

For questions or issues concerning PROJECT REACH grant administration or other education issues, feel free to contact Barbara Sims, Project Director, Illinois State Board of Education, phone #217/782-5589. For information about PROJECT REACH, feel free to contact Tina Lechnick, Project Coordinator, phone #630/790-2474.

Project Reach provides technical assistance, information, and training to address the early intervention, special education, related services, and transitional services needs of children with deaf-blindness and enhance state capacity to improve services and outcomes for children and their families.

Technical assistance is designed...

To assure that service providers more effectively provide special education services;

To provide in-service training to paraprofessionals and professionals;

To provide activities to facilitate family involvement;

To provide consultative services; and

To promote the integration/inclusion of children with deaf-blindness with children with other disabilities and without disabilities.

Services are coordinated with other state agencies responsible for providing services to children who are deaf-blind.

Project Reach supports the activities of four deaf-blind specialists who live and work in the different strategic geographic areas of the state and a statewide family specialist. These specialists work with local school programs and community service providers and families to identify and provide technical assistance to children (ages birth to 21). Information brochures, periodic telephone contacts, trainings, and and on-site consultation on a variety of related topics are offered to program staff and families. Presentations are made at statewide conferences as a way to inform special education personnel and community service providers about the issues of deaf-blindness, services available, and to increase the identification of eligible children and those suspected of having dual sensory impairments.

Deaf-blind specialists conduct informal functional vision and hearing evaluations. They assist in the process of making referrals for formal diagnostic evaluations. Needs assessments are distributed to family members and professionals which allow them the opportunity to identify areas of need for consultation services and various forms of technical assistance.

The Family Specialist facilitates collaboration between Project Reach and the Illinois Advocates for the Deaf-Blind (IADB) parent organization. The Family Specialist helps families to connect with each other and provides technical assistance to parents and children.

To contact us:

818 DuPage Boulevard
Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137

Phone: (630) 790-2474 (voice)
(800) 771-1158
TTY: (800) 771-1232
Email Us

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