Are We Leaving Our Children Behind?

Abstract

Researchers surveyed 52 deaf-blind coordinators to gain an understanding of their knowledge and involvement with their respective states' large-scale assessment systems in regard to students with deaf-blindness. Findings revealed (a) uncertainty by state deaf-blind coordinators regarding how well students with deaf-blindness fare in large-scale assessment systems and (b) that deaf-blind coordinators have had minimal opportunity to utilize their expertise in the development and implementation of state general and alternate large-scale assessments. If the NCLB Act (2002) is to achieve its policy goal of improving the academic performance of all students, greater attention must be paid to subgroups of students, such as those with deaf-blindness.