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Spring 2001 Table of Contents
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The 2001 Texas Deafblind Census

By Craig Axelrod, Teacher Trainer, TSBVI, Texas Deafblind Outreach

The 2001 Texas Deafblind Census, a federally required annual count of deafblind students in Texas, ages 0-21, was recently completed. In January, Dr. Roseanna Davidson's Census project staff at Texas Tech University sent materials to all local school districts in Texas. Someone in each district, often a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, reviewed and updated information about students who had been reported on the 2000 Census, and helped coordinate the completion of forms for newly identified eligible students. In February, districts returned the Census forms to the Regional Deafblind Specialist at their Education Service Center (ESC). Deafblind Specialists reviewed the forms, checking for completeness and accuracy, then submitted them to the Census project staff who compiled the information for inclusion in the Federal Deafblind Census. Each ESC recently received a final report of its regional data as well as a general statewide report.

Most of the data gathered through the Census process is required and requested by the federal government. Additional questions reflect the need for information about Texas-specific issues. Regional Census reports are now being analyzed by ESCs to help clarify regional needs and develop deafblind regional plans. Deafblind Outreach uses the reports to identify trends and training needs. Demographic information is also shared with other state agencies for their use in planning future services. Some facts and figures from the 2001 Texas Deafblind Census appear below.

Here are some things the Census data tells us about identification of children and youth with deafblindness in Texas.

After a peak of 775 students were identified in 1998, the number has dropped every year, to 606 in 2001. While the decline may result in part from students being taken off the Census after assessments conclusively ruled out vision and hearing losses, this may not always be the case. Of the 62 students deleted from this year's Census who continue in special education, 31 have documented visual impairments with hearing classifications of "further testing needed to determine hearing impairment," "tested - results nonconclusive," or "not tested and at risk." How many of these students were tested for a hearing loss before being removed?

The federal government projects the number of deafblind students in a geographic area using a formula of 2 to 3 students with deafblindness per 1,000 students receiving special education services. According to TEA, 482,427 students received special education services in the 1999-2000 school year. If the federal projections are correct, there should be between 965 and 1447 deafblind students in Texas. Where are they?

There appears to be a significant, chronic undercount of 0-2 year olds. In response, representatives from several agencies will soon meet to discuss this issue. These will include the Texas Department of Health, Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (formerly known as Texas Commision for the Blind) , Texas Education Agency, the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention, the Three Low Incidence Disabilities Decentralized Function at Education Service Center Region 3, the Deafblind Census Project at Texas Tech University, and the Deafblind and VI Outreach Projects at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Usher Syndrome (Type I and II), a leading cause of deafblindness, is estimated by some to occur in 3-6% of the congenitally deaf or hard of hearing population. 2785 of the 4508 students reported on the 1999-2000 Texas State Survey of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students were born deaf or hard of hearing. (This number does not include congenitally deaf or hard of hearing students who are in their local school districts and not being served by Regional Day School Programs for the Deaf.) 3% of 2785 is 83. There are currently only 27 students diagnosed with Usher Syndrome on the 2001 Texas Deafblind Census.

More optimistically, the number of students who are deafblind from Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) decreased from 43 in 1994 to 10 in 2001, a possible result of both better immunization and graduation from the educational system of older students with CRS. The increase of students diagnosed with CHARGE, from 12 in 1993 to 34 in 2001, might indicate better identification and understanding of this syndrome.

The Texas Education Agency's newly adopted expanded definition of deafblindness (effective March 6, 2001) more closely reflects the federal definition, which qualifies a student to be counted on the Texas Deafblind Census. According to TEA, a student now qualifies as deafblind who "…has documented hearing and visual losses that, if considered individually, may not meet the requirements for auditory impairment or visual impairment, but the combination of such losses adversely affects the student's educational performance;" or "…has a documented medical diagnosis of a progressive medical condition that will result in concomitant hearing and visual losses that, without special education intervention, will adversely affect the student's educational performance." TEA's complete eligibility definition of deafblindness can be found on its website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter089/ch089aa.html, provision §89.1040. Eligibility Criteria.

In light of these changes, will the number of students counted on the Texas Deafblind Census increase? We'll let you know in 2002. Meanwhile, if you have questions about whether or not a child should be included on the Texas Deafblind Census, please contact the Deafblind Specialist at your Education Service Center (below), Dr. Roseanna Davidson at Texas Tech University, (806) 742-2334, or any of the Texas Deafblind Outreach Staff. Students can be added to the Census at any time.

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Last Revision: September 1, 2003