New
NEW PROCESS: APH Legally Blind Registration and DeafBlind Census Parent Consent Forms
The Office of Exceptional Children is notifying PSUs of a new process for the American Printing House (APH) for the Blind Legally Blind Registration and the DeafBlind Census.
APH Legally Blind Registration:
Beginning in 2018, the APH Legally Blind Registration process required parent consent before information regarding potentially eligible students could be shared. Current eligible students already have written consent on file with their Public School Unit (PSU).
Effective July 1, 2026, a new parent consent form will be implemented statewide. This new form will replace the current consent process and must be uploaded directly into the student’s ECATS documents. Once uploaded, the form will remain with the student’s record, eliminating the need to complete a new consent form if the student transfers to another PSU.
The updated consent form authorizes NC APH to access and share applicable information with the American Printing House for the Blind for registration purposes. As a result, all current and potentially eligible students will require the new parent permission form to be completed and uploaded into ECATS. Students with an existing parent consent form on file must have the new consent form completed under the updated process.
The signed parent consent form must be attached to the most recent APH Legally Blind Registration document in ECATS using the naming convention: NC APH Parent Permission
Students included on the APH Legally Blind Registration may receive accessible educational materials and resources at no cost to the PSU, contingent upon the availability of APH funds.
For more information about the NC APH Legally Blind Registration process and who is eligible, please refer to the NC APH Legally Blind Registration Guidance document or email ncaph@dpi.nc.gov.
NC DeafBlind Census:
Effective July 1, 2026, the NC DeafBlind Census will require parent consent for an eligible student to be included on the DeafBlind Census. This new consent form will be uploaded directly into the student’s ECATS documents. Once uploaded, the form will remain with the student’s record, eliminating the need to complete a new consent form if the student transfers to another PSU. All students currently included on the DeafBlind Census and new students added to the Census must have the new consent form completed and signed.
The signed parent consent must be attached to the most recent DeafBlind Census document in ECATS with the naming convention: NC DB Census Parent Permission
The NC DeafBlind Project does not provide direct service to students; rather technical assistance and professional learning is provided to school teams and families that benefit the student and improve outcomes.
For both the APH Legally Blind Registration and the DeafBlind Census, the beginning of school open house, parent-teacher conferences, or IEP meetings may be excellent opportunities to talk to parents and gain their consent.
Technical Assistance
A short technical assistance video has been created to support the implementation of the new parent consent process for the APH Legally Blind Registration and the DeafBlind Census. In the 2026-27 school year, office hours supporting this implementation will also be held. Specific dates for the office hours will be shared in August 2026. The new parent consent forms are provided in multiple languages and may be found in the General OEC Resources shared Google folder. These resources are “view only” and may be downloaded from the File menu for use in your PSU. Questions related to the new process may be directed to:
WNC Community Conversation with DSDHH
The Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) is collecting stories across NC to learn where communication barriers affect Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals. These sessions are now geared toward parents and educational professionals in order to learn more about the challenges faced in school and other settings. ASL Interpreters and CART captioning will be provided. RSVP is required.
When: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 - 4:00-6:00pm
Where: Zoom Virtual Session
Please view the Community Conversation flier to learn more about how to join!
ASL Storytelling with DSDHH
The Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) is hosting American Sign Language Storytelling Time for Children in memory of Stephanie Scott, Deaf Services Specialist, on numerous dates during the 2026-2027 school year. Each session features different Deaf ASL storytellers.
Where: Zoom
When: Numerous Dates from 10:00-10:30am
Please view the ASL Storytelling Flier for more information.
Community Event: From A (Audism) to Z (Zenith): My Personal Experience as a DeafBlind Individual: Dr. Victorica Monroe
Join NC State University for a lecture from Dr. Victorica “Dr. V” Monroe, a DeafBlind scholar and educator, examining the educational experiences of DeafBlind, Deaf, and hard of hearing individuals and communities, audism, language access, and language acquisition. Drawing on their professional and academic experience, Dr. Monroe will discuss these topics and their connections to education, communication, language and the experiences of DeafBlind people.
The event is intended for students, faculty, staff, and members of the broader community.
Where: Talley Student Center, Coastal Ballroom
When: Monday, Sept 14, 2026 from 6:00-8:00pm
To learn more about the event, please visit the NCSU event website.
Optional Opportunity: Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) Needs Assessment Survey
HKNC is the premier agency offering comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services for individuals who are DeafBlind at its headquarters in Sands Point NY, at locations across the country, and through virtual assessment and training opportunities. Their network of regional representatives can work with you to students with DeafBlindness.
HKNC has recently undertaken a project to improve and expand services for DeafBlind youth with complex support needs, as well as the professionals, educators, family members, and home teams who support them in their communities.
As part of this effort, they are gathering input from professionals and others who support these youth. HKNC would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to complete the needs assessment below. Your experience and perspective will help to better understand current needs, identify gaps in services and supports, and guide the development of future training, resources, technical assistance, and community-based supports.
If you are interested, please complete the Complete the Needs Assessment
Reminders
Professional Development: Spoken Language Facilitation Canvas Course
When: OPEN NOW
This course is a beginner level exploration of auditory development, vocabulary development, linguistic development, and the numerous strategies (AV strategies) used to enhance language development for students who are deaf or hard of hearing using listening and spoken language. The course has numerous opportunities for reflection and application of learning.
This course is asynchronous and offers 20 hours of continuing education. The course runs on semester scheduling, with a fall offering happening from August to December and a spring offering happening from January to June. In order to be enrolled in the course and/or be added to the waitlist for an upcoming course, please complete the SLF Course Registration Form.
Professional Development: Preparing for Life After High School for Children who are DeafBlind Canvas Course
When: Asynchronous - OPEN NOW
Join us for the fourth course in a series on teaching children who are DeafBlind.
The courses within this series are being offered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction - Office of Exceptional Children in conjunction with the National Center on Deaf-Blindness.
As with all products created by the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB), this module is available for free on the NCDB website; however, the module has been integrated into Canvas in an effort to award CEUs to those North Carolina educators engaging with the content.
Note: If you are a professional working within the public schools of North Carolina and cannot access this course via NCEES because you do not have a NCEES account, please email the course title, your name, district/LEA, and ten digit UID number to Virginia Madorin to be added via an alternate pathway.
Course 4: Preparing for Life After High School for Children who are DeafBlind
Course Registration Link
The changes that occur for a young person who is DeafBlind and their family after high school are many, but much can be done during the school years to ease the transition to young adult life. In this module, you’ll learn specific strategies educators can use to prepare and support students and their families for this major life change.
You’ll also meet a number of young people who are DeafBlind and their families, and see how some are getting ready for the transition while others are already navigating adult life.
The module covers real-life examples and essential information practitioners should know, such as
- What options are available for students when they leave high school
- What decisions families and students will face, and how you can help them plan and prepare for them
- How to prepare families and students for working with adult services and other types of support
- What experiences students should have during high school and the skills they need to prepare for the transition
- What is involved in planning for employment, post-secondary education, and helping in the community
Each area will include a 30 to 40-minute lesson. Participants will earn .3 CEUs (3 hours) for completing the course and exploring all provided resources.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) CEUs are available! Directions for obtaining these CEUs can be found within the course.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
SSAT/DHH Canvas Hub
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Canvas Hub
Office of Exceptional Children: Professional Development Calendar
NCDPI Calendar of Events in Calendar View
NCDPI Calendar of Events in List View
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