Regional Centers - The Shoals
This center covers Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence,
Marion, Morgan and Winston Counties. Most of our services are free to
residents of Alabama who have a diagnosed vision or hearing loss, and to
children with a diagnosed developmental delay.
In 2001, AIDB built a new regional center facility in Tuscumbia,
Alabama, the birthplace of Alabama's most famous citizen, Helen Keller.
The new center is close to the Keller home at Ivy Green.
Helen Keller became a worldwide role model of courage and hope when
her teacher, Annie Sullivan, miraculously broke through the barriers of
deafness and blindness. AIDB champions that same message through the
successes of thousands of children and adults who overcome similar
disabilities.
The Shoals Regional Center has enabled AIDB to expand outreach
programs in the Shoals area. The 5,000 square foot facility contains
office and classroom space, an assistive technology lab, a conference
and training room, kitchen, reception area, and meeting space for deaf,
blind and other advocacy groups and organizations. Design of the
building is a prototype for other centers across the state.
Children's services
The earlier children learn, the better. Some experts estimate that up
to 20% of the skills learned in a lifetime are learned in the first
five years. That's why we place so much emphasis on helping families,
and we encourage families to come forward with their concerns as early
as possible.
The most important issue is the acquisition of language. Without
language skills, we are isolated, cut off from the rest of the world.
Language is the key. Just as for sighted and hearing children, the early
acquisition of language skills by children who are deaf or blind
typically means a higher level of comprehension.
Everyone around your child can be a teacher. Brothers, sisters,
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, caretakers. Infants and toddlers
will soak up language and information from every source. Regional Center
staff members can show you how to make this happen. It may take more
time, more creativity to communicate with a child who is blind or deaf,
but the rewards of making that effort are incalculable.
Parent Infant Preschool Program -- PIP
This program was established in 1980 to help families adjust to their
child's needs without accepting limitations. We work closely with
medical professionals to spot problems sooner because the earlier we can
offer support to the family, the easier it is to adapt.
Adjusting to family life with a child born with hearing or vision
loss is the first step. Regional Center staff members will come to your
house and explain which expectations are realistic and which are not.
Home visits provide families with support and encouragement during these
critical early days.
Our staff will also help train parents and family members to be
effective teachers and advocates, and introduce them to community
services offering specialized programs. For children under three,
Regional Center services focus on the home and family.
It is our goal to help stimulate the child's language development and
enrich the world around them, so they are prepared to reach their full
potential by the time they enroll in school full time. Some children may
take advantage of residential programs at Alabama Institute for Deaf
and Blind while others may attend their local school systems, but all
are ready to meet the challenges ahead.
AIDB staff work closely with other agencies, including the state
Department of Rehabilitation Services, to comply with federal
regulations. Federal law provides for special assistance for children
from birth through age two (Part C) and children aged three to five
(Part B).
For children and families, we offer the following services:
- Early intervention service coordination
- Parent Infant Preschool home training in skills appropriate to child's hearing or visual abilities
- Parent Infant Preschool Program workshops and training
- Evaluation and ongoing assessment of blind and/or deaf children
- Participation in Individual
Family Service Plan (IFSP)/Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings for
developing child and family goals
- Participation in District Coordinating Councils for Early Intervention in all eight counties
- Information about disabilities
- Information about general child development and management
- Review of child and parent rights and the law
- Technical assistance for community agencies such as daycare centers and preschools
- Referral or transition to other services or programs
- Resource lending library
- American Sign Language instruction in the home for enrolled families
Other services
The Shoals Regional Center offers a variety of services for our
clients. We serve as a primary source for referrals to all kinds of
resources in the area for people who are deaf and blind. Contract
interpreter services for people who are deaf are available.
We frequently make presentations to students, businesses, educators,
civic and community groups. This makes issues facing our clients easier
to understand, and forges stronger ties to the rest of the world.
Inclusion, braille, orientation and mobility techniques, sensory
stimulation activities, low-vision aids, sign language, hearing aids,
auditory trainers and oral communication approaches are just some of the
topics we cover. We also offer in-service training for interested
groups and serve as a resource for projects, reports and papers from
elementary through graduate school students.
As we age, many of us experience a loss of vision or hearing;
adjusting to these changes can be difficult unless we're aware of the
many resources our community offers to help. Making connections between
our older clients and these resources is an important part of our
services.
Services we offer to adult and senior clients include:
- Information and referral services
- Technical assistance to community agencies and schools
- Sign language classes
- Community education/public speakers
- Adaptive technology information and referrals
- Information about signing and interpreting ratings and evaluations (SCPI, RID)
- Grant support letters
Become an Ambassador
Over the years, we have reached out to literally hundreds of people.
While our services are free, they often make an invaluable contribution
to the quality of life. In appreciation, many families ask what they can
do to help.
You can make a gift of your time and energy. You have already been
through the issues and stages many families we serve are now facing.
They can use your informal support and encouragement.
If you have special skills in ASL or braille, you can help other
clients. Or you can help us by talking to other people about sensory
impairment and what we do at AIDB.
We call these volunteers "Ambassadors," because they go out into the
world as living proof of our focus on abilities. To become an
Ambassador, call us. It's one way to return the gifts others have given
you.
How can we help you? Click here to email us. Or contact us at: Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind
Shoals
Regional Center
512
N. Main Street
Tuscumbia,
AL 35674
(256)
383-3503 V/TTY
(256)
383-3562 (fax)