Hearing and/or Visually Impaired Services

The Virginia Department of Education provides information on its website about educational services and resources to support students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, or deaf-blind. The following resources are sourced from VDOE’s Sensory Disabilities webpage and websites for partnering agencies, centers, and college/university programs in Virginia.

Guidance Documents

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (including Deaf-Blind)

• Guidelines for Working With Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Virginia Public Schools (Revised September 2019)
• Virginia Communication Plan for a Student Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing (Revised September 2019)

Blindness and Visual Impairment (including Deaf-Blind)

• Guidelines for Working With Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired in Virginia Public Schools (Revised December 2017)
• Unified English Braille Implementation Plan for Virginia Public Schools (Updated September 2019)

State Agencies

• The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (VSDB) is located in Staunton, Virginia, and provides a comprehensive PreK-12 educational day program, outreach services, and residential services exclusively for Virginia students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, or deaf-blind. The VSDB’s admissions policy is available on its website. The VSDB Outreach Services assist professionals, local school divisions, and caregivers in meeting the needs of children with sensory disabilities across the Commonwealth.
  • Contact: Charity Warigon, Interim Superintendent; telephone: (540) 532-9000
• The Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) - includes an Education Services Program to provide services to early intervention providers, school personnel, and families to assist children with visual impairment, blindness, and deaf-blindness to be successful in school and the community, and to prepare for the future. The DBVI Library and Resource Center provides services to local school divisions to support the education of children who are blind or visually impaired and persons who are
  print disabled. The Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired offers training in the skills of blindness. DBVI provides targeted education to work transition services (Pre-Employment Transition Services) for students (ages 14-22) who are enrolled in a recognized educational program.      
  • Contact: Donna Cox, Director of Education and Library Services, at (804) 887-7327
• The Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) provides telecommunication relay services, distributes assistive technology and equipment, develops and oversees assessments aligned with K-12 educational interpreter standards, responds to information and referral requests, offers Deaf Mentors to families with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing (birth to age eight), and provides training and other services. These resources promote accessible communication so that students and parents who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing may fully participate in programs and services throughout Virginia. 
  • Contact: Eric Raff, Director, at (804) 404-9090 or (800) 552-7917

Technical Assistance Centers

• The Center for Family Involvement (CFI) at the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University provides information and training to support children with disabilities, their families, and professionals.
  • Contact: Lisa Eickel, DHH Family Engagement Specialist, or CFI Office; telephone: (877) 567-1122
• Technical Assistance Center for Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TAC-DHH) - provides information, training, and technical assistance pertaining to children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Assistance is available to Virginia public school divisions, including early childhood special education and early intervention programs, through the Virginia Network of Consultants for Professionals (VNOC) -Professionals Working with Children Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 
  • Contact: Tracey Yurechko, Project Director at (804) 828-1342
• The Virginia Hearing Aid Loan Bank program loans hearing aids and hearing assistive technology to eligible children in Virginia whose hearing loss is confirmed by an audiologist. Devices are loaned at no cost for up to six months while families and school divisions are waiting for a permanent device to arrive.
  • Contact: Sandra Woodward, Program Director, or Vertie Wade, Business Manager; telephone: (434) 924-0222
• The Virginia Deafblind Project (VDBP) -provides technical assistance, training, distance education, and networking information to service providers and to families of children and young adults (birth to age 21) with deafblindness and dual sensory disabilities.
  • Contact: Dr. Ira Padhye, Project Director, at (804) 828-2052
• The Accessible Instructional Materials Center of Virginia (AIM-VA) developed an extensive library and alternative system for providing accessible educational media under standards set by federal law to students who meet the federal requirements for print disabilities and who are eligible for accessing educational media through an Individualized Education Program. The AIM-VA Center, in conjunction with partnering agencies, provides required accessible educational materials to students and training for school division staff at no cost to local educational agencies.
  • Contact: AIM-VA Help Desk; telephone: (888) 496-0252

Professional Education and Training Programs

• Radford University Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program offers the only academic program in Virginia leading to teacher licensure in Special Education–Deaf and Hard of Hearing PreK-12. Radford offers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate options that prepare individuals to serve children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing across all educational settings. Courses are delivered through a combination of on-campus instruction and distance education. The comprehensive curriculum includes communication and instructional approaches commonly used with deaf and hard of hearing learners. Tuition assistance is available for qualified Virginia educators. 
  • Contact: Karen Stinson, Deaf/Hard of Hearing program Faculty; telephone: (540) 831-5549
• Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Visual Impairment (VI Consortium)is the only academic program in Virginia for teacher preparation leading to Virginia teacher licensure with an endorsement in Special Education-Visual Impairment PreK-12. Classes are offered through combined on-campus, video, and web conferencing through George Mason University, Old Dominion University, and Radford University. Tuition assistance is available for qualified Virginia teachers.
  
  • Contact: Dr. Kimberly Avila, Coordinator, telephone: (703) 993-5625
• The VDOE Educational Interpreter Services and Training is supported with grant funding from the VDOE to assist Virginia educational interpreters and cued language transliterators with acquiring and maintaining the required skills and qualifications to work with children who are deaf and hard of hearing in Virginia public schools. Free regional workshops and mentoring support are available.
  • Contact Becky Hillegass, Region 2 Interpreter Training Grant Coordinator; telephone: (757) 319-2657

  American Sign Language-English Interpretation programs/courses are offered at the following Virginia community colleges and universities:

  • Liberty University; telephone: (434) 582-2064
  • Northern Virginia Community College; telephone: (703) 323-3192
  • Radford University (ASL courses only); telephone: (540) 831-5549
  • Reynolds Community College; telephone: (804) 523-5604
  • Tidewater Community College; telephone: (757) 214-6157 

For questions regarding this guidance, contact Amy Scott, Coordinator of Sensory Disabilities and Supports, at (804) 418-4724.

Revised: October 2025