USAID’s Gabay: Strengthening Inclusive Education for Blind/Deaf Children project, implemented in partnership with the Department of Education and Resources for Blind, Inc., will work with local governments in the provinces of Batangas, Sorsogon, and Southern Leyte, to identify children from kindergarten to grade three with vision and hearing impairments, so that they can receive literacy support early-on. Through the project, USAID and RBI will provide services to children with visual and hearing impairments and improve teachers’ abilities to prepare and deliver appropriate learning plans.
STS will support RBI to measure its efforts to improve the quality of educational services for children with vision and hearing impairments. STS will design, pilot, and oversee the baseline and endline administration of an early grade reading and sign language assessment for kindergarten to Grade 3 learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. Additionally, STS will design a school needs assessment to be implemented by RBI that will aid in identifying focus areas for the Gabay project.