Gabay

Gabay (Guide): Strengthening Inclusive Education for Blind/Deaf Children

Gabay is a USAID-funded project implemented by Resources for the Blind, Inc. (RBI) that sought to expand access to quality education for Filipino children with visual and hearing impairments, including children who are deaf, blind, and deaf-blind. Working in partnership with the Philippines Department of Education and local governments in Batangas, Sorsogon, and Southern Leyte, the project focused on identifying children from kindergarten through grade three early and connecting them to literacy support. Gabay strengthened the ability of health workers and service providers to detect children’s needs, supported teachers to deliver appropriate learning plans, and helped communities and local governments respond more effectively to the needs of children with disabilities.

STS played a key technical role in ensuring that Gabay’s impact on children with hearing impairments was measured accurately and inclusively. As a subcontractor to RBI, STS led the design, development, and analysis of early grade reading and sign language assessments tailored to this specific population. The work began with a needs assessment administered in all intervention schools, which helped identify how sign language was used, how children were screened, and where schools needed additional support. STS analyzed these findings and translated them into clear recommendations that directly informed the design of new reading and sign language assessment tools.

Building on this foundation, STS worked closely with Gabay, USAID/Philippines, and local stakeholders to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment tools. Through a collaborative adaptation workshop, STS guided educators, researchers, and members of the Deaf community in reviewing, testing, and finalizing assessment tasks in both sign language and English reading. STS then trained mixed teams of deaf and hearing enumerators, oversaw pilot testing across multiple regions, and used the results to refine the tools. These efforts ensured that the assessments were both technically sound and respectful of how children with hearing impairments communicate and learn.

Across the life of the project, STS supported baseline, midterm, and endline evaluations, providing training, remote oversight of data collection, and rigorous analysis of student outcomes. Findings from these evaluations helped Gabay understand what was working, where adjustments were needed, and how student learning changed over time. STS also developed additional tools, including a Filipino Sign Language Visual Communication and Sign Language checklist and a student questionnaire, and provided ongoing technical support on monitoring tools. Together, this work helped Gabay generate credible evidence on learning outcomes while strengthening local capacity to serve children with disabilities more effectively.

Dates: 2019 – 2024