The CDBA Competency Framework describes standards for intervenors working with individuals with deafblindness, which can be used to support consistent, high quality deafblind intervention practices. It reflects the characteristics of Canadian-developed expertise, philosophy and values, as well as knowledge and skills developed across the international field of deafblind intervention.
The Competency Framework can be used by:
• Trainers of intervenors with individuals who are deafblind, to guide professional development programs and activities. The Framework can also serve as a support for practicum supervisors.
• Employers of intervenors, to assess the organization’s program delivery strengths and indicate areas for further development. The Framework can be an effective tool for discussion with employees.
• Intervenors, to evaluate their own knowledge and skills and identify areas where they may want to develop further proficiency. The Competency Framework is organized into ten standards, or categories, with a total of 133 competencies.
The competencies are divided between:
• Core Competencies: general knowledge and skills required for effective intervention for individuals with deafblindness
• Individual Specific Competencies: knowledge and skills that pertain to working with a specific individual, primarily one who is congenitally deafblind and/or an emergent communicator
The Competency Framework provides a foundation for other tools to be developed by CDBA, such as an inventory of training resources, a portfolio format for intervenors to summarize their skills and other training materials.
Developed by a CDBA committee of members who are trainers, the CDBA Competency Framework draws on work done by a number of other organizations, including SKI-HI Institute, the National Technical Assistance Consortium, and Texas Deaf-Blind Project. Responses to the Canadian field test in 2006 made an important contribution to the final Competency Framework.
Approved by the CDBA National Board (November 2009)