Name
Breakout Session 8E: Assessing in the Age of Zoom: Virtual vs. In-Person in Deafblind Assessments
Date & Time
Thursday, July 27, 2023, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Location Name
Room 207
Country of Submission
Canada
Description

To figure out and see, through three different case studies, what can be done virtually and in person in a variety of assessments for DeafBlind purposes. With travel limitations imposed on DeafBlind assessment teams around the world these past few years, some evaluation teams have had to be more creative in the ways we must assess, using the available technology. The goal of this presentation is to study what can be done virtually, and what has to be done in person. Through case studies of different evaluations done in remote areas, we will study then discuss with peers during the presentation what can be done through virtual technology refined during COVID quarantine, and what still needs to be done in person for a good assessment for DeafBlind purposes. With video technologies being more accessible and accepted, some parts of an assessment may be suited to be done at a distance, cutting travel time and costs. In the reality of the franco-ontarian DeafBlind services, the territory is large, and ressources sometimes limited. Raising efficiency in cutting time should not however diminish the quality of the evaluations. Therefore, it is relevant to test and discuss a variety of methods to determine how to use some technology for working remotely when possible, if these do not affect the quality of the assessments.