WESPDHH Outreach provides a variety of programs and services to students who are deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind, their families and the educational teams and school districts that serve them, regardless of the student's educational placement or communication modality.

• Services for Birth to 3 Programs and School Districts....Our specialized Outreach staff can provide consultation to Birth to 3 programs and school districts to assist in supporting the educational needs of a student. To determine student needs, our staff will observe students in their educational and/or home setting, conduct formal and informal assessments, and will provide written recommendations as well as support to the IEP or IFSP team. In-services and workshops can also be provided based on individual student needs and/or on topics pertinent to education of children who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind.

• Services for Professionals...Visit our resource / lending library to borrow materials, or take advantage of a variety of workshops and conferences, including Summer Institute (August) and our Professional Pre-Conference (March). Educational interpreters can sign up for our Educational Interpreter Mentoring Program, with a focus on building skills to improve EIPA scores. Also, the Wisconsin Deafblind Technical Assistance Project (WDBTAP) can be accessed through WESP-DHH Outreach and can provide support and technical assistance specific to the needs of students who are deafblind.

• Services for Families....Participate in our parent-to-parent matching program (Guide-By-Your-Side), learn visual communication and sign language through our Deaf Mentor Program, support your child’s auditory abilities through HELP (an in-Home Early Listening Program) or attend our annual Statewide Family Conference. For families that need hearing aids, WISHES, a hearing aid loan program, can provide 6-month loans of equipment if your child is referred by their audiologist.

• Services for Students....Students can participate in our pen pals program (Distant Pals) or attend various retreats, such as Teen Getaway Weekend, specifically designed for high school students who are hard of hearing, deaf or deafblind and Teen Getaway Jr., designed for middle school students. Also available to high school students are unique deafness-related courses through Distance Learning, including the Deaf Studies curriculum.

Questions, comments or feedback regarding any Outreach service may be directed to:
Outreach Director Marcy Dicker at 262-787-9540 voice; 866-552-7792 videophone; or toll free 888-656-8556
Office Associate Karen Waite at 262-787-9533 voice; or toll free: 888-656-8556