Helen Keller Education Act
H.R. 9196
Many children who are deafblind in this country are NOT receiving a Free and Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE). The Helen Keller Education Act will help alleviate this problem by recognizing the
critical role that Interveners play in providing access for these children in educational settings.
Helen Keller, perhaps the most well-known individual with deafblindness, had the constant one-to-one services of Anne Sullivan who provided Helen with clear and consistent access to information about people and things in her environment and who taught her to communicate. This was critical to Helen’s ability to learn, interact, and function in the world. Just as Helen Keller received this service from Anne Sullivan, so can children who are deafblind receive services from Interveners, individuals with training and specialized skills in deafblindness.
Intervener Services
For children and youth who are deafblind, access to learning, communication, and interaction is not available because of their combined vision and hearing loss. This is a critical problem because the natural flow of visual and auditory information is blocked, distorted, and/or inconsistent for these children. An Intervener would provide access by being a bridge to the world. It would be unthinkable to deny a deaf child their right to an interpreter who provides access for him to language and communication. No one would argue that a child in a wheelchair has the right to a ramp that would give him access to his school. Yet children who are deafblind are denied this access in educational settings every day. According to the December 1, 2024 National Child Count, there are 11,214 children and youth who are deafblind ages birth through 21 years in this country. Of those children only 9% are receiving Intervener Services.
The Helen Keller Education Act
Intervener Services are an integral component of the Helen Keller Education Act. This act states that Intervener Services be listed as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). FAPE can be provided with the support of an Intervener who provides access to learning and interaction in educational environments. Just as Interpreter Services are listed as a Related Service under IDEA for children who are deaf/hard of hearing, so should Intervener Services be designated as a Related Service for children who are deafblind.
“My daughter who is deafblind had struggled in school for 11 years. When I asked for an intervener, my district said ‘no.’ In order to get her intervener services, I had to enroll her in a private school setting. There, my daughter finally began making progress accessing her world, increasing her learning, and forming relationships with peers. As a parent of a child with deafblindness, I strongly support the Helen Keller Education Act.”
To learn more about the Helen Keller Education Act, or to co-sponsor, please contact
michael.hamilton@mail.house.gov in Rep. McGarvey’s office.
To learn more about the National Intervener & Advocate Association, please contact Linda Alsop, linda.alsop@usu.edu.
2024 National Deafblind Child Count Report
National Center on Deafblindness 2025
The number of children receiving intervener services rose from 889 (9%) in 2023
to 976 (9%) in 2024, although the overall percentage remained the same.
|
State |
Number on Dec 1, 2024 Count Number on Dec 1, 2024 Count |
Number Receiving Intervener Services |
|
Alabama |
281 |
10 |
|
Alaska |
25 |
0 |
|
Arizona |
246 |
23 |
|
Arkansas |
245 |
22 |
|
California |
1,050 |
72 |
|
Colorado |
163 |
18 |
|
Connecticut |
68 |
28 |
|
Delaware |
65 |
3 |
|
District of Columbia |
24 |
4 |
|
Florida |
615 |
7 |
|
Georgia |
346 |
8 |
|
Hawaii |
52 |
0 |
|
Idaho |
75 |
2 |
|
Illinois |
221 |
3 |
|
Indiana |
229 |
19 |
|
Iowa |
120 |
4 |
|
Kansas |
133 |
16 |
|
Kentucky |
192 |
5 |
|
Louisiana |
148 |
3 |
|
Maine |
56 |
15 |
|
Maryland |
244 |
31 |
|
Massachusetts |
273 |
27 |
|
Michigan |
324 |
20 |
|
Minnesota |
311 |
102 |
|
Mississippi |
109 |
0 |
|
Missouri |
255 |
41 |
|
Montana |
42 |
2 |
|
Nebraska |
90 |
12 |
|
Nevada |
120 |
7 |
|
New Hampshire |
87 |
14 |
|
New Jersey |
203 |
5 |
|
New Mexico |
136 |
0 |
|
New York |
509 |
8 |
|
North Carolina |
446 |
69 |
|
North Dakota |
42 |
3 |
|
Ohio |
374 |
43 |
|
Oklahoma |
186 |
6 |
|
Oregon |
106 |
2 |
|
Pacific Basin |
55 |
0 |
|
Pennsylvania |
569 |
83 |
|
Puerto Rico |
42 |
0 |
|
Rhode Island |
38 |
0 |
|
South Carolina |
173 |
3 |
|
South Dakota |
43 |
9 |
|
Tennessee |
264 |
5 |
|
Texas |
879 |
106 |
|
Utah |
134 |
46 |
|
Vermont |
48 |
8 |
|
Virgin Islands |
17 |
0 |
|
Virginia |
180 |
16 |
|
Washington |
316 |
21 |
|
West Virginia |
60 |
12 |
|
Wisconsin |
146 |
13 |
|
Wyoming |
39 |
0 |
|
Totals |
11,214 |
976 |
National Center on Deafblindness. (2025). 2024 National deafblind child count report. https://www.nationaldb.org/media/doc/2024_National_Deafblind_Child_Count_Report_a.pdf