Missouri DeafBlind Project (Project) provides two types of technical assistance (TA): focused and comprehensive. A description of each is provided below.

Focused Technical Assistance
Focused technical assistance TA is delivered at a targeted/specific level and is based on the clearly-identified needs of family members, program/school staff, and/or administrators. Focused TA is short-term assistance designed to address a basic, single need or a small number of basic needs, and is delivered via distance technology. This level of TA emphasizes the efficacy of family/professional partnerships in supporting child change and impacting systems.

Comprehensive Technical Assistance
Comprehensive technical assistance TA is delivered at an intensive/sustained level and requires a stable, ongoing negotiated relationship between Project staff and TA recipients. Comprehensive TA can be delivered onsite and/or through distance technology. It includes a purposeful, planned series of activities designed to reach outcomes that are valued by the individual recipients. Family members, program/school staff, and administrators must identify and agree to a set of technical assistance needs to be addressed as part of the TA process. This level of TA should result in changes to practices and/or operations that support increased recipient capacity and/or improved outcomes at one or more systems levels. Evaluation and continuous feedback are integral components of comprehensive TA.
 
Adapted from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Program’s definition of intensive/sustained technical assistance.

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