Deaf/Blind Intervenor

Working at the TDSB

Our staff members are the backbone of our system. Becoming a part of the TDSB team means joining a talented community of educators and support staff dedicated to enriching the lives of all diverse students and helping them to achieve success.

The TDSB is one of the largest and most culturally school boards in Canada, with approximately 246,000 students in 584 schools and approximately 40,000 employees. We offer a dynamic, challenging work environment and unmatched career opportunities for our staff. Please review the information provided and explore the exciting career possibilities the TDSB has to offer as we continue to establish ourselves as the leading school board of the new millennium.

The Toronto District School Board adheres to equitable hiring and employment practices. We strive to meet the accommodation needs of persons with disabilities. Applicants are encouraged to make their needs for accommodation known in advance during the application process.

Job Description

The Deaf/Blind Intervenor will act as a communicator/facilitator between a student who is deaf/blind (dual sensory impairment) and his/her environment under the direction of the teacher(s). The Deaf Blind Intervenor forms a vital link in a reactive setting, not as a model or teacher, but as a means of communication and as an aid to interpretation.

• Receive and interpret information for the deaf/blind student
• Relay information on behalf of the deaf/blind student (this may include sign language, hand-over-hand communication, voice, two-handed manual, object reference systems, total communication);
• Communicate in the preferred modality or language of students with deaf/blindness (e.g. ASL, PSE, Sign Support, Oral Communication, braille, FM system)
• Assist the special education teacher(s) in monitoring, intervention and support to meet the health, personal care and safety needs of students (e.g., toileting, lifting and transferring, feeding, approved administration of medication - with training provided) and during non-instructional periods within a variety of school environments;
• Assist the special education teacher(s) in the academic, modified, or accommodated instruction and delivery of alternative curriculum for students with deaf/blindness.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Two year Community College Diploma in related field (e.g. Deaf and Blind Support Specialist Program or Intervenor for deaf/blind persons) plus two years’ experience working with deaf/blind students in an educational setting, or an equivalent combination of education and experience

• Ability to use effective technological devices to assist students

• Skills in alternative forms of communication as required by specific students.

Alternative forms of Communication Qualifications for Specific Assignment

To meet the needs of an individual student, additional qualifications will include one or more of the following:

• American Sign Language (ASL)

• Braille (EBAE uncontracted and contracted braille, UEB uncontracted and contracted braille)

• Two-handed manual alphabet

• Signed Exact English

• Total Communication

• Large Print Notetaking

Additional Information

Rate of Pay:

$39.95 per hour

3.4% statutory holiday pay and 4% vacation pay are added to these rates

Schedule:

Up to 7 hours per day between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm (based on operational requirements)

To support our students and to continue on our roster, replacement staff are required to work a minimum of 60 days during the school year.