An evaluation of the education program and admissions procedures in the deaf-multihandicapped unit at Camarillo State Hospital using the California School for the Deaf, Riverside deaf-multihandicapped evaluative criteria

The purpose of this project was to evaluate a relatively new program for the deaf multihandicapped using an evaluative model from an e stablished program. Practices in a state hospital differed slightly from those in a state residential school. Data were gathered as follows: (1) A questionnaire was obtained from the California School for the Deaf, Riverside which was divided into thirteen headings, with questions under each heading, (2) Each question elicited a reply from personnel at Camarillo State Hospital, (3) Each reply was accompanied by an observation by the author , who interned in the Camarillo program for three days, and (4) After review of each reply, Dr Robert Lennan, Assistant Superintendent , Deaf-Multihandicapped Unit, California School for the Deaf, Riverside, wrote a recommendation for each answer. Dr. Lennann followed the criteria of the Deaf-Multihandicapped Unit at Riverside except where it was not applicable due to the different laws and regulations of the Department of Health vs. the State Department of Education. The NOT APPLICABLE recommendations are indicated by the word "None". Evaluation gains importance as programs recognize the need to monitor activities and to initiate change. The author was gratified to learn that this project was used as the basis for substantive change in the program at Camarillo State Hospital.