Expanding Access Through Technology and Training

Over the past three years, VDDHH has modernized systems and expanded training and communication tools for Virginians who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind. These highlights represent a few of the ways we’re making a difference.

• SSP College-Credit Training: Virginia now leads the nation with its first college-credit Support Service Provider (SSP) training for DeafBlind individuals—training 36 SSPs and supporting 17 DeafBlind Virginians toward independence.
• Better Communication Outreach: Weekly e-newsletters, QR-based sign-ups, and virtual town halls have modernized stakeholder communications and expanded statewide outreach.
• Faster Equipment Processing: The Technology Assistance Program now processes large equipment orders in under two hours, thanks to a new online portal and database that replaced manual, paper-based systems.
• Interactive Response System: This new system has reduced misdials to Virginia Relay by 89% and cut operating costs by 76%, improving service quality for users.
• Interpreter Quality Standards: Virginia Quality Assurance Screening interpreter standards have been strengthened through new grant support and statewide retraining, ensuring more consistent quality across K–12 classrooms.