Celebrating Deaf Awareness Month: A Deafblind Client finds His Niche Thanks to Assistance from GVRA

Alex Foster, a resident of St. Marys, Georgia, has always had a zest for life. Born prematurely at just 23 weeks, Alex came into the world as a Deafblind individual. With help from special education teachers, GVRA counselors, staff at the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project, and his parents, Alex navigated the public school system in Camden County. He successfully completed his coursework and enjoyed participating in numerous extracurricular activities.

At age 14, Alex began receiving pre-Employment Transition Services (pre-ETS) offered through GVRA. The job exploration component of pre-ETS offerings appealed to Alex. Initially, he considered employment in arts and crafts. His GVRA counselor at the time discouraged Alex from pursuing the arts and instead steered him toward machine operation. 

A representative from the Helen Keller National Center traveled from New York to Georgia to perform a specialized assessment on Alex. During his last two years of high school, GVRA conducted regular meetings that included Alex, his family members, his high school counselors and teachers, and staff from Easter Seals Southern Georgia. Easter Seals Southern Georgia is a contracted provider for GVRA. 

The purpose of the meetings was to determine which work tasks would be suitable for Alex. His pre-ETS were experimental in nature and allowed him to communicate not only through signing but also through his behaviors. The goal was to prepare Alex for work that did not require excessive prompting from a job coach or caregiver. 

Once all entities agreed on a preferred employment goal, GVRA’s Assistive Work Technology (AWT) team, Sensory Services team, Supported Employment team, Transition Team, and representatives from the Hellen Keller National Center worked alongside Alex and his family to ensure he received appropriate support needs, tools, and services, according to GVRA Transition Manager Rebecca Williamson. 

Alex Redefines Productivity for Individuals without Hearing or Vision

During the summer in between his junior and senior years, Alex discovered he liked to shred documents. He worked at the Camden County Board of Education administrative office that summer. “Alex would go up and down the hallways collecting papers that needed to be shredded,” Diane said. “He was drawn to the vibration of the machine---the tactile sensations.” 

GVRA’s AWT division was instrumental in helping Alex pursue his goal of becoming a document shredder. Lakisha Wilborn, an occupational therapist based in GVRA’s Savannah office, says Alex benefitted from a robust support system as a high school student. Alex received support from his special education teacher, paraprofessional, and staff in the counselor’s office. He communicates using tactile sign language, which means he exhibits hand-over-hand sign language when communicating with others. His method of communication had to be reflected in his technology supports.

Wilborn affirmed shredding would be an excellent option for Alex because he receives tactile feedback from the shredding device. She also noted a requirement to place items he needs to perform his duties within his reach. The AWT division provided Alex with a shredder based on size, safety features, and tactile feedback. AWT also provided a cart for him to use to transport documents. The cart holds modular boxes with lids to compartmentalize his supplies. Wilborn used repetitive prompting techniques with Alex so he could become comfortable shredding documents by himself. 

To perform his job effectively, Wilborn realized Alex would need a horizontal machine. “The horizontal shredder provides a landing for the paper prior to the paper being fed into the shredding interface,” she stated. The benefit of the interface, which is like a feeder, is that Alex can feel the area without being in danger of placing his fingers too far into the machine. With the help of a coach, Alex memorized the number of steps that are required to navigate his work area. 

Customized Employment Enables Alex to Thrive  

“Alex and I are grateful to Danielle Womack-Sampson, a deaf/hard-of-hearing counselor in GVRA’s Savannah office,” said Diane. “Her involvement with Alex has been wonderful! She was not afraid to assist a client who is Deafblind. Her energetic approach is amazing; she has truly been an angel.”

Womack-Sampson worked closely with an employer to arrange customized employment for Alex. To ensure a successful relationship, the counselor negotiates job duties with the employer. This process differs from traditional demand-side hiring during which job duties are determined by the employer prior to seeking employees. Through customized employment, one individual is matched with a specific job. 

In 2024, the owner of a payroll and bookkeeping business in St. Marys hired Alex as a part-time document shredder. Diane drives Alex to the job site and works alongside him during his two-hour shift. Alex moves around his work area through touch. When he completes his shift, he vacuums his area and disposes of trash. Alex is doing such a great job that other nearby businesses are bringing documents they need shredded to the payroll company so Alex can be their shredder too. 

Alex enjoys many activities outside of his document-shredding job. At 23 years old, he is always on the go. Alex likes to swim and to go bowling. Additionally, he has developed a side interest in making air fresheners for cars. He sells his air fresheners at festivals throughout the community.

“I am thrilled to know Alex is excelling in his role as a document shredder,” Williamson shared. “He is becoming more independent in completing his tasks, thereby minimizing the need for Customized Supported Employment job coaching. Alex has transitioned from receiving vocational rehabilitation services to ‘Successfully Employed.’ He does, however, receive ongoing supports from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) through an adult-services Medicaid waiver,” she continued.   

Alex’s Mom Sings the Praises of GVRA---“I’m a Megaphone for this Agency” 

A disability advocate, Diane is employed part-time by the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project as a family engagement coordinator. The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project, or GSAP, is housed at the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College of Education. GSAP is Georgia’s designated Deafblind technical assistance project. In addition, she is a part-time parent mentor at Camden County High School in Kingsland, Georgia. “It does take a village to raise a child,” Diane said. “When speaking to parents, I always tell them, ‘If you’re actively involved, your child will be successful.’ That’s my motto.” 

When asked if she would recommend GVRA’s services to others, Diane says she is a cheerleader for GVRA. “As a family engagement coordinator for GSAP and as a parent mentor, I know how complex the process of securing services can be. When I counsel families, I point out resources that may be helpful,” she explained. “GVRA is one of those valuable resources. Yes, I would rate GVRA a 10 out of 10. I am a GVRA megaphone!”

Alex has developed a marketable skillset and enjoys shredding, according to Sarah Brausch, manager of the bookkeeping company. “We love watching Alex excel. Dedicating our support to him is crucial, and we are grateful to be part of his journey,” she said. “Alex is fabulous! I cannot wait to see the bright future that lies ahead for him.”  

[Editor’s Note: This story highlights the employment success of Alex Foster, a GVRA Deafblind client. Our September story coincides with National Deaf Awareness Month. While Alex is delighted to be featured in the GVRA success story series, he has asked his mother to be his spokesperson. Hence, the following story is told from the perspective of his primary caregiver, Diane Foster.]

Related to: 

• Success Story