Barbara B. Mason

Deafblind Program

Education Director

Barbara Mason has been the Education Director of the Deafblind Program at Perkins for 17 years and a professional in the education of blind, visually impaired and deafblind since 1969. She is responsible for the coordination of the educational, vocational and transition services for students who are deafblind, ages 3-22. She worked as a teacher and consultant in private and public schools for many years. She was previously Supervisor of the Adult Services Program at Perkins.

Barbara also serves as Project Director of the New England Center Deafblind Project and has overall responsibility for the implementation of this federally funded grant under the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. This grant provides technical assistance and training in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire to develop quality education programs for children who are deafblind.

In addition, Barbara was the Project Co-director for "A Communication Competency Model for Educational Teams Working with Children and Youth who are Deafblind," a collaborative project between the New England Center Deafblind Project and the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Barbara is a member of key professional organizations dealing with special education and has developed numerous workshop presentations, speeches and professional papers. She is actively involved in national and international organizations. She currently serves as a Council member of DbI, Deafblind International. She holds a master's degree in Special Education of Deafblind Children from Boston College (1972), and is a graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital Language Clinic in Boston. She received her bachelor of arts degree in Geography and Political Science from Vassar College.