The annual National Deafblind Child Count is the world's first and longest-running count of children who are deafblind. Begun in 1986 on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, it represents a collaborative effort between the National Center on Deafblindness (NCDB) and state deafblind projects throughout the country, including those in the Pacific Trust territories, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The annual child count helps identify state and national technical assistance needs for children who are deafblind, their families, and the providers and systems that serve them. Each year, state deafblind projects capture a point-in-time count of the number of children eligible for project services on December 1 as well as information about the special education services those children receive under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B or C. IDEA Part C covers early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities. IDEA Part B covers children and youth ages 3-21. The official count used in this report is the number of children eligible for state deafblind project services on December 1. NCDB provides technical assistance to the state projects to help them conduct their counts and compiles the data into this national report.