Lisa Wadge's Deaf-Blindness Presentation
Deaf-blindness
Definition and Characteristics
· IDEA defines “deaf-blindness” as concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
· According to the 2012 National Deaf-Blind Child Count, close to 10,000 of children under age 21 are deaf-blind. Over 90% of these children live at home with their families.
· The term “deaf-blindness” does not necessarily mean that a person cannot hear or see at all. The term actually describes a person who has some degree of loss in both vision and hearing. The amount of loss in either vision or hearing will vary from person to person, and is often accompanied by other physical or cognitive disabilities.
· Although some people are born with both hearing and vision loss, many individuals develop this condition later in life. For instance, someone born not being able to hear may develop limited sight later in life, or vice versa.
· About 50 percent of people in the deaf-blind community have Usher Syndrome. This is a genetic condition where a person is born deaf or hard of hearing, or with normal hearing, and loses his or her vision later on in life from retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Other common causes of deaf-blindness include birth trauma, optic nerve atrophy, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy. Others may become deaf-blind through accidents or illnesses.
Learning Strategies
· Since sight and hearing limitations vary, the first step for anyone working with a student with deaf-blindness is to talk to the student and family to ask about the student’s specific limitations and what communication system is already used in the home or prior classes.
· Various communication assistance can be used in a classroom depending on the students hearing and sight limitations. These include the following:
o Assistive Listening Devices to increase the volume and clarity of speech for those students with some hearing.
o Large print books and computer programs for those with limited vision.
o Interpreters who relay information to and from the student in a classroom. The type of interpreting will depend on the student’s needs and may be oral, visual (sign language at close proximity for those with some vision), or tactile (including hand to hand sign language).
· Reading material used in class may also need modifications for students who are deaf-blind. Alternate formats can include conversion to large print text, braille or audiotape, depending on the student’s needs. Conversion needs to be done ahead of time to have materials available for the student in class. Publishers of textbooks are required by law to have alternative formats available to all readers. Computer conversion programs exist as well.
· Other classroom activities such as the use of small groups, oral presentations, and use of audiovisual tools need to be altered for children with deaf-blindness as well. Interpreters can often be helpful in these situations.
· Physical classroom set up may also need to be taken into consideration, including space for interpreters or guide dogs and lighting issues for those with limited vision.
· Technology – There have been huge advances in technology available to those with deaf-blindness recently. Computerized and portable braille communicators can facilitate one on one communication. Programs that can communicate between computers or phones and braille communicators make getting on the internet or talking with a hearing friend on the phone a possibility. These devices and programs are expensive however, and not available to everyone with deaf-blindness, though a recent federal program is helping to provide these devices to those in need who are low income. Perhaps they will soon be readily available for classrooms as well.
More about Deaf-blindness:
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/deafblindness/ - Center for Parent Information and Resources. Great general information on deaf-blindness and links to other organizations specializing in this condition. Also has information on how to find local resources.
http://www.aadb.org/FAQ/faq_DeafBlindness.html - American Association for the Deaf-Blind. Great general information and review of communication options for those who are deaf-blind.
http://www.deafblind.com/index.html - Written by a man with deaf-blindness in the UK. Good general info, resources, and insight into the life of someone dealing with this condition. Lots of information on new technology.
http://www.hknc.org/ - Hellen Keller National Center for Deaf Blind Youths and Adults. Good up to date information on resources and support for those dealing with deaf-blindness.
Resources for Teachers
http://wwwcms.hutchcc.edu/uploadedFiles/Student_Resources/Disability_Services/tpshtdb.pdf - NETAC (Northeast Technical Assistance Center) developed this teacher tip sheet for including children with deaf-blindness. It includes common communication methods and technology, tips for modifying lessons and physical classroom space.
State deaf-blind projects. Find yours at the National Center on Deaf-Blindness.
https://nationaldb.org/members/list?+Project
AADB (American Association of the Deaf-Blind) provides a listing of state and local organizations for deaf-blind people and also a listing of service and rehabilitation agencies around the country. http://www.aadb.org/resources/resources.html
Definition and Characteristics
· IDEA defines “deaf-blindness” as concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
· According to the 2012 National Deaf-Blind Child Count, close to 10,000 of children under age 21 are deaf-blind. Over 90% of these children live at home with their families.
· The term “deaf-blindness” does not necessarily mean that a person cannot hear or see at all. The term actually describes a person who has some degree of loss in both vision and hearing. The amount of loss in either vision or hearing will vary from person to person, and is often accompanied by other physical or cognitive disabilities.
· Although some people are born with both hearing and vision loss, many individuals develop this condition later in life. For instance, someone born not being able to hear may develop limited sight later in life, or vice versa.
· About 50 percent of people in the deaf-blind community have Usher Syndrome. This is a genetic condition where a person is born deaf or hard of hearing, or with normal hearing, and loses his or her vision later on in life from retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Other common causes of deaf-blindness include birth trauma, optic nerve atrophy, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy. Others may become deaf-blind through accidents or illnesses.
Learning Strategies
· Since sight and hearing limitations vary, the first step for anyone working with a student with deaf-blindness is to talk to the student and family to ask about the student’s specific limitations and what communication system is already used in the home or prior classes.
· Various communication assistance can be used in a classroom depending on the students hearing and sight limitations. These include the following:
o Assistive Listening Devices to increase the volume and clarity of speech for those students with some hearing.
o Large print books and computer programs for those with limited vision.
o Interpreters who relay information to and from the student in a classroom. The type of interpreting will depend on the student’s needs and may be oral, visual (sign language at close proximity for those with some vision), or tactile (including hand to hand sign language).
· Reading material used in class may also need modifications for students who are deaf-blind. Alternate formats can include conversion to large print text, braille or audiotape, depending on the student’s needs. Conversion needs to be done ahead of time to have materials available for the student in class. Publishers of textbooks are required by law to have alternative formats available to all readers. Computer conversion programs exist as well.
· Other classroom activities such as the use of small groups, oral presentations, and use of audiovisual tools need to be altered for children with deaf-blindness as well. Interpreters can often be helpful in these situations.
· Physical classroom set up may also need to be taken into consideration, including space for interpreters or guide dogs and lighting issues for those with limited vision.
· Technology – There have been huge advances in technology available to those with deaf-blindness recently. Computerized and portable braille communicators can facilitate one on one communication. Programs that can communicate between computers or phones and braille communicators make getting on the internet or talking with a hearing friend on the phone a possibility. These devices and programs are expensive however, and not available to everyone with deaf-blindness, though a recent federal program is helping to provide these devices to those in need who are low income. Perhaps they will soon be readily available for classrooms as well.
More about Deaf-blindness:
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/deafblindness/ - Center for Parent Information and Resources. Great general information on deaf-blindness and links to other organizations specializing in this condition. Also has information on how to find local resources.
http://www.aadb.org/FAQ/faq_DeafBlindness.html - American Association for the Deaf-Blind. Great general information and review of communication options for those who are deaf-blind.
http://www.deafblind.com/index.html - Written by a man with deaf-blindness in the UK. Good general info, resources, and insight into the life of someone dealing with this condition. Lots of information on new technology.
http://www.hknc.org/ - Hellen Keller National Center for Deaf Blind Youths and Adults. Good up to date information on resources and support for those dealing with deaf-blindness.
Resources for Teachers
http://wwwcms.hutchcc.edu/uploadedFiles/Student_Resources/Disability_Services/tpshtdb.pdf - NETAC (Northeast Technical Assistance Center) developed this teacher tip sheet for including children with deaf-blindness. It includes common communication methods and technology, tips for modifying lessons and physical classroom space.
State deaf-blind projects. Find yours at the National Center on Deaf-Blindness.
https://nationaldb.org/members/list?+Project
AADB (American Association of the Deaf-Blind) provides a listing of state and local organizations for deaf-blind people and also a listing of service and rehabilitation agencies around the country. http://www.aadb.org/resources/resources.html