DEAF-BLIND
Definition
-
According to Carmen Williams, from the website Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, the definition of deaf-blindness is, "Deaf-blindness refers to a combination of hearing and vision loss. Most students who are deafblind are not completely deaf or blind, but have some degree of hearing and vision loss" (Williams).
-
Another definition comes from The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), who 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” ("The Definition of ‘Deaf-Blindness’ in Special Education").
What Causes Deaf-Blindess?
-
Genetic Conditions
Usher Syndrome: Child is either born deaf, hard of hearing, or regular hearing, but later on in life will lose both vision and hearing.
-
Birth Trauma
Premature, Childbirth complications, or multiple congenital syndromes
-
Illness or Injury
Stroke, Meningitis, or Head Trauma
How Common Is It? & When Does it Manifest?
-
Deaf-blindness usually manifests between birth and 21 years old.
-
Almost half of the children diagnosed in 2016 were between birth and 5 years old.
-
The overall average age is about 12 years old.
-
In a study conducted in December of 2016 by the National Center on Deaf-Blindness, "the total number of children and youth served during the year also increased from 10,671 to 10,749" (
Therefore, from this study, dead-blindness is gradually becoming more common in children and youth.
Instructional Strategies for the Classroom
Helpful Websites for Support
-
file:///Users/sami/Downloads/EIandR_SAG_IL_Mar_2018.pdf
-
Interpreter
-
Support Service Providers (SSP)
SSP's are trained professionals who assist people with deaf-blindness with their environment. They provide environmental information, guide services, and communication accessibility.
They are not interpreters.
They break down communication barriers, which reduces social isolation from occurring.
-
Sign Language
-
Small Group Work
Students with deaf-blindness learn best by what they do, so if they have to wait for others in a larger group to participate, there is a lot of wasted time that the student is not learning anything.
-
Balanced Interaction
By making interactions with student balanced, it encourages them to be responsive to you and others. For example, "my turn, your turn." Directive instruction will make the student not want to be responsive" (Moss).
-
Curriculum Focused On Interactions and Routines
This will allow the student to expand the frequency and function of their communication with others.
Research on Deaf-Blindness
-
Outcomes for Children With Deaf-Blindness With Cochlear Implants: A Multisite Observational Study
This study was conducted on children between the ages of 6 months and 8 years old, who have a dual sensory impairment and cochlear implant(s) in order to evaluate their language skills.
Outcome: "Children with lower developmental ages tended to obtain lower expressive language skills..."
-
Deaf-blindness: Voices of mothers concerning leisure-time physical activity and coping with disability
This study examined mothers who have children with deaf-blindness, in regards to their beliefs on leisure-time activities and their benefits.
Outcome: The "perceived" needs of children with deaf-blindness are: "structure of life; coactive engagement; happiness and well-being; doing "normal things"; appropriate support and services; and appropriate communication.
-
Intervention Program in Deaf-blind Students: An Educational Plan for Body Schema Awareness
-
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1fd9/8e869925785a41dc2199f66ebba8e92573f4.pdf
This study wanted to create an interventional educational plan for students with deaf-blindness who has difficulties with body schema awareness.
Outcome: "...communication and concept development, together with the student’s autonomy should be promoted when teaching this student population."
References
“About Deafblindness.” Deafblind International, www.deafblindinternational.org/about-us/about-deafblindness/.
Axler, Jenny. “Deafblind Technology Solutions.” Perkins ELearning, www.perkinselearning.org/videos/webinar/deafblind- technology-solutions.
Here!, Help is, and Sharon Silver. “The Word 'Deaf' in Sign Language.” Signing Families, signingfamilies.com/for- emergency-responders/afn-considerations/the-word-deaf-in-sign-language/.
McCann, JoAnn. “Early Identification and Referral Self-Assessment Guide.”
Moss, Kate. “SEE/HEAR.” Jan. 1995, www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/archive/strategies.html.
“NCDB: National Center on Deaf-Blindness.” NCDB: National Center on Deaf-Blindness, nationaldb.org/.
Sterbova, Dana, and Martin Kudlacek. “Deaf-Blindness: Voices of Mothers Concerning Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Coping with Disability.” Acta Gymnica, vol. 44, no. 4, 2014, pp. 193–201., doi:10.5507/ag.2014.020.
"The Definition of ‘Deaf-Blindness’ in Special Education.” Special Education Guide, www.specialeducationguide.com/disability-profiles/deaf-blindness/.
“Upport Service Providers (SSP) Are the Eyes and Ears for Deaf-Blind People.” The American Association of the Deaf- Blind (AADB), 26 Mar. 2012, aadb.org/SSP.html.
Wiley, Susan, et al. “Outcomes for Children With Deaf-Blindness With Cochlear Implants.” Otology & Neurotology, vol. 34, no.3, 2013, pp. 507–515., doi:10.1097/mao.0b013e31828916da.
Williams, Carmen. “Deaf-Blind Resources.” Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/deaf-blind-resources.html.
Wolford, Melinda. “A School Psychologist’s Uide to Deafblindness: Identifying & Supporting Students with Combined Hearing-Vision Loss.” 2016.
Zeza, Maria, and Pilios D. Stavrou. “Perceiving The Concept Of Time Through The Use Of Tactile Time Sequence Cards: An Educational Plan Of Intervention For Deaf-Blind Students.” EDULEARN16 Proceedings, 2016, doi:10.21125/edulearn.2016.0499.