The term “deafblindness” refers to any combination of vision and hearing losses that impacts an individual’s communication, learning, and/or functioning. Other terms often used to describe deafblindness are “dual sensory impaired” or “dual sensory loss.” Persons affected by deafblindness may or may not be affected by other disabilities. Regardless of other disabilities, individuals with both hearing loss and vision loss are considered persons with deafblindness.
Impact of DeafBlindness
It is widely accepted that about 80% of what we learn is acquired through vision and another 19% is experienced through hearing. When these two major channels are affected, development can be impacted in many areas:
- communication, language, and literacy
- movement and motor skills
- cognitive / intellectual development
- emotional, behavioral, and social skills
- participation in daily living, including recreation and leisure activities
- employment and transition to adult life
Who is DeafBlind?
Since we define deafblindness as any level of hearing loss, from mildly hard of hearing to profoundly deaf, combined with any level of visual impairment from low vision to totally blind–a broad spectrum emerges. When we also consider the additional disabling conditions that affect about 80% of deafblind individuals, the diversity of profiles is amazing. Consider the following examples (excerpted from Miles & Riggio, 1999, Remarkable Conversations):
• A three-year-old boy who is totally blind has a moderately severe hearing loss, apparently normal motor and intellectual abilities, is just beginning to walk on his own, but has not yet learned any expressive language.
• A six-year-old with congenital rubella syndrome who is profoundly deaf, partially sighted, and has behavior disorders attributed to an attention deficit disorder. Intelligence estimates are that she is severely developmentally delayed.
• A 16-year-old girl with profound deafness, visual impairment, and severe cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs. Her intelligence cannot be accurately assessed because of lack of motoric functioning and absence of any consistent accessible language input during the course of her life. She has no apparent receptive or expressive language skills.
• A two-year-old girl who is medically fragile, born prematurely and suffering from prenatal brain hemorrhages, with profound deafness and total blindness, now cared for in a pediatric nursing home.
• A 20-year-old man who is congenitally deaf and adventitiously blind, with above average intelligence; presently educated for a half-day in a special setting for youth who are deafblind and for a second half-day in a mainstream situation in a boys’ preparatory school where he attends classes with the help of a sign language interpreter. He plans to attend college.
Because so many conditions result in combined hearing and vision losses, and many more put children and young adults “at risk” for deafblindness, FAVI specialists can be helpful to families, educators, and teams who have not yet received formal diagnoses of hearing and vision loss. If a parent, teacher, or provider suspects that your child’s multiple disabilities include hearing and vision losses, please contact FAVI to discuss ways we can help.
barbara miles & marianne riggio
"To further understand the individual with deafblindness, we must consider age of onset; any correction (i.e., surgery, lenses, hearing aids etc.); the extent of additional physical and cognitive disabilities; and additional health impairments. These are all factors that will affect the way we think about a child who is deafblind and that will help determine specific strategies we should use for instruction. Whatever specific sensory impairments and additional disabilities a child has, each one who is deafblind will require education by a teacher who has an appreciation of this unique disability. She can then build a relationship with the individual child that will maximize that individual’s connection with other people and situations in the environment."
from Remarkable Conversations : A Guide to Developing Meaningful Communication with Children and Young Adults who are Deafblind, 1999
- Borrow Remarkable Conversations at the Internet Archive’s Open Library online.
- DeafBlindness Overview from National Center on DeafBlindness (NCDB)
Want to learn more?
Talk to us about self-paced or cohort-based, teacher-led professional development using:
Open Hands, Open Access: DeafBlind Intervener Learning Modules,
Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators,
and other resources and publications.
Please contact Shelly Voelker, Education & Training Specialist, to discuss education and training options.