Deaf-Blindness

The Big Picture8:30-2

April 23

Activity/Reflection

How does this “resonate” for you? What are some questions or

situations you’ve encountered with families where this information would be useful?

How might you use it?

Impact of Deaf-Blindness on Life and Learning

Deafblindness Unique Combination of Risks

– Isolation– Individual instruction very near the person– Reliance upon interpreters & interveners– Limited number & variety of experiences– Limited social experiences and opportunities– Impact on attachment, communication, and

concept development

Many areas of development and growth are impacted by deaf-blindness. Lack of information through the senses is one of the biggest impacts.

Communication, movement, learning, and emotional development are all affected by deaf-blindness

Communication is the central priority because it is necessary for:

– Forming relationships– Interacting with the world– Learning and sharing what you

know– Organizing what you learn and

how you think about it– Getting information about the

world around you

The following is a newspaper advertisement: FOR SALE

1985 Blue Volkswagen Golf Driven only 15 km Only first gear and reverse used Never driven hard Original tires, brakes, fuel and oil Owner wishing to sell due to employment lay-off Photograph attached

Think about 2 things

Number 1: What did you expect before you saw the

picture of the car? Can you think of another time when you

heard or read about someone and found they didn’t match your expectations? How long did you have to know them before you were able to change your expectation about them?

Second: Like the Volkswagen in the ad a person with deaf-blindness may:Be isolated and lonelyBe denied an opportunity to reach their potentialHave few friends or other relationshipsKnow very little about the world around them and the possibilities in that world

Alex just woke up with a messy diaper, too. He has a profound hearing loss, but is able to see faces and brightly colored objects when they are no more than 18 inches away.He doesn't hear his mom come into his room and is surprised to suddenly see someone moving above his crib. Because his diaper is so messy and Alex is not terribly fond of having his diaper changed, Mom decides to change his diaper quickly in his crib so they can get on to doing more playful activities.

Read Alex’ Story

By now, Alex is beginning to recognize his mom from her touch and closeness and is hoping to be picked up to play but suddenly he's confused. "What's happening to my legs? Why am I cold? What's that cold wet thing on my bottom? I don't really like this. Maybe if I squirm away it will stop. Oops, that didn't work, how about if I stiffen up a bit. Still no luck. I guess I'll have to resort to crying. Finally, I'm back in warm dry clothes and Mom is holding me. After all that, though, I'm not sure either of us is in the mood for playing." Taken From: Early Interactions With Children Who Are Deaf-Blind By Deborah Gleason October 2002 Revised http://www.tr.wou.edu/dblink/lib/early.htm

Now read Michelle’s story from the same article

Michelle is fussing because she also just woke up with a messy diaper. Michelle has no vision and a moderate hearing loss. Her mom approaches Michelle's crib and gently places her hand on Michelle's chest to greet her with their special "hello" sign, pauses, then gently brings Michelle's hand up to touch Mom's hair, which is Mom's "name sign." Michelle becomes quiet and reaches out to touch her mom's face.

This has become a special greeting. (She knows it's Mom who's going to pick her up rather than Dad from the feel of Mom's soft hair rather than Dad's rough chin). Michelle feels her mom’s hands gently lifting her under her arms as she says something that sounds like "up." Mom waits until Michelle starts to lift her head to indicate she is ready, then she picks her up.

Michelle wonders what they'll be doing next, then feels the soft terry cloth of her changing table beneath her. She kicks her feet and feels the crumply mylar paper her sister so carefully attached to the foot of the changing table. She relaxes, knowing this is a familiar place. She feels her mom touch her diaper and then feels another clean diaper close to her hand. Michelle grabs it and enjoys crunching it together in her hands while her mom cleans her bottom.

What fun it is to kick the mylar and feel it move without being restricted by all those sleepers and blankets! She feels Mom gently lift under her arms. She hears that sound, "up," again. She relaxes into her mom's shoulder after she's picked her up and they go off to play together.

What is different between Michelle’s and Alex’ experiences?

Both Alex and Mom are frustrated! How could you support this family?

Social Implications of DB

What Do Children with Sensory and Additional Impairments Need

Attachment Communication Access Consistency Motivation Responsiveness Facilitation/Intervention Balance

Social/Emotional Development

Isolation Vulnerability Mindfulness

Interdependence

Isolation

Isolation can be reduced by:– Offering continuous

enriched communication

– Enhancing the environment

– Providing the child with feedback about others’ reactions and actions

Vulnerability

The bond of trust should be understood, respected, valued, and earned

The way a child is approached sets the tone for the whole interaction

Children must have time to understand and experience an activity if it is to be meaningful

Self-stimulation may be communication or an effort to order the world

Mindfulness Openness, flexible thinking,

awareness of possibilities, and openness to information all come from and are aspects of mindfulness

Concrete background information, supplemental learning experiences, and full experience of all aspects of daily life are required

Success can be measured by the extent of the child’s mindfulness

Interdependence

We all need aid or support in life

Caregivers and friends provide opportunity for full and dignified participation in daily life

Interdependence may be heightened, but it is not unique to the child with deaf/blindness

Concepts and Skills

We often teach skills but neglect concepts

Concepts must be taught Concept development

– Things (objects, people, etc.) exist

– Things have permanence– Things differ from each other– Things have names– Things have characteristics– Things (including people)

have use and functions

Building Concepts

Use activities that are meaningful and enjoyable

Attach communication and language to all efforts to teach concepts and skills

Build on communications that are known to the child, using total communication (touch, concrete objects, spoken language, signs, pictures, and symbols)

Remove variables Generalize to a variety of

situations

Activity/Reflection

How does this “resonate” for you? What are some questions or

situations you’ve encountered with families where this information would be useful?

How might you use it?

Quality Indicators

IEP Quality Indicator Checklist

Preparing for an IEP meeting (Activity)