PRO-TACTILE: Understanding Touch Techniques to Facilitate Communication with Deaf-Blind People, Part 1

Presented by Jamie Pope, MSW & Steven D. Collins, PhD, CDI

Acknowledgement:

Special thanks to Jelica Nuccio and aj granda, pioneers in the Pro-Tactile Movement for training us.

Content in this presentation is reflective of their teachings.

Learner Objectives

Demonstrate an understanding of the philosophy, method, and attitude of Pro-Tactile.

Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between Pro-Tactile and Haptics.

Identify the basic techniques for backchanneling and drawing tactile maps.

Demonstrate an understanding of why PT is important to the Deaf-Blind Community.

WHAT IS PRO-TACTILE?

Overview

• Created and developed by two Deaf-Blind people from Seattle - aj granda and Jelica Nuccio.

• It is a philosophy, method, and attitude. • Pro means “support”. It does not infer “anti-”

like anti-ASL, anti-English, anti-vision, or anti-SSP.

• Pro-Tactile is different from Haptics.

Overview

Why the Pro-Tactile Movement began•Deaf-Blind People were missing critical visual info•Deaf-Blind People were not feeling "connected" during communication interactions with people•Deaf-Blind People needed the ability to converse in informal groups of 3 or more DB without relying on interpreters

Overview

• Pro-Tactile means pro-touch, pro-responsibility, & pro-experience.

• Pro-Tactile isn’t about signing, it’s about getting visual information effectively.

• All people can use PT – Culturally D/deaf DB– Hard-of-hearing DB– Any DB person

Pro-Tactile vs. HapticsHaptics• Developed by hearing

people for DB• Developed in Europe• Is only a system of touch

cues that one has to memorize. No room for self-expression.

Pro-Tactile• Developed by DB for DB

• Developed in USA• Has common touch cues for

standard expressions, but allows DB person to express himself naturally in different and creative ways.

Pro-Tactile vs. HapticsHaptics• Has been researched for

many years.

• Is a “method” to convey visual information

• Medical “professional” view

Pro-Tactile

• A newly embraced approach gaining a lot of momentum across the USA

• Is much more than a method, includes philosophy & attitude and encourages DB to be proactive and take responsibility.

• Culture - grassroots friendly

THE PRO-TACTILE PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy

• Deaf-Blind people have the right to define themselves and their own culture, and to not be dominated by a non-deaf-blind way of thinking or values of the dominant culture.

• This means to value touch and the DB Way, just as Deaf people value vision, ASL, and the Deaf community.

"Pro-Tactile: DB People at the Center", presented by Jelica Nuccio and aj granda.

Philosophy

• Pro-Tactile supports all Deaf-Blind people regardless of the type of vision loss, how much residual vision remaining, the communication preferences, and intellectual level. Pro-Tactile supports the Deaf-Blind COMMUNITY.

• Although Pro-Tactile is about touch, it does not discourage any additional access the DB person can use.

Responsibility

• “Pro-Tactile” is about the DB experience, but it is also about the responsibility of the DB person to: – Take the initiative, be proactive– Make decisions for himself– Seek out information rather than passively

through second-hand means– Do things for himself that they have the capacity

to do rather than let others do for him because it’s “faster” or “easier”.

Promoting Autonomy

• A DB person who incorporates the Pro-Tactile Way does things by himself (with or without support).

• Example: Approaching an elevator with an SSP– The SSP stays in “touch” with the DB person at all

times, guides the DB person to the elevator and indicates where the button is so the DB person can push the button himself

• This helps DB people lead self-determined and fuller lives.

Deaf-Blind people can DO anything, except hear and see, using touch

and their intelligence, when

they are given access.

-Jelica Nuccio & aj granda

EMPOWERMENT

METHOD

Ergonomics and Boundaries

• Be at a comfortable distance, don’t strain or reach over, sit/stand straight

• Safe places to touch are: hands, wrist, elbow, arm, upper back & knees (sitting).

• Don’t grab or pull the hands/arms – tap on hand to signal you want their hand.

MAINTAINING CONTACT

“I’m Here”

• Constantly be in touch – this enables the DB person to know you are there.

• Not being physically connected gives the impression that you are not connected with them or not listening.

• Remain in touch even when in motion, such as walking.

For Deaf-Blind People, a touch of the hand is the same as

seeing with the eyes for a

sighted person.

Backchanneling • Gives “listening” feedback

– nodding of the head, “oh”, “I understand”, “I’m following the conversation”

• Maintains a connection – This allows the DBP know they’re not talking to the wall or to

himself• Tapping as constant stream of backchannel loop

– Tap finger or hand on the person’s hand, elbow, or knee when sitting/standing while DB person is talking.

– Tap lightly during natural pauses or when you would naturally nod your head, sign “oh”, and show on your face you understand.

– Maintain your facial expression as a DBP may still be using his vision to support tactile reception. DBP are multi-modal!

Expression Cues

• Follow your instincts in what makes the most sense and what is most comfortable.

• Use the DB person’s own cues if they have their own established system.

EXPRESSING EMOTIONS

Expression Cues

• Common touch techniques examples for 1-1 interaction– Laugh– Smile– Yawn– Bored– Sad

Tactile Maps

• Tactile maps – a portion of the body that is used as a physical canvas to represent the visual environment from the angle of the Deaf-Blind person

• This technique can be utilized as a point of orientation or throughout a communication interaction to support the expressed message or information about the environment

Tactile Maps

• Use the hand/arm/knee of the listener• Draw directions, and description of settings

(room, town, etc).• Describe what’s happening instead of using

the speaker’s own hand/arm/knee.

SIMPLE ORIENTATION

Presenter

Deaf-Blind Person

X

X

ADVANCED ORIENTATION WITH DETAILS

WRAPPING UP

Resources• Vlogs about Pro-Tactile on www.protactile.org • Check out local deaf-blind events• Check out if your area has a Pro-Tactile Happy Hour – PTHH is not only for DB – it is open to everyone who

communicate by touch the Pro-Tactile Way.• Get connected to organizations that support the Pro-

Tactile philosophy and the values of Deaf-Blind people– RID Deaf-Blind Member Section– Deaf-Blind International– WASLI (World Association of Sign Language Interpreters)

Join Us for Part 2!Sunday, February 23, 2014

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET$27.99

To Register:http://www.instantpresenter.com/PIID=EC58DE89884E

Special Discount for Part 1 participants! $5.00 offDiscount Code: Part1

Part 2 Learner Objectives:•Pro-Tactile “Attitude”•How to give audience feedback to DB Speakers•Advanced Tactile Maps•Successful Strategies to include Pro-Tactile while interpreting for DB

REFERENCESCollins, S. 1993. Deaf-Blind interpreting: The structure of ASL and the interpreting Process. In Gallaudet University Communication Forum 1993, ed. E. Wilton, 20-36. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet School of Communication. Collins, S. & K. Petronio. 1998. What is Tactile ASL? In Pinky Extension and Eye Gaze: Language Use in Deaf Communities, ed. C. Lucas. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press. Hutchinson, D. (2012). A Sense of History. Historic Scotland, Spring 2012, 38-40. Lahtinen, R. (1999) Holistic and Interactive Communication Methods. In Peckford, B. & Hawcroft, L. (Edit.) Proceedings of an International Symposium in Interpreting for Deafblind People. Prontaprint, Durham, UK, 64-65. Lahtinen, R. (2003). Development of the Holistic Social-Haptic Confirmation System. A case study of the yes & no - feedback signals and how they become more commonly and frequently used in a family with an acquired deafblind person. Licenciate Thesis, Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki. Lahtinen, R. (2007a). Social-Haptisk Kommunikation. http://www.nud.dk/ publikationer/49. Lahtinen, R. (2007b). Sociala Snabbesked. http://www.nud.dk/ publikationer/48. Lahtinen, R. (2008). Haptices and Haptemes. A case study of developmental process in touch-based communication of acquired deafblind people. Doctoral Thesis, University of Helsinki, Finland. Lahtinen, R. & Palmer, R. (1996). Holistic Family Communication, Spoken Language by Touch is more than just words. The 4th European Deafblind Conference, Finland (Espoo), June 1996. (Note: Not a DbI Conference)

The Power of Touch