Who are the Children with Dual Sensory Impairments?
The 2004 IDEA-Part B federal definition of deaf-blindness is: “combined hearing and vision impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that these children cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.”
For infants and toddlers receiving Part C early intervention services, deaf-blindness is defined as: “combined hearing and vision impairments or delays, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and intervention needs that specialized early intervention services are needed”.
Who Can Refer to the Project?
Anyone who knows or works with a child with deaf-blindness, including:
- Families
- Teachers
- Early Childhood staff
- Physicians
- Nurses/discharge planners
- Physical/Occupational and Speech Therapists
- Social Workers/Case Managers
Our Services
- Technical assistance (TA) and Training— For families, service providers and educators of children and youth who are deaf-blind. Provided through distance technology, in-home, classroom, telephone or email consultation. 3 levels of TA available: Universal, Specialized and Intensive.
- Annual trainings/workshops—To increase our state’s capacity to meet the unique needs of children and youth who are deaf-blind. Trainings are usually at no, or low cost, to participants.
- Project newsletters—Sent twice a year to families and service providers.
- Early Childhood and School-Aged Transition Support and Consultation
- Resource dissemination—On various topics in the field of deaf-blindness including distance-education, and online learning opportunities.
- Family Events—For support, networking, and education.
- UNM CDD’s Information Network Library—Contains resources (books/videos/DVD’s) pertaining to various aspects of deaf-blindness.
- Yearly “Deaf-Blind Child Count Census Report” [PDF]—About children and youth, birth through 21 years, who live in New Mexico.
- Involvement in local, state and national initiatives and committees to advance the understanding of the needs of children/youth with deaf-blindness.
Understanding and Nurturing the Communicative Competence of Learners with Significant Disabilities:
Part I- Recognizing the Communicative Abilities of Learners with Significant Disabilities - July 27th 2021
This session will focus on assessing levels of communication for learners at the non-symbolic or early symbolic level of communication. The Communication Matrix (Rowland, C., 2006) will be used to review the assessment process and how to target levels for instruction and programming.
Part II Promoting the Communicative Competence of Learners with Significant Disabilities - August 10th 2021
This session will present participants with a variety of examples of learners at various pre-symbolic stages and intervention strategies to further their communicative abilities. It will also discuss the transition from pre-symbolic to emerging symbolic communication and describe interventions de-signed to promote the learners continued progress at this stage of expressive communication development
Introduction to Deaf-Blindness - February 11th 2022
This training presents an overview of the spectrum of deaf-blindness, conditions that cause deaf-blindness, services available for children and adults.
Resources
- Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
- Developing Literacy for Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
- Perkins School for the Blind
- Perkins online classes
- Design to Learn
- Project Core Center for Literacy and Disability Studies
- iCanConnect (Also known as the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program)
- NM iCanConnect