Louisiana Deafblind ProjectCassondra Glausier

Coordinator

Project Updates

What deafblindness?

Associated terminology

Prevalence of deafblindness

Causes of deafblindness

The challenges dual sensory impairments

Accurate identification practices

Resources for families and parents

Technical Assistance & Dissemination

Transferred To the Human Development Center

Office of Special Education Programs (5year)

Children birth through 21 years old

Both vision & hearing loss present

Services are at no cost & are confidential

A Deafblind Project is located in every state

Training, Support, and Resources Information and Referral IEP & Transition Teams Technical Assistance to Families &

Educators Statewide Project & Registry Resource Library LA Deafblind Project Website Project Facebook Page

Project website & other TA documents

Print or video resources

SPARKLE Project

Family-to-family network and call

Project sponsored trainings

Help in finding resources

Home and/or school visits

Facebook Page Resources

How do you refer a child? What happens after a child is referred? What assistance can be provided? How does a family or service provider get

assistance? Where is assistance provided? Is there a cost? What are the benefits?

Referral packet reviewed

Potential phone calls for clarification on some questions

Intro binders mailed to parent and service provider: TA request forms, all tip sheets, newsletter & more

Introductory phone call and/ or visit

“Concomitant of hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication, developmental and education problems that the individual cannot be accommodated in programs solely for individuals who are deaf or blind.”

(2004, IDEA)

Deafblindness is a disability of ACCESS to information and communication.

Children and youth with deafblindness have a combination of hearing AND vision loss that limits access to auditory and visual information, impacts communication, or restricts participation in daily activities and environments.

The effects of the combined losses, even if both are mild, create unique

challenges for the child, family, & educator.

Affects 10,000 children across USA

3 in 100,000 births

91 children in Louisiana

70 known causes

Louisiana high impact of Usher Syndrome

Any level of the dual sensory loss

Although “deafblind” implies a total absence of vision and hearing, this is not the case with most individuals who are deafblind.

Most children and youth who are deafblind have some useable hearing and/or vision.

There is no single profile of a learner who is deafblind.

A deaf individual who cannot see

Or

A blind individual who cannot hear

Deafness + Blindness = Deafblindness

Deafblindness / Deaf-Blindness

Co-Occurring Sensory Loss

Dual Sensory Impairment / Loss

Combined Vision and Hearing Loss

Multidisabled (with sensory loss)

Usher Syndrome CHARGE Congenital Rubella Severe Head Injury Stroke Cytomegalovirus Meningitis Undetermined Hydrocephaly

Trisomy 21 Cornelia de Lange Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Maternal drug use Tumors Hydrocephaly Direct Trauma Prenatal/Congenital Postnatal/Noncongenital Microcephaly

Age at onset of loss

Degree, type, and stability of vision and hearing loss

Accompanying disabilities (90%)

Support variables

Children under identified

Children under referred

Under a different category

Community awareness

Understanding of the term deafblind

Accommodations consider both losses

Address sensory loss early to optimize sensory function.

Appropriate intervention of developmental and/or academic challenges.

Access and communication needs are identified and supported through strategies and possible adaptive equipment.

Sensory Social and Emotional / Relationships Communication

◦ Receptive

◦ Expressive

Motor / Movement Limited access to information Cognitive / Learning / Academics Activities of Daily Living / Self Help

A great deal of learning comes from observing and imitating of what others are doing.

Child may develop unique learning style.

Concept development External / internal world confusion.

May develop fragmented or distorted concepts due to lack of full experience.

Abstract concepts may be more difficult to learn

Look for us on Facebook

www.facebook.com/lsuladbp

Project SPARKLE – www.sparkle.usu.edu

Family Engagement Network

www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu/ladbp

National Consortium of Deafblindness www.nationaldb.org

American Association of Deafblind www.aadb.org

National Association for the Deafblind www.nfadb.org

Helen Keller National Center www.hknc.org

Texas School for the Blind/Visually Impaired www.tsbvi.org

Perkins School for the Blind www.perkins.org

Louisiana Deafblind Project www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu/ladbp

Louisiana for the Deaf & Visually Impaired www.lsdvi.org

Federal Quota Funds robin.king@la.gov

Affiliated for the Blind www.Affiliatedblind.org

Lighthouse Louisiana www.lighthouselouisiana.org

Louisiana Rehabilitation Services www.laworks.org

Louisiana Center for the Blind www.lcb-ruston.com

If you have a child who has a hearing and vision loss at the same time and would like assistance who do you contact?

Louisiana Deafblind Project

Cassondra Glausier

504-556-7585 (Office)

cglaus@lsuhsc.edu

Hand in Hand Remarkable Conversations Deaf-Blind Perspectives Deaf-Blind Infants and Children: A Developmental

Guide, by J.M. McInnes and J.A. Treffry, University of Toronto

Press, Toronto, Canada, 1997.National Consortium on Deaf-blindness

Thanks to the following projects: NV, NM, UT, NY, MN, CO, WY