This manual was designed primarily for use by people with disabilities. The hope is that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read information about available resources, and to provide immediate…

Students who are deaf-blind have absent, partial, or distorted vision and hearing. Deaf-blindness severely limits access to visual and auditory information that forms the basis for learning and communication and creates challenges for educational systems mandated to provide free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.…

Adaptations to the traditional vocational rehabilitation process for deaf-blind individuals are considered in terms of casefinding and referral, diagnosis, evaluation, eligibility, individualized written rehabilitation programs, adjustment training, placement, and follow-up. (CL)

The first of a series of booklets for parents of deaf blind children presents basic information on using hearing aids. Suggestions are given for protecting the aid and putting in the child's earmold. Parents are advised to put the aid on every day and do simple activities involving music and speech. Keeping a record during listening time is…

The booklet, another in a series for parents of deaf blind children, presents information in large type about the nature and cause of deaf blindness. A drawing of the ear is followed by a simplified discussion of the ear's functioning and definitions of terms (such as spondee threshold) used in hearing testing and hearing loss. Similarly, a…

This guide, one of a series of booklets developed by Project STEPS (Steps Toward Effective Production of Speech), presents guidelines for parents of deaf-blind children regarding the care of eyeglasses. Basic concerns with glasses and contact lenses are noted and parents are advised to perform the following daily tasks: checking the frames,…

This theme issue presents personal perspectives and approaches to self-advocacy from individuals who are deaf-blind. Individual articles are: (1) "Self-Advocacy: Attaining Personal Stature" by Michelle J. Smithdas; (2) "The American Association of the Deaf-Blind: A National Consumer Advocacy Organization" by Jeffrey S. Bohrman;…

Timeout, a widely used approach with severely handicapped and deaf blind students, is nevertheless potentially aversive and should not become a routine procedure. The decision to employ timeout from positive reinforcement should be based on careful consideration of the child's behavior, the severity of the target behavior, and the need for…

The teacher's guide outlines lessons from a correspondence learning program for parents of preschool deaf blind children. Learning steps and objectives are listed for eight areas covered by the program: communication, gross motor development, fine motor development, eating, sleeping, toilet training, dressing/undressing, and personal hygiene.…

The paper analyses issues in the hearing assessment of multihandicapped deaf-blind children. The experiences of the authors as consultants to centers for deaf-blind children are briefly noted. Advantages and disadvantages are considered for two basic approaches to hearing assessment: the electrophysiologic in which electricity from neural…

This article presents suggestions and proven effective strategies for determining eligibility, conducting diagnostic workups, and providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with deaf-blindness. It emphasizes that the optimal rehabilitation process begins before the clients transfer from educational programs. (Author)

Guidelines for using interpreters with deaf-blind clients include obtaining a professional interpreter; assuring the comfort level between client and interpreter; providing critical information to the interpreter before the assignment; and respecting the right of everyone to have full communication. (DB)

This factsheet presents numerous ways that parents can interact with their deaf-blind children. The challenges facing children with deaf-blindness are explained and compared to children without disabilities. Ways to recognize and then respond to children's actions are suggested, and tips for developing good communication are presented, including…

This fact sheet presents numerous ways that parents can interact with their deaf-blind children. The challenges facing children with deaf-blindness are explained and compared to children without disabilities. Ways to recognize and then respond to children's actions are suggested and tips for developing good communication are presented, including…

This article discusses the importance of daily physical activity and examples of how individuals who are visually impaired or deaf-blind can access fitness. It describes techniques for running, bicycling, swimming, exercise training in a health club, aerobics, and fitness at home (jumping rope, yoga, and basketball). (Contains references.) (CR)