Described in 13 case studies of deaf blind (as a result of rubella) children are medical, economical, emotional, and professional factors that add to stresses of parents. Medical factors are examined in relation to frequent hospitalization of the rubella children before 18 months of age. One of the case studies shows how young adult parents were…

Based on position papers and proceedings of the National Institute on Program Development and Training in Recreation for Deaf-Blind Children, Youth, and Adults, the document presents approximately 50 brief articles for use by parents, teachers, rehabilitation personnel, and therapeutic recreation personnel. Sections cover the following topics…

A 13-year-old deaf-blind boy who exhibited disruptive problem behaviors during mobility training sessions was successfully treated in a program that incorporated contingent reinforcement for reduced rates of responding. A 1-year follow-up assessment revealed continued behavioral improvement. (Author/JDD)

Designed for teaching the related services staff, residential care providers, and families of individuals with severe hearing and vision impairments, this booklet explains the issues related to developing a communication system using textures. The texture symbols described are intended for use by individuals with dual sensory and multiple…

This paper describes activities and achievements of a South Dakota project to improve the delivery of educational services to children with deaf-blindness and their families. Accomplishments are provided for specific objectives under the following goals: (1) children with deaf-blindness and their families will have enhanced skills and abilities…

Since each disabled student must be considered individually, planning and implementing a realistic individualized education program while meeting the mandates of the law will always be difficult. The primary objective of educational diagnosis should be to determine the child's present level of functioning. (JN)

A study involving three students (ages 7-12) with deaf-blindness found their special education teachers were highly responsive, although physical preoccupation with other students occasionally prevented them from being able to provide responses in accessible forms. They struggled with expressing themselves in forms that were accessible to the…

This case study describes the inclusive education program of a student (age 12) with deaf-blindness. Critical factors associated with the program's success included direct administrative involvement, teachers' and peers' problem-solving skills, adaptations of materials and activities and the environment, effective teaming, and positive attitudes…

This paper discusses assessment of autistic and deaf-blind children with such severe difficulties in communication that they are often labeled as untestable and subsequently misdiagnosed as severely to profoundly mentally retarded. It urges nonintrusive assessment and appropriate intervention as the most relevant procedures for helping this…

This study sought to determine the effects of using a talking pedometer on walking behavior and the value placed on walking by 22 children who are visually impaired or deaf-blind. The results revealed that the children were motivated to set challenging goals for increasing daily activity levels through the feedback provided by the talking…

The "National Child Count of Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind" is the first and longest running registry and knowledge base of children who are deaf-blind in the world. It represents a 25 year collaborative effort between the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB), its predecessors and each state/multi-state deaf-blind project…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Pacific Basin Deaf-Blind Project, a 3-year federally funded project to provide technical assistance to public and private agencies, institutions, and organizations providing early intervention, educational, transitional, vocational, early identification, and related services to…

This final report focuses on activities and accomplishments of a 3-year federally supported project in North Carolina to identify and serve students with deaf-blindness. Major accomplishments included: an increase in identified deaf blind individuals in the state from 341 at the beginning of the project to 396 at the end; implementation of a Model…

Project LIFE (Lifelong Impact From Education) was a 3-year federally funded program to develop, field test, and disseminate a collaborative model that increases the capacity of neighborhood schools and local education agencies to provide appropriate educational services to children with deaf-blindness in general education settings and improve…

This newsletter special issue focuses on recreational programming for people with deaf blindness. The following individual articles are presented: "Strategies To Promote Community Integrated Recreation: Guidelines for Leisure Coaches" by Joann Enos (which lists seven such strategies); "Assessing Recreation and Leisure…