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The Center on Disability and Community Inclusion (CDCI)

Vermont Sensory Access Project

Selected Topics

Assessment

  • Child Guided Assessment (video): Dr. Jan van Dijk of the Netherlands shares his expertise related to Child-Guided Assessment. Dr. van Dijk has over 50 years of experience working with students with deafblindness. He discovered long ago that typical assessment methods are not successful for these individuals. The child-guided approach is now recognized and used throughout the world.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • Assessment of Deafblind Access to Manual Language Systems (article): ADAMLS provides a look at the assessment process, questions and possible adaptions, and a guide with summary results.

    • Source: The National Information Clearinghouse on Children Who Are Deaf-Blind, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

  • Evaluation of Children with Deaf-Blindness: A Parent Mini-Guide (article): This document helps to explain to parents educational service guidelines such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the evaluation process.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • Authentic Assessment (article): This issue of "Practice Perspectives" highlights the importance, features, and tools of authentic assessment for children with deaf-blindness.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

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Assistive Technology

  • Check out the AT Tryout Center at the CDCI (website): Make an appointment with the AT Tryout Center located in Mann Hall, 3rd Floor, 208 Colchester Ave to see device demonstrations or set up a short term equipment loan.

    • Source: University of Vermont's Center on Disability and Community Inclusion

  • Technology Resources (websites): This list of AT resources brings you to sites where you can search technology by disability, product name, or function.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

  • Computer Activities to Support Communication and Language Development in Children who are Deafblind (article): This article by Wendy Buckley, M.Ed., Ed.S., explains how computer activities can support cause and effect relationships, early language development activities, and continued language development and expansion.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

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Communication

  • The Communication Portfolio (video): In this webcast, Susan DeCaluwe discusses the development of the Communication Portfolio for learners with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. This tool, that is jointly developed by family members and professionals, creates a common and very personalized view of the learner's communication skills, abilities and challenges across all environments.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • Expressive Communication: How They Communicate Messages to You (article): Presents the continuum of expressive communication modes used by children who are deaf-blind.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deafblindness

  • Receptive Communication: How Children Understand Your Messages To Them (article): Explains the special circumstances in communicating with a child who is deaf-blind and presents strategies to increase receptive communication skills.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deafblindness

  • Tangible Symbols (video): In this webcast, Elizabeth Torrey talks about the use of "tangible symbols," a term originally coined by Charity Rowland, Ph.D. and Philip D. Schweigert, M.Ed, to support the development of communication in children who experience a variety of severe communication disorders and unable to use abstract symbols.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • CDCI Communication Connection: Online AT Training (readings and video): Maureen Nevers provides sessions on core vocabulary, a method of selecting content to be used within a communication system. The concept of "do more with less" focuses vocabulary selection on a small set of common, high frequency, re-usable words. One goal of this approach is to teach the application of a word across activities and settings for true meaning and understanding. The aim is to decrease the quantity and increase the application for more active and independent communication using more diverse language. The simplicity of the tools can increase the available settings and partners, including participation in the general curriculum with the general education teacher

    • Source: University of Vermont's Center on Disability and Community Inclusion

  • The Communication Matrix (website): The Communication Matrix is an assessment instrument designed to document the expressive communication skills of children who have severe or multiple disabilities. This includes children with sensory, motor and cognitive impairments. The matrix pinpoints exactly how an individual is communicating and provides a framework for determining logical communication goals. This instrument can be used with people of all ages and levels of communication.

    • Source: Oregon Health & Science University

  • Reflections on Deafblindness by Barbara Miles (video): In this webcast, Barbara Miles, a well-know as an author and lecturer, relays her experiences and stories as a professional in the deaf-blind community.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • Conversations: A personal reflection on deafblindness (video): In this webcast, Barbara Miles, a well-know as an author and lecturer, discusses her approach to engaging in conversations with students who are deafblind. She encourages people to think of how they converse with their friends and try to replicate the elements of those successful interactions in a way that is accessible to a child with limited vision and hearing. For example, usually people initiate a conversation because the other person expresses a willingness to talk, through a smile or some other cue. Miles offers alternative strategies for making that connection when the person with whom you want to converse with can neither see or hear you.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

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Curriculum Support

  • Teaching Tactile Graphics (video): In this webcast, Lucia Hasty discusses models and strategies for teaching students to read tactile graphics and gain graphic literacy.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • Early Literacy Support with Multiple Disabilities or Deafblindness (video): In this webcast, Deirdre Leech presents on literacy support for students who face many learning challenges. Often, those with deafblindness are not exposed to books and literacy based materials. The goal for these students is to maximize access using specialized formats.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

  • Experience Books (reading and video): Experience books differ from traditional books in that they are created with a specific reader in mind; the story is based on an experience or interest of the target reader. The book includes objects particular to the experience or interest of the student reading it. Click on the "video" tab to view examples.

    • Source: Washington Sensory Disabilities Services

  • Literacy for Persons Who Are Deaf-Blind (article): Barbara Miles shares her knowledge on the importance of literacy, the social functions of reading and writing, and the conditions necessary for the development of literacy in children with deaf-blindness.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

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Family Support

  • I Wish I Had... (article): This document provides stories and wisdom from parents and family of children with deaf-blindness.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

  • Parent Road Map (article): This page helps guide parents who are raising a child with combined hearing and vision impairments. Subsections include: coming to terms, getting help, teaching basics, and more.

    • Source: Minnesota DeafBlind Project

  • Family Specialists (article): Defines what a Family Specialist does and allows you to find out if there is a family specialist in your area.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

  • Communication Fact Sheets for Parents (article): This comprehensive guide for parents and families covers topics such as communication deveopment, general strategies for teaching communication, the use of touch, and much more.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

  • Evaluation of Children with Deaf-Blindness: A Parent Mini-Guide (article): This document helps to explain to parents educational service guidelines such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the evaluation process.

    • Source: Source: Perkins School for the Blind

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FAQ-Overview

  • Overview on Deaf-Blindness (article): Barbara Miles answers some frequently asked questions such as "What is Deaf-Blindness?" "What Causes it?" and "What are the Challenges Facing a Person who is Deaf-Blind?" This article is extremely helpful to those unfamiliar with the world of deaf-blindness.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

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IEP Development

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Instructional Support

  • Patterns for Hand Under Hand (article):
    • Provides clear information about the use of hand-under-hand strategies and ideas for implementing them for beginning communicators.

    Source: Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind

  • Teaching Strategies and Content Modifications for the Child with Deaf-Blindness (article): This article looks at the educational needs of a child with a hearing impairment, a child with a vision impairment, and a child with deafblindness.

    • Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

  • Successful Adaptions for Learning to Use Touch Effectively (article): These definitions provide a comprehensive resource for the use of tactile signing in working with children who are deaf-blind.

    • Source: Project SALUTE

  • Hand Under Hand (reading and video): "Hand Under Hand" means your hand moves under the child's or student's hand for an activity. This strategy allows the student access to the ways people use their hands; provides a person who is blind or has low vision to experience spatial awareness. It also encourages authentic involvement of the student in routine tasks that they cannot yet perform independently, stimulates curiosity about what's around them, and increases the desire to do things for themselves. Click on the video tab to view examples.

    • Source: Washington Sensory Disabilities Service

  • Routine Based Learning (reading and video): With the use of consistent routines, children with deaf-blindness are provided with repeated opportunities for communication and learning. Routines provide consistent, repeated experiences that allow them to anticipate what is about to happen and actively participate in a structured and familiar setting. Click on the video tab to view examples.

    • Source: Washington Sensory Disabilities Services

  • Smartboards (video): In this webcast, Wendy Buckley presents an overview of the various tools that can be used with a Smartboard.

    • Source: Perkins School for the Blind

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Interveners

  • Online Introduction to Interveners Module (video): Online Introduction to Interveners is a stand-alone, FLASH-based learning module that gives basic information about interveners. Paraeducators, family members, teachers, administrators and others can learn about: the nature of deaf-blindness, the roles and responsibilities of interveners, the roles of teachers/family members/administrators when working with interveners, and the development of intervention as a profession.

    • Source: California Deaf-Blind Services

  • Interveners for Students with Deafblindness in Texas (article): This model provides useful information about interveners and how they can differ from typical school support staff in helping deaf-blind students.

    • Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

  • Intervener Services Recommendations (article): This initiative conducted by the NCDB outlines 4 main goals to improve the awareness and quality of intervener services.

    • Source: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness

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Supporting Organization Websites

icon of world wide web

These Web Resources provide information
about organizations that offer support
for individuals with deafblindness
and those who support them.

 

 

 

Spotlight on New Resource!
Focuses on literacy for children with combined vision and hearing loss. icon on web
Go to All Children Can Read Website

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Last modified July 25 2012 12:51 PM

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