This article describes a model project for delivering comprehensive vision care and educational support services to children who are deaf-blind. It characterizes 170 children served by the project, including the conditions that caused their deaf-blindness, other medical conditions, and visual conditions, and discusses intervention strategies that…

This article discusses development and implementation of a community-based residential program for deaf blind young adults at the Hilltop House (Texas). The article outlines principles of sound management, realistic staff expectations, developmentally appropriate activities, family participation, crisis management, medication, and close…

A self-help skills instructional program used graduated guidance as a method of teaching independent dressing to an 11-year-old girl with profound mental retardation, seizure disorder, deafness, and blindness. Dressing skills improved with instruction and were maintained. Task analyses are presented for putting on socks, shorts, and shirts. (JDD)

Reviews interventions to help children who are deaf-blind to acquire and use communication skills. Focuses on children whose hearing and vision loss preclude traditional methods of communication training. Considers approaches from initial motor-based contacts with the outside environment to learning formal signs or the use of assistive technology.…

This monograph has assembled together student and parent biblioesssays, position papers and reflective commentary from professionals who work with deafblind students. For the students profiled in this monograph, like many deafblind students, access to academic achievement was often met with obstacles due to low expectations, inadequate support…

In American Sign Language (ASL), a receiver watches the signer and receives language visually. In contrast, when using tactile ASL, a variety of ASL, the deaf-blind receiver receives language by placing a hand on top of the signer's hand. In the study described in this article we compared the functions and frequency of the signs YES and #NO in…

This resource manual provides information on adaptive technology for students with deaf-blindness and severe disabilities. The material is based on a project that sought to identify specific applications that support the acquisition of early communication and social interaction skills. The first section describes 20 computer software programs and…

This paper summarizes the results of a symposium on assessment procedures at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, a residential/day school for children with sensory impairments. Experience with top down assessment utilizing a wholistic approach is emphasized. First a brief description of assessment in the parent infant program is given. Then…

Intended for use by New York City special education teachers with little or no experience serving students with dual sensory impairments as well as cognitive disabilities, the manual identifies teaching strategies that are easy to implement yet based on direct experience and the current research. Chapter titles and sample topics include the…

The paper raises issues identified by a study of the content and context of the education provided 568 deaf-blind children and 1,123 students with other disabilities by 124 teachers across the country. Results of the questionnaire indicated that 75% of teachers were serving students in addition to the deaf-blind; that only 5% of the students were…

This document provides the guidelines to develop a state-wide plan for a continuum of services for deaf-blind individuals. This paper extrapolates from the development of a model plan in Kansas a general set of procedures and policies that can be used by other states and proposes a series of steps for developing a plan for deaf-blind services. The…

The document contains seven papers from the National Deaf-Blind Educational/Rehabilitation Exchange involving parents, teachers, and rehabilitators of deaf blind persons. In the keynote address "The Challenge of Creating Rainbows," R. Kinney comments on the declaration of rights of the deaf blind person adpoted by the Helen Keller World Conference…

All but one of the articles contained in the book were presented, either verbatim or in expanded form, at a series of Parent Workshops conducted by the Mountain Plains Regional Center for Services to Deaf-Blind Children. Titles and authors include "Parents Are People" (J. Teske), "Swimming Pool Activities for Deaf-Blind…

The bibliography contains approximately 170 citations (1970 to 1976) on educating severely handicapped children and youth. References for articles and other resources are listed alphabetically by author within the following topic areas: general perspectives; program and curriculum planning (communication, motor development, and activities of daily…

Provided are guidelines for parents and teachers working with severely handicapped deaf blind children. Hearing, vision, and communication considerations are listed in the first section. Specific suggestions are outlined for developing the following skills: discipline, body movement, toilet training, eating, dressing, washing, and social…