People who are deafblind have a combination of vision and hearing loss. They usually have some useful but not always reliable vision and hearing. People who are deafblind use many different ways to communicate including sign language, tactile sign language, tracking, tactile fingerspelling, Braille, speech and speech reading.
Tips
When communicating and interacting with a person who is deafblind:
Don’t assume what a person can or cannot do. Some people who are deafblind may have some hearing and/or vision.
If you are not sure how to begin, ask the person what will be helpful.
Many people will explain what you need to do, perhaps giving you an assistance card or note explaining how to communicate.
Often people who are deafblind are accompanied by an intervenor. Again, speak directly to the person with a disability and not the intervenor.
Identify yourself both to the person with the disability and the intervenor.
Some people who are deafblind use service animals. Again, do not pet or interact with the animal.
You can give a gentle touch on the arm to get the person’s attention. However, do not touch a person who is deafblind on the shoulder or back, as they may not have enough vision to orient your location to them.
Suddenly touching a person who is deafblind can be alarming and should only be done in emergencies.
Did You Know?
You may recall one famous person who was deafblind: Helen Keller. She was the first deafblind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating from Radcliff College in 1904.
In 1873, Keller wrote that “not blindness but the attitudes of the seeing to the blind is the hardest burden to bear. The tragic aspect of blindness is not inherent in the condition. In nature, it is absent - it is an entirely civilized idea”.
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