TOPIC 4: DEAFBLINDNESS

Introduction

Deaf-blindness is a rare condition in which an individual has combined hearing and

vision loss, thus limiting access to both auditory and visual information. In this section I
will discuss the causes and teaching strategies for children with Deafblindness.

Objectives
By the end of this topic you should be able to:
 Define Deafblindness.
 Explain the communication of the deafblind people.
 Discuss the causes of deafblindness.

Learning activities

Learning Activity 4.1: Reading

Read the provided topic notes on deafblindness.

Learning Activity 4.2: Journal

In 500 words summarize the communication of the deafblind people.

Post your article in the journal provided
Learning Activity 4.3: Quiz
Attempt the topic quiz below
i. Define the term deafblindness
ii. Discuss the causes of deafblinness
Assessment
The journal in activity 4.2.the quiz will be graded
Topic Resources

Miles, B. (rev. 2008). Overview on deaf-blindness. DB-LINK: The National

Information Clearinghouse on Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.

National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness. (2007). Children who are deaf-blind.

National Center on Deaf-Blindness. (2019). 2018 national child count of children and
youth who are deaf-blind report.
Link
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED572818.pdf
Deaf-Blindness

Definition: Deaf-blindness is the coexistence of severe hearing and visual

impairments that cause significant impact on a person's ability to communicate and
learn. To qualify as deaf-blind under the IDEA, the child's impairment in both
senses must be so severe that the child cannot be accommodated in an educational
program that only addresses one of these impairments.

Deaf-blindness is the condition of little or no useful sight and little or no useful

hearing. Educationally, individuals are considered to be deaf-blind when the
combination of their hearing and sight loss causes such severe communication and
other developmental and educational needs that they require significant and unique
adaptations in their educational programs.

Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in
processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification
that adversely affects a child‘s ability to learn and function independently.
Blindness means a visual impairment that, with or without correction, has a severe
impact on a child's ability to learn and perform everyday tasks necessary for
independence.

Communication of Deaf-blind people

Deaf-blind people communicate in many different ways determined by the nature

of their condition, the age of onset, and what resources are available to them. For
example, someone who grew up deaf and experienced vision loss later in life is
likely to use a sign language (in a visually modified or tactile form). Others who
grew up blind and later became deaf are more likely to use a tactile mode of their
spoken/written language. Methods of communication include:
  Use of residual hearing (speaking clearly, hearing aids) or sight (signing within
a restricted visual field, writing with large print).
 Tactile signing, sign language, or a manual alphabet such as the American
Manual Alphabet or Deaf-blind Alphabet (also known as "two-hand manual")
with tactile or visual modifications.
 Interpreting services (such as sign language interpreters or communication
aides).
 Communication devices such as Tellatouch or its computerized versions known
as the TeleBraille and Screen Braille Communicator.

Multisensory methods have been used to help deaf-blind people enhance their
communication skills. These can be taught to very young children with
developmental delays (to help with pre- intentional communication), young people
with learning difficulties, or older people, including those with dementia.

Amateur radio deaf blind operators generally communicate on 2-way radios using
Morse code

The causes Deaf Blind Education

Deaf blind individuals present a combination of vision loss and lack of hearing. The
causes vary greatly from one case to the next.
 People could end up deaf and blind as a consequence of aging, as was the
case of Spanish painter Francisco Goya.
 Conversely, other patients may actually be born deaf blind.
 some are the common ear and eye disease problems that come from genetics.
Parent's can transmit this problem to unborn children by consuming products
that they shouldn't during pregnancy or because it comes from generations.
 Some of the most common problems are cataracts and glaucoma for
blindness disease and for deafness causes we have acoustic neurinoma
and alport syndrome. ,
 many people develop the disease by doing activities that require a lot of
effort from both senses,
 Others loose them from accidents that they had, a good example of
this are the many soldiers that come back from war with both
problems.
 Problems from taking uncontrolled medications. Some pills that cause
blindness are tylenol, zantac or botox, which are products that everyone
use daily.

Regardless of the causes of this condition, the fact remains that deaf and blind
individuals require a special deaf blind education in order to be able to
communicate with others. The approach though differs depending on the
particular characteristics. For instance, a person who experiences blindness
after deafness will probably use sign language, while a tactile mode of spoken
and written language is usual if blindness occurs before deafness.

Most individuals are not completely devoid of either sense, retaining a degree
of hearing and/or visual capacity, and this has a bearing on the type of
education used. Earless students who have residual vision can take advantage
of interpreters and large print texts. Teachers should ensure that the there is
enough lighting in the classroom, and no glare. Some students also require
extra time allotted to do written exams or assignments, since limited vision
means they cannot read at the same pace as their peers.
Intellectual Disability /Mental Retardation
Introduction
In this section I will explore intellectual disability which involves problems
with general mental abilities that affect functioning in two areas:
 intellectual functioning (such as learning, problem solving, judgement)
 adaptive functioning (activities of daily life such as communication and
independent living)
The intellectual and adaptive deficity begin early in the developmental period
and affects about 1% of the population, and of those about 85% have mild
intellectual disability. Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with
intellectual disability.
Objectives
 Define the term intellectual disability.
 Explain the symptoms of intellectual disability in children
 Discuss the causes of intellectual disability
 Describe educational considerations for children with intellectual
disability.

Intellectual Disability /Mental Retardation

Intellectual disability is a condition diagnosed before age 18 that includes below-
average intellectual function and a lack of skills necessary for daily living. In the
past, the term mental retardation was used to describe this condition. This term is
no longer used.

Intellectual disability (ID), once called mental retardation, is characterized by

below-average intelligence or mental ability and a lack of skills necessary for day-
to-day living. People with intellectual disabilities can and do learn new skills, but
they learn them more slowly. There are varying degrees of intellectual disability,
from mild to profound.

Cognitive impairment
Cognitive impairment, also referred to as intellectual disability, describes the
condition of a child whose intellectual functioning level and adaptive skills are
significantly below the average for a child of his chronological age. It is the most
common developmental disorder, occurring in approximately 12 of every 1000
children.

Varying levels of developmental delays may be identified in a child‘s social skills,

emotional development, communication capabilities, physical function, and
academic skill sets.
The Center for Disease Control defines cognitive impairment among 8-year-old
children by a score of 70 or below on a test of intellectual capability, more
commonly known as an IQ test.

Levels of cognitive impairment

Levels of cognitive impairment severity are defined by specific IQ ranges.
Mild Cognitive Impairment – IQ of 50 to 70 Moderate Cognitive Impairment – IQ
of 35 to 55 Severe Cognitive Impairment – IQ 20 to 40 Profound Cognitive
Impairment – Below 20
Cognitive impairment can be caused by a number of factors. Many instances of
cognitive impairment are the result of genetic or chromosomal disorders.
Cognitive impairment can also be attributed to injuries or illnesses that occur
during pregnancy or early infancy.
 Extreme malnutrition,
 inadequate medical care,
 exposure to environmental toxins can lead to cognitive impairments as well
and
With many possible causes, it is often difficult to cite a specific single cause of a
cognitive impairment in a child.
Characteristics of children with cognitive impairment
Signs of cognitive impairment can be recognized as early as 2 years of age.
 These symptoms will occur at varying levels depending on the severity of
the disorder.
 Delays in reaching early childhood developmental milestones Difficulty
retaining information and learning simple routines Confusion and behavior
problems in new situations or places Short attention span
 Lack of curiosity
 Difficulty understanding social rules
 Sustained infantile behavior into toddlerhood or preschool years Difficulty
understanding consequences of actions
 Limited and/or inconsistent communication skills
 Lack of age-appropriate self-help and self-care skills
Signs of intellectual disability in children
There are many different signs of intellectual disability in children. Signs may
appear during infancy, or they may not be noticeable until a child reaches school
age. It often depends on the severity of the disability. Some of the most common
signs of intellectual disability are:
 Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking late Talking late or having
trouble with talking
 Slow to master things like potty training, dressing, and feeding himself or
herself Difficulty remembering things
 Inability to connect actions with consequences Behavior problems such as
explosive tantrums
 Difficulty with problem-solving or logical thinking
 In children with severe or profound intellectual disability, there may be other
health problems as well. These problems may include seizures, mental
disorders, motor handicaps, vision problems, or hearing problems.

Note
Someone with intellectual disability has limitations in two areas. These areas are:
Intellectual functioning. Also known as IQ, this refers to a person‘s ability to learn,
reason, make decisions, and solve problems.
Adaptive behaviors. These are skills necessary for day-to-day life, such as being
able to communicate effectively, interact with others, and take care of oneself.
IQ (intelligence quotient) is measured by an IQ test. The average IQ is 100. A
person is considered intellectually disabled if he or she has an IQ of less than 70 to
75.
To measure a child‘s adaptive behaviors, a specialist will observe the child‘s skills
and compare them to other children of the same age. Things that may be observed
include how well the child can feed or dress himself or herself; how well the child
is able to communicate with and understand others; and how the child interacts
with family, friends, and other children of the same age.

Intellectual disability is thought to affect about 1% of the population. Of those

affected, 85% have mild intellectual disability. This means they are just a little
slower than average to learn new information or skills. With the right support, most
will be able to live independently as adults.

Causes of intellectual disability in children

Intellectual disability affects about 1% to 3% of the population. There are many
causes of intellectual disability, but doctors find a specific reason in only 25% of
cases.
Risk factors are related to the causes. Causes of intellectual disability can
include:
 Infections (present at birth or occurring after birth)
 Chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down syndrome)
 Environmental
 Metabolic (such as hyperbilirubinemia, very high bilirubin levels in babies)
 Nutritional (such as malnutrition)
  Toxic (intrauterine exposure to alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, and other
drugs
 Trauma (before and after birth)
 Unexplained (this largest category is for unexplained occurrences of
intellectual disability)
Educational Considerations of children with intellectual disability
A child with an intellectual disability can do well in school but is likely to need the
individualized help that‘s available as special education and related services. The
level of help and support that‘s needed will depend upon the degree of intellectual
disability involved.

General education. It‘s important that students with intellectual disabilities be

involved in, and make progress in, the general education curriculum. That‘s the
same curriculum that‘s learned by those without disabilities. Be aware that IDEA
does not permit a student to be removed from education in age-appropriate general
education classrooms solely because he or she needs modifications to be made in
the general education curriculum.

Supplementary aids and services. Given that intellectual disabilities affect learning,
it‘s often crucial to provide supports to students with ID in the classroom. This
includes making accommodations appropriate to the needs of the student. It also
includes providing what IDEA call supplementary and service are supports that
may include instruction, personnel, equipment, or other accommodations that
enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the
maximum extent appropriate.

Thus, for families and teachers alike, it‘s important to know what changes and
accommodations are helpful to students with intellectual disabilities. These need to
be discussed by the IEP team and included in the IEP, if appropriate.
Adaptive skills.-Many children with intellectual disabilities need help with
adaptive skills, which are skills needed to live, work, and play in the community.
Teachers and parents can help a child work on these skills at both school and
home. Some of these skills include:

 communicating with others;

 taking care of personal needs (dressing, bathing, going to the bathroom);
 health and safety;
 home living (helping to set the table, cleaning the house, or cooking dinner);
 social skills (manners, knowing the rules of conversation, getting along in a
group, playing a game);
 reading, writing, and basic math; and
 as they get older, skills that will help them in the workplace.

Transition planning. It‘s extremely important for families and schools to begin
planning early for the student‘s transition into the world of adulthood. Because
intellectual disability affects how quickly and how well an individual learns new
information and skills, the sooner transition planning begins, the more can be
accomplished before the student leaves secondary school.

Instructional strategies for intellectual disability /mental retardation formulate

expectations for each student based on abilities.
 be concrete and clear in instructions
 use appropriate material which are motivational and allow for success work
toward independence
 have a reward system reduce distractions
 establish peer assistance program utilize group activities
 give immediate positive reinforcement be sensitive in marking student
papers give sincere praise