Charting the Cs: Cooperation, Communication and Collaboration. Statewide Professional Development to Support the Workforce and Low Incidence Disability Areas. Charting the Cs Conference 2024. DeafBlind: A Disability of Access Provided by Ann Mayes, Statewide DeafBlind Specialist. Statewide Professional Development to Support the Workforce and Low Incidence Disability Areas. Goals for Today’s Session Describe the impact of combined hearing and vision loss on learning, communication, people, and the environment. Explain why combined hearing and vision loss (DeafBlind) should be considered primary for those who also have multiple disabilities. Identify resources for assessment materials and impact statements for evaluation summaries. Who Is DeafBlind? A young boy sits on a wicker seat with three pumpkins next to him. A baby with large crossed eyes smiles at the camera. She has a gray shirt on with lime green lettering. A young adult with sunglasses and a baseball cap in a wheelchair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a red short-sleeved shirt and a purple shirt covering. How Would Being DeafBlind Affect Your Life? “It’s not about what you cannot do, it is all about what you can do, if given the right supports and environment.” Dr. Jerry Petroff, 2012 Link to video2:18: NCDB (YouTube.com) A dark green YouTube video screen: How would being deaf and blind affect your life? How Do You Access and Learn Information? How do you experience the world? How do you learn? How do you gain knowledge? Credit: Dr. Jerry Petroff, 2012 Accessing Information Through Senses Accessing information through senses chart 050100Hearing Vision TouchSmell TastePercent (%) Hearing20% Vision70% Touch5% Smell 3% Taste2% Critical Understanding #1 Approximately 80 - 90% of sensory information is compromised or missing for children who have combined hearing and vision loss. Credit: Dr. Jerry Petroff, 2012 Students with deafblindness often experience additional disabilities. More than 80% of deafblind students in Minnesota have additional disabilities. However, it is deafblindness that must always be considered as their primary challenge to access for communication and learning. Definition and Examples of Deafblindness Deafblindness, Minnesota DeafBlind Projects is when a person experiences loss in both hearing and vision. The levels at which hearing, and vision are affected vary greatly. Only 1% of children identified as deafblind are completely deaf andcompletely blind. The other 99% have different levels of combined hearing and vision loss. Even when children have the same syndrome, they may be impacted differently. Each person is unique. Hot Dog Critical Understanding # 2 The word "Hot" with a picture of the sun. Hot black plus sign symbol The word "Dog" with a picture of a German shepherd dog wearing sunglasses lays on the ground with his tongue hanging out Dog black unequal sign symbol The word "Hot dog" with a picture of a hot dog. Deafblindness does not equal deaf plus blind. Some Etiologies of Deafblindness Etiologies of Deafblindness, Minnesota DeafBlind Projects 1.Complications of Prematurity 2.Congenital Prenatal Causes Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) Hydrocephaly Microcephaly Fetal alcohol syndrome Maternal drug abuse Congenital Rubella 3. Hereditary/Chromosomal Syndromes CHARGE Usher Down Stickler 4. Postnatal Causes Asphyxia Head injury/trauma Meningitis Congenital Deafblindness Deafblindness can occur at birth or soon after. This is called congenital deafblindness. Children with this type of deafblindness may struggle to with concept development, language, and many other areas. Credit: National Center on Deafblindness OHOA Intervener Learning Modules A young child holding a young person's hand Acquired Deafblindness Combined hearing and vision loss can also occur later in life. This is called acquired deafblindness (i.e., when a student’s hearing or vision levels change.) Note: Tracking hearing and vision levels is important, especially for children and youth with certain etiologies. Credit: National Center on Deafblindness OHOA Intervener Learning Modules An adult with a child Unduplicated Child Count: Primary Disability on IEP The Minnesota Department of Education tallies their child count numbers in special education by the primary disability on the IEP. 2022 - 2023: DeafBlind – 119 students 2022-2023:Severely Multiply Impaired –1,626 students MN Department of Education logo A child wearing glasses and a red Hockey shirt standing in front of a wall with snowflakes Minnesota DeafBlind Child Count = 363 2022-2023 National Center on Deafblindness logo Additional Disability Developmental Cognitive Delay Physical Impairments Complex Health Care Needs Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Total Numbers 245 out of 363 247 out of 363 226 out of 363 110 out of 363 Percentage of Minnesota Students with Combined Hearing and Vision Loss 67% 68% 62% 30% DeafBlind as the Primary Disability Students with combined hearing and vision loss (deafblindness) often may present with additional disabilities. However, it is strongly encouraged that deafblindness be considered as the primary disability because deafblindness impacts access to people, the environment, communication, language, and learning. ** At least 80 - 90% of sensory information is compromised or missing. ** Simulations Disclaimer: There is debate about the value of short simulation activities for participant understanding. Note that these short clips are not the experience of every person with combined hearing and vision loss. Goal of this activity: To encourage reflection and consideration of the impact of combined hearing and vision loss on infant, child and youth access to learning. What is it Like to have Cortical Visual Impairment? Link to YouTube video 1:05: The New Face of Blindness Blue background with white text: Perkins School for the Blind What is it like to have CVI? What Do Children with CVI See? CVI simulation Figure 1: Children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)havedelays in recognition of what the image represents. Figure 1: simulation of how children with CVI may have delays in recognition of what the image represents. What Do Children with CVI See? Figure 2: simulation of how children with CVI still searching for the recognition of what the image represents. Figure 2: Children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) still searching for the recognition of what the image represents. What Do Children CVISee ? Figure 3: Children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) can recognize better images representation if the outline of pictures is highlighted. Figure 3: A simulation of how children with CVI could benefit from highlighting the outline of pictures to help recognize the image representation. Spelling Test: Directions: 1.Write down the five words that you hear. 2.Review for accuracy. Link to YouTubevideos: School Sound Effects (Ambience World) Unfair Spelling Test 5 words A close-up of a blackboard a screen shot of an audiogram with the right half shaded in. Simulations for Combined Hearing and Vision Loss Produced by SKI-HI Institute Link to YouTube videos: Scattered Blind Spots and Severe Hearing Loss (1:03) 20/200 Visual Acuity and Sloping Hearing Loss (1:04) Cataracts and Mild High Frequency Hearing Loss (0:59) Cochlear Implant Simulations Auditory Implant Service Dark black blotches cover a preschool classroom picture. A teacher appears to be on the right side and some small children are in the middle. It is difficult for a sighted person to see. Active Learning and Access for DeafBlind Children When a DeafBlind child has access, his energy levels, motivation, interactions, and engagement increase. Link to video 0:09: Before Active Learning Link to video 0:31: In Active Learning A young child lays face down on brown carpet. He wears a lime green shirt and blue plaid shorts. A young child lays on his back on brown carpet. He wears a lime green shirt and blue plaid shorts. Now his arms and legs appear to be moving and touching various objects. Critical Understanding #3: Access of the Hula Hoop A person stands behind a young man with goatee in a wheelchair. The young man has a yellow shirt on and is holding a blue hula hoop. On the right side, an older woman with an orange shirt bends down to talk to a young child in a wheelchair with a tray. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness: An Examination of Interstate Differences in Eligibility Criteria for Deafblindness, June 6, 2023 Journal of Visual Impairment Blindness … miscategorizing a student with deafblindness prevents the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team from conceptualizing the immediate and long - term needs of the individual with specific consideration given to the student's level of functional vision and functional hearing. The student's combined hearing and vision must always be a primary consideration; it may not be the focus without the label of deafblind. A child wearing glasses and smiling is standing in front of a wall with snowflakes What About Severely Multiply Impaired (SMI) as the Primary Disability for Students with Combined Hearing and Vision Loss and Additional Disabilities? Current MN SMI Criteria Checklist: MN Department of Education SMI Checklist Link IDEA's Multiple Disabilities Criteria excludes Deafblindness and recognizes it as a separate disability category. Most importantly, recognize ACCESS. The primary disability highlights the access needs. It does not mean the child does not have co - occurring disabilities and does not need other special education services. The need for access is highlighted. Resources for Assessing Students with Combined Hearing and Vision Loss (Deafblindness) with Multiple Disabilities Google Site: DeafBlind Resources for Educators – Assessments Google Site: DeafBlind Resources for Educators – Writing Impact Statements for Combined Hearing and Vision Loss in the IEP MN DeafBlind Project logo on dark blue background with children holding hands encircling the top half. MN Low Incidence Projects title in blue font encircles the top half of a red map of MN. Interveners Individuals with specialized training to work with children and youth who have combined hearing and vision loss (deafblindness) and work in a one-on-onerelationship with children/youth who are deafblind. Intervener Information on the MN DeafBlind Project Website A woman with brown hair and a pink shirt smiles at a young boy wearing a yellow short-sleeved shirt. The boy's hands are placed over the woman's hand. Comparison of Interveners and Paraprofessionals Link: Comparison of Interveners and Paraprofessionals Document Find more information about interveners on the Minnesota DeafBlind Project website under the Interveners tab. Screenshot of the Comparison of Interveners and Paraprofessionals document which is found on the MN DeafBlind Project website. Clarification of Roles of Contracted Nurses, District Health Staff, and Interveners in Educational Settings Link: Clarification of Roles of Contracted Nurses, District Health Staff, and Interveners in Educational Settings Find more information about interveners on the Minnesota DeafBlind Project website under the Resources for Interveners tab. Screenshot of the Clarification of Roles of Contracted Nurses, District Health Staff, and Interveners in Educational Settings document found on the website link. Professional Learning Opportunities Understanding Deafblindness and the Role of the Intervener VirtualWorkshop – August 2024 Open Hands, Open Access Asynchronous Facilitated Cohorts with CEUs, begin mid- September 2024 for educators, educational interpreters, and trained interveners. A Zoom icon Picture of two hands touching each other with Open Hands, Open Access encircling the top half of the picture. Deaf-Blind Intervener Learning Modules encircles the bottom of the hands. Contact Information and Thank you! Ann.Mayes@brightworksmn.org 612-638-1527