Deaf-Blindness
"Deafblindness is a combination of sight and hearing loss that affects a person’s ability to communicate, to access all kinds of information, and to get around. Deafblindness is not just a deaf person who cannot see, or a blind person who cannot hear. The two impairments together increase the effects of each. People of all ages can have a sight or hearing impairment. It may have been from birth, or due to deterioration later in life. But most deafblind people have some vision and hearing."
Maine Resources
Maine Resources
National Resources
American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB): http://www.aadb.org
A national consumer advocacy organization for people who have combined hearing and vision impairments. AADB is open to all persons who are deaf-blind and individuals directly concerned with their well being, including spouses, children, friends, and health care professionals.
DB-LINK- The National Information Clearinghouse On Children Who Are Deafblind:
http://www.tr.wou.edu/dblink
DB-LINK is a federally funded information and referral service that identifies, coordinates, and disseminates (at no cost) information related to children and youth who are deafblind (ages 0 to 21 years).
Helen Keller National Center: http://www.helenkeller.org
The mission of the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC) is to enable each person who is deaf-blind to live and work in his or her community of choice. The vocational rehabilitation training program at HKNC's headquarters in Sands Point provides evaluation and training in vocational skills, adaptive technology and computer skills, orientation and mobility, independent living, communication, speech-language skills, creative arts, fitness and leisure activities. The curriculum is community-based and the transdisciplinary team works together to support an individual in achieving a vocational outcome.
National Family Association for Deaf-blind: http://www.nfadb.org/index.html
NFADB is the largest national network of families focusing on issues related to deafblindness.
National Federation of the Blind- Deaf Blind Division:
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/deaf-blind_resources.asp?SnID=1480695734
National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness: http://www.nationaldb.org/
The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness works collaboratively with families, federal, state and local agencies to provide technical assistance, information and personnel training.
Teaching Research (TR): http://www.tr.wou.edu/
A division within Western Oregon University (WOU) at Monmouth, Oregon. The Director of Teaching Research reports to the Provost. The faculty at TR (approximately 60) are assigned to grant funded research and development activities and some work on projects with faculty from the School of Education. The activities at TR cover a wide range of educational endeavors including studies examining the relationship between teacher effectiveness and student learning, a long history of model development and training in early childhood, and a major emphasis on special education issues and national technical assistance centers dealing with deafblind programs.
Texas Association of Retinitis Pigmentosa (TARP):
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7815/
A nonprofit organization based in Texas. It serves as a national information sharing center to provide services to persons with progressive vision loss.
Boston Children's Hospital: http://www.e-advisor.us
The goal of this website is to enhance communication among parents, teachers, and doctors and to gather the New England Advisor e-Collaborative.