What is Deaf-Blindness?
Read a short introduction

Overview on Deaf-Blindness
"It may seem that deaf-blindness refers to a total inability to see or hear"...Read More
This NCDB publication by Barbara Miles provides excellent information, fundamental to understanding the unique considerations of children who are deaf-blind.

Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
This NCDB publication provides details about the population of children who are deaf-blind, including the classification of vision and hearing loss, the types of additional disabilities that may be present, and the causes of deafblindness.

There a many different phrases used to describe deaf-blindness. Among those are combined vision and hearing loss, dual sensory impaired, concomitant vision and hearing loss, deaf-blind, blind-deaf, deaf/blind, DeafBlind, and deafblind. Over the past two decades, with the growth of the disability rights movement, there has been an effort to use person first language when referring to a person with a disability and many people prefer the term "person who is deaf-blind". The term "deafblind", no hyphen, has also gained momentum in the United States. In the early 1990's, Salvatore Lagati of the Servizio di Consulenza Pedagogica in Italy proposed international acceptance of the single word "deafblind" in place of the hyphenated version. The intent was to indicate that deafblindness is a unique condition that is not simply the addition of deafness and blindness and that impact of dual losses is multiplicative rather than additive. This version is prominently in use in European countries. In the United States, practitioners, service providers and agencies still chose between the two versions. Both of the national consumer organizations, the American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB) and the National Family Association of Deaf-Blind (NFADB) and the federal government are represented by the hyphenated term.

What are the Legal Definitions for Learners with Deafblindness?
From Indiana State University's training module Introduction to Learners with Deafblindness.

Federal Definition of Deaf-Blindness

Etiologies Related to Deaf-Blindness
This list from Washington details syndromes and conditions that may cause a combined vision and hearing loss.

What are the Most Common Conditions that Cause Deafblindness
From Indiana State University's training module Introduction to Learners with Deafblindness. Includes detailed information about some of the syndromes more commonly associated with deaf-blindness.

Being Born Early Means More Than You Think
This chart provides an overview of sensory development and some of the effects that an early birth can have on child development.

Overview of Deafblindness and Implications
This information from the Minnesota state project succinctly addresses the implications of hearing and vision loss.

What Impact does both Hearing and Vision Losses have on Learners?
From Indiana State University's training module Introduction to Learners with Deafblindness. The critical components of how vision and hearing losses can impact the way a learner functions, communicates, travels, and acquires knowledge are covered.

NCDB Selected Topics

Causes of Deaf-Blindness

Deaf-Blindness - Overview

Demographics

Training Resources

NCDB Tools for TA
This section contains materials, including handouts and power points, developed by state projects for outreach and training activities.

Online courses
This is a comprehensive list of the many organizations and educational institutions that offer coursework in deaf-blindness.