Chris Rivera & Carrie Thompson

1. Carrie Thompson
& Chris Rivera

2. Identifying Sensory Impairments
Who are they:
• Blind or Visually Impaired
• Deaf or Hearing Impaired
• Deaf-Blind
Characteristics:
• Total or partial loss of vision.
• Total or partial loss of hearing.
• Loss of both hearing and vision.
To qualify for Special Education, hearing or vision loss must interfere
with normal learning ability.

3. Sensory Impairments and the
U.S. Population
Demographics:
• U.S. Population approximately 10,000,000 are blind or visually impaired.
• 42,000,000 are deaf or hearing impaired.
• 50,000 are classified as deaf-blind
Those receiving Special Education:
• 29,000 Blind or Visually Impaired.
• 78,000 Deaf or Hearing Impaired.
• 1,300 Deaf-Blind
Sensory Impaired Students are often served in
residential schools. Others are served in special education
classes, often in education schools.

4. Outcomes for Students with
Sensory Impairments
• Most persons with
Sensory Disabilities live
as adults in integrated
society.
• Many people who are
deaf participate more in
Deaf culture but may
also live in an integrated
society.
• Persons with deaf-
blindness usually require
some degree of ongoing
support.

5. Deafness and Hearing Impairment
Sensory impairment in some cases can be defined and evaluated as a
medical condition, though according to IDEA or the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act is the extent to which they impact a students
ability to learn.
Educational Definition:
• Deafness: Hearing impairment is so severe that processing linguistic information
through hearing adversely affects a child's educational performance.
• Hearing Impairment: An impairment in hearing, permanent or fluctuating, that
affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the
definition of deafness.
In Assumption:
• More severe hearing loss is defined as deafness while less severe hearing loss
is defined as hearing impairment.

6. Clinical Assessment
Deafness and Hearing Impairments
Degree of hearing loss is expressed
in decibels (dB). Higher the decibel
the greater the hearing loss.
• Normal Hearing: (0 to20 dB)
• Mild Loss: (20 to 40 dB)
• Moderate Loss: (40 to 60dB)
• Severe Loss: (60 to 80 dB)
• Profound Loss: (80dB or greater)
Type of hearing loss describes the
point in the auditory system where
the loss is occurring.
• Conductive Loss: Outer or Middle ear.
• Sensorineural Loss: Cochlea, Inner ear,
or within the 8th
cranial nerve.
Configuration of the hearing loss
adheres to aspects of ears affected
or whether different frequencies are
affected.
• Bilateral Loss
• Unilateral Loss

7. Community with a Capitol “D”
The term Deaf with a capitol “D” is used to
describe a particular group of people who
share a language and a culture.
• “The members of this group that have inherited their sign language,
use it as a primary means of communication among themselves, and
hold a set of beliefs about themselves and their connection to a larger
society”
• The National Association of the Deaf or NAD is the primary
organization supporting Deaf culture and members of the Deaf
community.

8. Blind or Visually Impaired
• Visual Impairment: An
impairment in vision that,
even with correction,
adversely affects a child's
educational performance.
• The same definition is
applied to blindness
• Legal Blindness: Degree
of vision loss used to
determine eligibility for
various legal benefits, not
for educational services.

9. Clinical Assessment
Blindness & Visual Impairment
Degree of vision loss can be
described according to a persons
visual acuity and visual field.
• Visual Acuity: A fraction such as
20/20.
• First set of numbers: Distance the
subject is standing from an object
measured in feet.
• Second set of numbers: Distance at
which the person can see the object
A person with 20/200 visual acuity
when standing 20ft from an object
would see as well as a person with
normal vision standing 200ft away.
• A person is considered legally blind if
his visual acuity is 20/200 or worse.

10. Deaf-Blind
Deaf-Blindness consists of concomitant and
visual impairments.
• Severe communication development and educational needs.
• Needs cannot be accommodated in special education programs concerning
both impairments.
Classic Assumption:
• Most people believe Deaf-blind people to both fully deaf and blind but in
most cases this is not true.
• Only 6% of Deaf-blind children are totally deaf and blind.
• Most have enough vision to move about their community.
• Or, they have sufficient hearing to recognize familiar sounds, or even
understand speech.

11. Causal Factors of Deafness and
Hearing Impairments.
• Deafness and Hearing Loss can be
caused by heredity, accidents or
illness, but in many cases the cause
is unknown.
Potential Causes:
• Prenatal or postnatal = 50% of most
children.
• Rubella.
• Cytomegalovirus.
• Complications at birth causing lack of
oxygen.
• Tumors or lesions.
• Medications that harm the ear.
• Brain Injuries.
• Illness or infection.
• Perforation of the eardrum.
• Fractured Skull.
• Changes in air pressure.
• Exposure to loud constant noise.

12. Causal Factors of Blindness
and Visual Impairments
Potential Causes:
• Cataracts
• Optic Atrophy
• Albinism
• Retinopathy of Prematurity
• Rod-cone Dystrophy
• Cortical Visual Impairment
• Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
Vision Loss can also be described as:
• Congenital: Vision Loss is present
before or at the time of birth.
• Adventitious: Vision Loss acquired
after birth as a result of a disease or
accident.
Children with low vision sense
birth see the world
differently form those with
sight.

13. Causal Factors of
Deaf-Blind Impairments
Many Different syndromes
and disorders result in
deaf-blindness.
• Early stage of pregnancy; eyes
and ears develop.
• Unborn Infant; by infection of the
mother.
• Syphilis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Rubella
• Cytomegalovirus
• Herpes
• Prematurity
• Low birth weight.
• Some include intellectual
disabilities, shortened life
span, poor body growth,
motor abnormalities, and
glandular disturbances.

14. Causal Factors of
Deaf-Blind Impairments
• Many different syndromes and disorders result
in deaf-blindness.
• Early stage of pregnancy eyes and ears develop.
• Unborn infant by infection of the mother.
• Syphilis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Rubella
• Cytomegalovirus
• Herpes
• Prematurity
• Low Birth Weight

15. Code Of Practice
“Deaf or Hearing Impaired”
During the first 3 years of life, children show
incredible growth in language development.
Historically this period is missed by children with
hearing loss.
• 1980’s average age for identification of hearing loss was over
2yrs old.
• Today most states use universal newborn hearing screening
programs.
• Benefit is to identify children and their families for early
intervention services.

16. Early Intervention
“Deaf or Hearing Impaired”
Early Intervention generally provides
families with support and other resources.
Benefits:
• Improved Speech and Language development.
• Improvements in Reading, Arithmetic, Vocabulary,
Articulation, Social Adjustment, and Behavior.
Families and Early Intervention:
• Families are presented with information and resources.
• Various communication choices; Spoken English,
American Sign Language, Cued Speech.

17. Code Of Practice
“Blind or Visually Impaired”
Pediatricians and eye care
specialists are most likely to
first diagnose a visual
impairment in a child, but a
time delay often occurs
between diagnosis and
referral to early
intervention.
Families:
• Access to Early intervention services
often depends on health care
professionals.
• Requires knowledge of the Child Find
System.

18. Early Intervention
“Blind or Visually Impaired”
Majority of learning in the
first years of life is
acquired visually through
imitation and exploration
of events.
Without instruction blind or visually
impaired children will not learn
to:
• Crawl or walk at appropriate age.
• Gross and fine motor skills will not
properly develop.
• May not accept solid foods or feed
themselves.
• Their language development may be
delayed.
Early Intervention:
• Helps to achieve early
milestones.
• Begin basic learning
concepts.
• Orientation and mobility
instructors.
• Occupational Therapist.
• Physical Therapist
• Services can be provided in
the home or at any facility.

19. Code of Practice
“Deaf-Blind”
Assessing Deaf-Blind in children can be strenuous and involves highly
educated professionals in working with the child and families.
Assessment:
• Coaching families in communication strategies.
• Encouraging hearing aids and glasses.
• Weaving intervention strategies.
• Collecting Data.
• Participating as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
The best way to insure life for a Deaf-Blind child is to be fully prepared
with help from a community, or professional. In most cases a team
approach works best.

20. Elementary & Middle School Education
for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired.
Students who are Deaf of Hearing Impaired are likely to have
education experiences that differ somewhat from those of the
general student population.
• 86% Spend at least part of the day in general education.
• 47% Spend the majority of the day in general education.
Consultation:
• Itinerant Teachers: Teachers that work with several students
across several schools.
• Support in general Education: Conceptual understanding, building
background, increasing vocabulary.

21. Elementary & Middle School, General
Education Teachers with Disabled Students.
The General educator collaborates with the Itinerant teacher to be
sure the student’s individual needs are met, but helping an
impaired student feel more comfortable in the classroom is
essential.
Teachers should always do the following:
• Face the class when presenting information.
• Allow the student to choose his own seating.
• Help an assistive interpreter by not providing instruction.
• Provide visual aids to support information.
• Take time to assess the students background knowledge.
• Do the best you can to reduce the noise distracters.

22. Elementary & Middle School Resource and
Residential Services.
Resources or Special
Classroom Services:
• 21% are outside of the
general classroom at least
80% of the day.
• 31% of students with
hearing impairments receive
education in a self-
contained classroom.
• Teachers focus on
developing language,
literacy and content
knowledge.
Residential Services:
• 13% of students school in a
separate facility.
• Bilingual Cultural
Educational Philosophy;
emphasis in Deaf Culture &
ASL.
• ASL is preferred as the first
language.
• English is taught through
reading and writing.

23. Elementary & Middle School for the Blind or
Visually Impaired
Students who are blind or visually impaired are highly
likely to have educational experiences similar to
students without disabilities.
• 87% of students spend at least part of the day in general education
settings.
• 56% spend 80% of the day or more in general education
classrooms.
• 13% of students are educated in separate facilities.
Specialized instruction is commonly provided by an
itinerant teacher or in a resource setting.

24. Elementary & Middle School, General
Education Teachers with Disabled Students.
Many people believe that the only
assistance students who are blind
or visually impaired need to
access the curriculum is a
different format of presentation.
Strategies:
• Provide opportunities for tactile
exploration.
• Allow space for specialized
equipment.
• Give verbal descriptions of visual
information.
• Learn details about the implications
of vision loss.
• Allow students to indicate their
preferred seating.

25. Elementary & Middle School Resource and Residential Services.
“Blind or Visually Impaired”Resource or Special Classroom Services:
• Teachers generally work within a public school.
• Number of students requiring this service is small.
• Students are grouped in one classroom.
• Teachers emphasis: developing Braille literacy skills.
• Use of assistive and adaptive technology.
• Concept development is conducted hands on, sensory sensitive format.
Residential Services:
• Very few students receive education outside of the public school.
• Most of the students attending Residential school have additional disabilities with
exception to Blindness or Visual Impairments.
Residential Services have changed since the early 1920’s which said it
was necessary for this disability to receive special treatment, but now
the incorporation into the public school proves to be more beneficial.

26. Young adults with sensory impairments do
not attain levels similar to young adults
without disabilities
Only 58.6% of students with
hearing impairments attend
a post secondary institution

28. Career education activities for students with visual
impairments should be directly tied to the
school curriculum and integrated into family
lives
5 areas that educators must address for blind
students
Realistic feedback, high expectations, opportunities to work,
compensatory skills, and exposure to visual input

29. Employment opportunities are often limited
for young people who are deaf and blind.
These children typically have accompanying disabilities
Children who are deaf and blind often have
limited life experiences that have not
allowed them to see or interact with a
wide range of jobs
These children must build a knowledge and experience base
regarding employment as soon as possible

30. Should deaf students learn ASL and
participate in the deaf culture?
Should blind students attend residential
schools?

31. The NAD recognizes that American sign language
is the backbone of the American deaf culture
The NAD was created in part to promote and
preserve ASL as a legitimate language and an
optimal educational tool for deaf children and
adults.

32. Children who are deaf should be immersed
in the language and culture of the deaf
from an early age

33. Many feel that a strong defense can be
made for blind children to attend special
residential schools
“Schools for blind students were not made to
segregate them, but to bring into one location
the necessary expertise so that these students
could develop their maximum potential
notwithstanding their visual disability” (Kay
Ferrell 2007)

34. Schools for the blind were established in
the United States during the first half of
the nineteenth century

35. • Provide effective personal management,
community and independent living skills
instruction for individuals with deaf-
blindness.
• Plan and implement literacy and
communication and consultative support
within the general curriculum and the
expanded core curriculum.

36. • Participate in the activities of professional organizations
in the field of visual impairment
• Provide families with support to make informed choices
regarding communication modes, philosophies, and
educational options
• Collaborate with school personnel and community
members in integrating individuals with exceptional
learning needs into various settings

37. http://www.nfb.org
(National Federation of the Blind)
The ultimate purpose of the National Federation of
the Blind is the complete integration of the blind into
society on a basis of equality.
http://www.hcblind.org
(The Hatlen Center for the Blind)
The Hatlen Center is now seen in the field of
blindness as having pioneered the most effective way
to teach independence to people who are visually
impaired.

38. http://www.wsdeaf.org/ (The Walden School)
Walden School is a nonprofit, nationally-
recognized educational institution which
provides comprehensive treatment and
educational services for Deaf children and
adolescents between the ages of eight and 21
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/hearing.html
(Strategies for teaching the deaf)
A website dedicated to providing methods with
which to teach the deaf/hearing impaired.