DeafBlind

Deafblindness Definition

Deafblindness is defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as “concomitant (simultaneous) hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness”.

Deafblindness does not only mean a child is fully deaf and fully blind. In fact, according to the most recent National Child Count of Children and Youth Who are Deaf-Blind (external site), only about 1% of the population has a profound hearing loss and is totally blind. The other 99% have some residual hearing or vision. Deafblindness includes a wide range of hearing and sight levels that occur at the same time and have a significant, unique impact. The special education service criteria also includes students at risk of developing deafblindness, including students with Usher Syndrome and CHARGE Syndrome.

Deafblindness impacts access to people, language, communication, as well as the environment in school, home, and community. “Deafblindness is a unique disability and not the sum total of vision and hearing loss” (Miles, B. and Riggio, M. (1999).

Considerations for Determining Eligibility for Minnesota Special Education Services for Children Who Are DeafBlind

Considerations for Determining Eligibility for Minnesota Special Education Services for Children Who Are DeafBlind (September 2023) (pdf) is a document to help IEP teams determine eligibility for children and teens who have compromised or missing access to people, communication and the environment for learning and social connections because of combined hearing and vision loss. If you have further questions, please contact Ann Mayes, Statewide DeafBlind Specialist.

Clarification of Roles of Contracted Nurses, District Health Staff, and Interveners in Educational Settings

Most students with deafblindness need support to access people, the environment, and the curriculum due to the impact of combined hearing and vision loss. Support might include the services of a trained intervener. Since many students who have combined hearing and vision loss also have complex health needs, they might receive services from a contracted nurse or district health staff. The document Clarification of Roles of Contracted Nurses, District Health Staff and Interveners in Educational Settings (external site) was developed in collaboration with the BrightWorks Health Support Services, Minnesota DeafBlind Project, and the Minnesota Department of Health – School Health Services to help teams understand staff roles when supporting DeafBlind students who need both intervener and health support services.

Early Identification for Children with Combined Hearing and Vision Loss

Early identification is critical for providing interventions and support for children with combined hearing and vision loss (deafblindness) and their families. According to the National Child Count of Children and Youth Who Are Deaf-Blind (external site), about 19% of infants and toddlers are identified as at risk. For Part C (birth through age two), it is important that early childhood special education teams have access to information to collaborate for children who are DeafBlind. See Part C Intervention Services for Infants and Toddlers (Birth to Age 3) with Sensory Loss: Recommended Collaborative Practices (external site) for further information.

Contact Information

Ann Mayes, Statewide DeafBlind Specialist
(612) 638-1527, ann.mayes@brightworksmn.org