Working with Individuals who are DeafBlind: A Course for Vocational Counselors and Other Professionals

This course provides VR counselors and other related professionals
with information and resources that will help them support individuals
who are DeafBlind to find and maintain fulfilling employment that leads
to a high quality of life.

Although there are many references in this course to the vocational
rehabilitation field, other professionals working with individuals who
are DeafBlind can benefit from almost all of the information in this
course as it is primarily focused on specific supports and strategies
that can apply to a variety of situations.

This module will focus on the role of the VR counselor when working
with individuals who are DeafBlind.  A brief introduction to
communication, necessary accommodations and possible implications from
various hearing and visual conditions will be provided in this module.
However, HKNC highly recommends you consider the following courses to
best meet the needs of your DeafBlind customers.

• Introduction to DeafBlindness and Etiologies

• Communicating with Individuals who are DeafBlind

• Remaining Current in the DeafBlind World

Throughout this course, we use the term DeafBlind to refer to a
diverse population of individuals with varying degrees of combined
vision and hearing loss. Helen Keller National Center has historically
followed the guidelines that the consumer organization, American
Association of the DeafBlind (AADB) established by using the term
“DeafBlind”. Recently AADB changed its use of the term to “DeafBlind”.
For now, HKNC continues to use the term “DeafBlind” but is exploring
this with an advisory committee of individuals who are DeafBlind.
People who are DeafBlind may have their own preference about how they
are identified. Other terms that are commonly used are: combined vision
and hearing loss, blind and hard of hearing and dual sensory loss.