[nfb-db] Deaf Inclusion Training
sandboxxx at aol.com
sandboxxx at aol.com
Sat Feb 22 19:27:04 UTC 2014
Janet Sand here.
Hello Keitei,
I'm so glad you are actively seeking to understand the deaf-blind world.
I have Usher Syndrome Type 2, have been hard of hearing all my life, gradually lost my hearing, received Cochlear Implants in 2001 and 2004, very gradually lost vision until about seven years ago when I became totally blind. I'm now 66.
The answers to your questions are very, very complex, so my answers below are lengthy and incomplete.
As others have pointed out each deaf-blind individual is unique in his/her degree of disability and needs. In addition to the uniquesness of all individuals, disabled or not, we have hearing loss ranging from mild to total deafness and each individual in that continuum will use one or more of many different methods of communication. In addition to what one might expect, many hard of hearing people will use sign language as their primary language and blind people may use speech. Vision ranges from a mild loss of periferal and night vision to total blindness, and may see well enough to drive safely and read fine print, read large print, or use braille, and/or audio.
1. Is there a Deaf-Blind community?
Deaf-blind people are very widely scattered throughout the country and the world and very often don't meet others with their situation. To find other deaf-blind we have to go to national organizations of some type so a lot of our communities are online. There are a very few areas in the U.S. that are friendly to the deaf-blind and have work available to them, which attract DB people to create a community of sorts. There's a strong one in Seattle and in Silver Spring, Maryland, but I don't know where others are.
2. What are some methods of communicating with a Deaf-blind person?
I think the internet is by far the most common way to keep in touch with other DB people for those who have internet access. In person, you have speech, several different forms of sign language, and braille. There are many assistive technological devices to enable all of these methods. Many.
3. What is tactile sign language?
Obviously, sign language is visual, which doesn't work for people who are vision impaired or blind. Tactile sign language is the use of sign language where the recipient lightly places his hand or hands on the communicator's hand(s) so the blind sign language user receives communication through touch. By the way, there are deaf-blind people with nerve damage who have difficulty with this method.
4. Is Braille helpful?
Braille is useful for some deaf-blind people to varying degrees. Many are fluent readers of braille while others, like me, use braille only for simple labeling.
5. Did you learn ASL as your first language?
No.
6. What are some of the struggles that you personally face?
Losing my vision very very gradually from my teens until late middle age meant continuously learning new adaptations -- once I gained confidence with one level of vision I was faced with the next level of loss. Losing my vision completely has been very difficult for me to handle. That's my biggest struggle. Using the internet was a great enabler and pleasure to me when I still had some vision. But since becoming blind I have struggled to learn to use it on my own.
Being very hard of hearing now has made communicating with others very difficult except in a one on one situations.
7. How can someone best help you?
Many people with low or no vision or hearing have become quite independent, competent, and above all, confident. I'm very reliant on assistance. I'm very fortunate to have a supportive family and to be able to afford additional assistance, but still my life would be much broader with ready access to SSPs.
-----Original Message-----
From: Keitei Colton <kekiangeles111 at gmail.com>
To: nfb-db <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Cc: nfb-db <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thu, Feb 20, 2014 8:44 pm
Subject: [nfb-db] Deaf Inclusion Training
Hello Cheri and all,
> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 18:25:23 -0700
> From: Keitei Colton <kekiangeles111 at gmail.com>
> To: "nfb-db at nfbnet.org" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nfb-db] Deaf Inclusion Training
> Message-ID: <0471A9BD-7C8C-48F0-A0BB-30A851ED0429 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Hello all,
>
> I am putting on a presentation/training for a few student groups at the
University of Utah. I am wanting to include Deaf-Blind perspectives to help with
the presentation/training. Could anyone help me? Some questions that I would
like to share answers for at the presentation/training are as following:
>
> >
> If you want to help, please email me with any suggestions/tips and answer the
questions to the questions from your personal experience.
>
> Best,
>
> Keitei Colton
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:49:17 -0500 (EST)
> From: Cherifields at aol.com
> To: nfb-db at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nfb-db] nfb-db deaf inclusion
> Message-ID: <be109.e95649f.4036ff6d at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hello Keitei,
>
> If you are considered deaf-blind, then you must know that not all
> deaf-blind are not all deaf-blind. The term is loosely used to include all
degrees
> of persons with hearing and vision loss. Those of us who are considered
> blind have varying degrees of blindness. And the same goes for deafness.
>
> Obviously, if you could not hear at birth, you would most likely have been
> educated in the ASL. If you are educated with the deaf environment you are
> better served with the deaf culture. If you are raised with the blind
> environment you will most likely stay with the hearing community, even if you
> use ASL.
>
> The deaf-blind who are tactile only, have other organizations that serve
> them. This is primarily their community. Since there are not a large
> enough number in any one location, they will involved themselves with
> associations that meet their needs.
> The reality is, will society accept and include the deaf-blind? How can
> we expect society to accept deaf-blind if as a whole the blind community
> does not accept them or the deaf does not accept them? Inclusion must come
> from those who are NOT deaf-blind. And not the other way around.
>
> With the advent of new technology and education changing to include rather
> than exclude society will change as we integrate disabilities. Just as
> years ago the children with disabilities were all segregated in their own
> disability. This would make it harder for others without those disabilities
> to accept them.
>
> Best Regards
>
> Cheri Fields
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-----Original Message-----
From: Keitei Colton <kekiangeles111 at gmail.com>
To: nfb-db <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Cc: nfb-db <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thu, Feb 20, 2014 8:44 pm
Subject: [nfb-db] Deaf Inclusion Training
Hello Cheri and all,
I am not deaf blind. I am just blind, and I like talking with deaf blind people
and hearing their stories. Meeting a few deaf blind people myself, I know that
there is a range, but I do not want to drown out someone else's voice. I do not
know what it is like to be deaf blind, but I am an ally. For me, I accept deaf
blind people as people, and I would like others to know about the deaf blind
community so that they can become allies as well.
Four the Deaf Inclusion Training, I want there to also be a critical dialogue
about deaf blindness as well that more people are aware. I write to this list so
that I an bring many voices of the deaf blind to a training so that they may be
heard as well.part of the reason for the training is to bring awareness to some
of the difficulties that deaf and deaf blind people face and that others can
learn about the struggles and reach out their hands and offer help.
Best,
Keitei Colton
> On 20 Feb 2014, at 05:00, nfb-db-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
>
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. nfb-db content of digest (Tracie Inman)
> 2. Deaf Inclusion Training (Keitei Colton)
> 3. nfb-db deaf inclusion (Cherifields at aol.com)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 04:07:02 -0800 (PST)
> From: Tracie Inman <tracieinman at yahoo.com>
> To: "nfb-db at nfbnet.org" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nfb-db] nfb-db content of digest
> Message-ID:
> <1392811622.23061.YahooMailNeo at web120705.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Date: Feb. 18, 2014
> ?
> Attention! Attention! Attention!
> ?
> Brief Summary:
> ?
> Hi, my name is Cheryl R. Brown, I am a National Representative of the NY
Deaf-Blind Division of the NFB. Yes, I need you that right you who represent of
all areas New York State and New York City as well as others county of New York
State. JOIN me in forming a small committees of the NY Deaf-Blind??of the
National Federation of the Blind. Please stand up for Deaf-Blind concern. I need
you such as NFB Deaf-Blind Group, American Deaf Blind Association, and others
Deaf-Blind Group can WORK together to learn how ?I Can Connect Program? may help
you, establish and to get support for SSP (Service Support Provider, and
advocate for Deaf-Blind issues. Unified together let the community know we
Deaf-Blind are active. I am looking for any person who want to get involve in
the committee??position as following:
> ?
> First Vice President
> Second Vice President
> Secretary
> Secretary of the Treasure
> ?
> 5 Board Members:
> ?
> First Board: ?I Can Connect Program?
> Second Board SSP
> Third Board: Deaf-Blind Concerns
> Fourth Board: Seminar and guest speaker
> Fifth Board: Fund Raiser
> ?
> Please email if you want to be apart of the NY Deaf-Blind Committees of the
NFB. I really need you, please. We can make a different.
> ?
> The selection will be a (First Come First Serve basis). If more than one
person express interest in the position above then I will put each person name
on a paper folded in square. Place name in jar with 5 blank paper in folded in
square in jar. I will have a sighted-person will help me. I will take out the
first name that????appear for that position that you express.??The position will
be held for 2 years until reelection . Please JOIN me in making this happening.
I need you!
> ?
> At the moment, I will be holding??the President position. Please, join me in
building this small New York committees.
> ?
> Contact:
> Cheryl R. Brown
> ?
> Home Phone Numbers: (631) 952-0989
> Give a messages and speak clearly and leave a brief messages.
> ?
> e-mail:?cheryl9rb at gmail.com
> ?
> Important Point:
> ?
> Please put your full name and full E-mail address in the body of the E-mail.
So, I can E-mail back to you. I also need your full name and your home/apt.
address, and phone numbers. I really appreciate that very much.
> -------------- next part --------------
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 18:25:23 -0700
> From: Keitei Colton <kekiangeles111 at gmail.com>
> To: "nfb-db at nfbnet.org" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nfb-db] Deaf Inclusion Training
> Message-ID: <0471A9BD-7C8C-48F0-A0BB-30A851ED0429 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Hello all,
>
> I am putting on a presentation/training for a few student groups at the
University of Utah. I am wanting to include Deaf-Blind perspectives to help with
the presentation/training. Could anyone help me? Some questions that I would
like to share answers for at the presentation/training are as following:
>
> 1. Is there a Deaf-Blind community?
> 2. What are some methods of communicating with a Deaf-blind person?
> 3. What is tactile sign language?
> 4. Is Braille helpful?
> 5. Did you learn ASL as your first language?
> 6. What are some of the struggles that you personally face?
> 7. How can someone best help you?
>
> If you want to help, please email me with any suggestions/tips and answer the
questions to the questions from your personal experience.
>
> Best,
>
> Keitei Colton
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:49:17 -0500 (EST)
> From: Cherifields at aol.com
> To: nfb-db at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nfb-db] nfb-db deaf inclusion
> Message-ID: <be109.e95649f.4036ff6d at aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hello Keitei,
>
> If you are considered deaf-blind, then you must know that not all
> deaf-blind are not all deaf-blind. The term is loosely used to include all
degrees
> of persons with hearing and vision loss. Those of us who are considered
> blind have varying degrees of blindness. And the same goes for deafness.
>
> Obviously, if you could not hear at birth, you would most likely have been
> educated in the ASL. If you are educated with the deaf environment you are
> better served with the deaf culture. If you are raised with the blind
> environment you will most likely stay with the hearing community, even if you
> use ASL.
>
> The deaf-blind who are tactile only, have other organizations that serve
> them. This is primarily their community. Since there are not a large
> enough number in any one location, they will involved themselves with
> associations that meet their needs.
> The reality is, will society accept and include the deaf-blind? How can
> we expect society to accept deaf-blind if as a whole the blind community
> does not accept them or the deaf does not accept them? Inclusion must come
> from those who are NOT deaf-blind. And not the other way around.
>
> With the advent of new technology and education changing to include rather
> than exclude society will change as we integrate disabilities. Just as
> years ago the children with disabilities were all segregated in their own
> disability. This would make it harder for others without those disabilities
> to accept them.
>
> Best Regards
>
> Cheri Fields
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
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>
> ------------------------------
>
> Subject: Digest Footer
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-db mailing list
> nfb-db at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of nfb-db Digest, Vol 61, Issue 8
> *************************************
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