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<DIV>Hello Keitei,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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. </DIV>
<DIV>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.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best Regards</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cheri Fields</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>