<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr">Hey all<div><br></div><div><span class="cat-links" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 310px;"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/category/language" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--color-takelessons-blue); text-decoration: none;">Language</a></span><header class="entry-header" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: var(--font-size-h2-small); font-weight: var(--font-weight-t1); margin: 15px 0px 0px; clear: both; text-align: center;">What is Tactile Sign Language & How is it Used?</h1></header><div class="post-meta" style="color: var(--color-med-gray2); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit;"><time style="box-sizing: inherit;">February 11, 2021</time></div><div class="Breadcrumbs" style="color: var(--color-med-gray2); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; font-size: var(--font-size-tags); justify-content: center; margin: 10px 0px 20px;"><div class="RootCrumb" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--color-med-gray2);">TakeLessons Blog</a></div><div class="VerticalCrumb" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span class="CrumbCaret" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> > </span> <a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/languages//" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--color-med-gray2);">Language</a></div><div class="SubjectCrumb" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span class="CrumbCaret" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> > </span> <a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/category/language/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--color-med-gray2);">Language</a></div></div><div class="tll-content-ad" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 20px;"><div class="pubcenteradsloaded" ms-adunit-pub="252329778" ms-adunit-id="820887509" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><div style="box-sizing: inherit;"></div></div></div><div class="entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;"><h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-size: var(--font-size-h3); font-weight: var(--font-weight-t3);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">DeafBlindness </span></h3><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Tactile signing is one method of communication used by the DeafBlind community, who have a combination of both hearing and vision losses. Having a dual sensory loss impacts communication, socialization, mobility, and daily living. </span><a href="https://www.loc.gov/nls/resources/deaf-blindness/#:~:text=The%20National%20Consortium%20on%20Deaf,blind%20in%20the%20United%20States." style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Statistics from 2008</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">indicate that approximately 50,000 or more people (including children and adults) living in the United States are DeafBlind. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Being categorized as DeafBlind refers to a wide array of people; the sensory loss varies from person to person and can change over time. For example, an individual could grow up with blindness and then lose their hearing later in life. Types of sensory loss for the DeafBlind community include the following: </span></p><table width="785" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; width: 310px; height: 499px;"><tbody style="box-sizing: inherit;"><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Vision Loss</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Hearing Loss</span></td></tr><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">totally blind</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">severe to profound loss</span></td></tr><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">light perception only</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">moderate to moderately severe loss</span></td></tr><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">legally blind</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">mild loss</span></td></tr><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">low vision</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">functional hearing loss</span></td></tr><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">functional vision loss</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">progressive loss</span></td></tr><tr style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">progressive vision loss</span></td><td style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">auditory neuropathy </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">DeafBlindness may be the result of a variety of conditions, such as Usher Syndrome, glaucoma, birth trauma, CHARGE Syndrome, Down syndrome, meningitis, hydrocephalus, macular degeneration, or due to accidents or illnesses. </span><a href="http://www.aadb.org/FAQ/faq_DeafBlindness.html#define" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">According to the American Association of the DeafBlind</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">, approximately half of the DeafBlind community has the genetic disorder called Usher Syndrome, which has three types:</span></p><ol style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 3em; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;"><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">An individual is born deaf and they lose sight later. </span></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">An individual is born hard of hearing and they lose sight later. </span></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">An individual is born hearing and sighted (or with a mild loss) and they lose both senses later in life. </span></li></ol><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Just as each DeafBlind individual has varying hearing and vision loss, they also communicate in a variety of ways depending on their preference and situation. </span></p><h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-size: var(--font-size-h3); font-weight: var(--font-weight-t3);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">DeafBlind Communication </span></h3><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">The DeafBlind community communicates in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, the following:</span></p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 3em; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;"><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/what-is-american-sign-language/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">American Sign Language</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">(ASL) in their usable field of vision</span><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">When DeafBlind individuals have some residual vision, they can still communicate using American Sign Language as long as it is produced within their field of vision.</span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><a href="http://www.aadb.org/factsheets/db_communications.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Resource</a> for Tactile Sign Language and fingerspelling</span><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Tactile sign language, explained further in the next section, is using sign language in combination with touch. </span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://www.protactile.org/2016/03/pro-tactile-vlog-1.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Pro-Tactile Sign Language</span></a><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Developed by two DeafBlind individuals, pro-tactile sign language, like tactile sign language, values touch for the purposes of communication. Unlike tactile signing, pro-tactile sign language incorporates feedback through tapping on the signer’s legs, hands, shoulders, and arms, similar to the function of facial expressions in ASL.</span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://www.aadb.org/factsheets/db_communications.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Tracking</span></a><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Tracking involves holding the signer’s wrist or foreman to keep track of the signing. This is useful when the DeafBlind individual has some residual vision, but needs support in locating the signing within their field of vision.</span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/tadoma.htm" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Tadoma Method</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"> </span><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">While rarely used nowadays, this approach, also known as tactile lipreading, involves the DeafBlind individual placing their finders on the chin, cheek, neck, and lips of the other person in order to speechread. </span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://files.cadbs.org/200000037-3e6333f5d3/Spring05.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Coactive Signing</span></a><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Coactive signing is a technique in which the signer molds the DeafBlind individuals hands to make the signs. This is used primarily with children for expressive communication. </span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/parentsguide/building/speech.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Speech</span></a><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Speech is the ability to articulate sounds and a communication method used daily by most of the world’s population. </span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/parentsguide/building/speech-reading.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Lipreading</span></a><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Lipreading, also known as speech reading, is when an individual with a hearing loss watches the lips of the person speaking in an attempt to understand what they are saying, but even in good conditions (e.g., lack of facial hair, clear speaker) only about 40% of English sounds can be seen on the lips. </span></li></ul></li><li aria-level="1" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://www.aadb.org/factsheets/db_communications.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Braille</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">, Large Print, or Audio</span><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; list-style: disc;"><li aria-level="2" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Braille is a form of written language represented by patterns of raised dots that are felt with the fingertips. </span></li></ul></li></ul><h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-size: var(--font-size-h3); font-weight: var(--font-weight-t3);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Tactile Sign Language</span></h3><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><img alt="" width="1040" height="749" data-srcset="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349-300x216.jpg 300w, https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349-768x554.jpg 768w, https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg 800w" data-src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349-300x216.jpg" data-sizes="(max-width: 1040px) 100vw, 1040px" class="alignnone wp-image-99364 lazyloaded" src="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349-300x216.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 1040px) 100vw, 1040px" srcset="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349-300x216.jpg 300w, https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349-768x554.jpg 768w, https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg 800w" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-style: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 400ms ease 0ms;" data-unique-identifier=""></a></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">While communication approach and language preferences vary among the DeafBlind community, tactile sign language is commonly used among those individuals who grew up using ASL in the Deaf community. Tactile signing is one way of communicating in sign language that also involves touch. It is hand-over-hand signing (also called hand-under-hand). This allows the DeafBlind individual to feel the shape, location, and movement of the other signer’s hands. Tactile signing can be one- or two-handed. </span></a></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">When two DeafBlind individuals are communicating with each other using tactile signing, they take turns with hand-over-hand signing. If a DeafBlind individual is communicating with a Deaf or hearing signer who is not also blind, then the DeafBlind individual can sign in ASL without hand-over-hand when they are signing and then place their hands over the other signer’s hand when they begin to sign. </span></a></p><h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-size: var(--font-size-h3); font-weight: var(--font-weight-t3);"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Additional Information</span></a></h3><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a href="https://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pexels_anna_shvets_3845456__1613079356_38349.jpg" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">To learn more about DeafBlindness, visit the </span></a><a href="https://www.nationaldb.org/info-center/deaf-blindness-overview/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">National Center on Deaf-Blindness</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">, the </span><a href="https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths & Adults (HKNC)</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">, the </span><a href="http://www.aadb.org/index.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">American Association of the Deaf Blind</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">, the </span><a href="http://www.deaf-blind.org/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Inc.</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">, or </span><a href="http://www.deafblindinfo.org/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Minnesota’s Online Resource About Combined Vision and Hearing Loss</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">. You can also learn more about tactile signing or ASL by reaching out to a </span><a href="https://takelessons.com/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">TakeLessons</span></a><a href="https://takelessons.com/language/american-sign-language-lessons" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">ASL instructor</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">. </span></p><footer class="AuthorBioSection" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: flex; margin: 40px 0px;"><div class="AuthorLeft" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-right: 40px;"><div class="AuthorImage" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><img alt="Magen Hom.png" src="cid:39625270-CBF1-4DEA-8B88-E162C025A910"></div></div><div class="AuthorRight" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><div class="AuthorDescription" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Dr. Magen Hom studied American Sign Language (ASL) in college during her bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD coursework and started her career as a teacher for the Deaf in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s also taught ASL at the university level, focusing on ASL grammar, vocabulary, classifiers, non-manual signals, Deaf Culture, and the Deaf community. The course included the basics of ASL for undergraduate students with little or no previous knowledge of ASL and was facilitated through immersion; teaching completely in ASL. As a nationally certified ASL interpreter through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Dr. Hom has nine years of interpreting experience and holds two interpreting certifications (i.e., national and legal). Dr. Hom has a deep understanding of ASL and Deaf culture and can seamlessly translate from target sign language to written English using proper grammatical elements, vocabulary, and colloquialisms.</div><a href="https://takelessons.com/profile/magen-h" title="Visit Magen Hom’s website" rel="author external" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: purple; max-width: 100%; display: inline; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: anywhere; margin-bottom: -6px;">Magen Hom</a></div></footer></div><br><div dir="ltr"><br></div></div></div></body></html>