[Nfbv-announce] Report of the Deaf-Blind Division to the NFB of Virginia Board

[Michael Kasey]

>From Valerie Luther:

Virginians With Dual Sensory Impairments

Deaf-Blind Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

Report to the Board

May 7, 2016

 

Our division is currently inactive, we are more of a resource on
deaf-blindness for other chapters here in the state.

I am currently the liaison for Virginia with the National Deafblind
Division. Our contact is 2nd Vice-President Janice Toothman. I keep her
posted on deaf-blindness here in VA. She informed me that they are hoping to
have a Haptic and Pro-Tactile demonstration at the National Convention this
summer. This sounds really exciting! 

As you know I organized the a Haptic workshop for the Virginia Association
for the Deafblind (VADB)  It was a one day  workshop held in October at the
Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind in Staunton. There were over 50
people in attendance.

The Haptic workshop really needs to be a 3-day workshop, but since no one
here in Virginia has heard of it, I worked to bring a 1-day introduction
workshop. It was very well received and there is interest in learning more
and putting it to work. Now if we could find funding to host the 1st 3-day
conference here in Virginia!

Haptics is a non-verbal signaling system, developed in the 1980s by a
deafblind person and a friend. They formed a company called Hapti-co and it
has grown substantially. Many countries in Europe use this system. Helen
Keller National Center in collaborating with Hapti-co has created an
American standard on Haptic. There is a book that will be sold on Amazon
only, but I have not seen it on there yet. I will let you all know when I
do.

It is a system of a person drawing signs on a deafblind or blind person's
back if standing, or their leg or arm when sitting. They give a person all
the environmental information they miss. For instance if I were presenting
to a group. Someone would stand behind me using signals and first draw the
room, show me where the windows are, the door and tell me where everyone is
sitting. They will tell me who is sitting where if it is a small group.
While I am presenting they can draw a signal to tell me what the audience is
doing (they are excited, laughing, sleeping), if someone raises their hand,
they will signal ' question' and where or who and you will know where to
look to respond. If you were walking through an airport, they could draw
turn right, restroom on left, steps coming up, move to right people standing
around. You will not miss a step.

Just thinking about how it could be used in the schools for children and
young adults will be wonderful. I really hope to see it take off here in
Virginia. Ann Olliff, the new President of VADB, is now trained by Helen
Keller National Center to do trainings on Haptics which is really exciting.
We had to bring in trainers from North Carolina for our workshop. 

 

As always, we are a resource to all chapters. If you have questions or need
resources on deafness, or deaf-blindness, please feel free to contact me. I
will be glad to help.

 

Respectfully Submitted:

Valerie Luther, President

Deaf-Blind Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

Consumer Outreach Specialist

VA Deaf-Blind Project

Co-Director

Center for Disability Leadership (CDL)

Partnership for People with Disabilities

PO Box 843020

Richmond, VA 23284

(P) 804-827-0195

CapTel Phone 804-628-0413 cannot leave messages on this phone

(F) 804-828-0042

(Email) valuther at vcu.edu <mailto:valuther at vcu.edu>  

www.vcu.edu/partnership <http://www.vcu.edu/partnership> 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.