Characteristics

Individuals with deaf-blindness are just that: individuals. The origins of deaf-blindness are not universal, and so people with deaf-blindness can range from people who are born with severe developmental issues and are fully blind and profoundly deaf from birth, to people who develop some vision and hearing loss well into childhood or adulthood. Some common characteristics of students with this disability include difficulties in the following areas:
A. Cognitive
1. Inability to perform basic academic tasks
2. Difficulty in performing functional life skills
B. Communication
1. Difficulty with spoken language (nonverbal in some instances)
2. Limited vocabulary
C. Behavior
1. Low frustration tolerance
2. Difficulty with age-appropriate behavior
3. Problems in adjusting to change
4. Self-stimulatory behaviors such as body rocking, an attraction to light, or hyperactivity
5. Inappropriate behaviors in touching and smelling objects and/or people
D. Physical
1. Difficulty with environmental mobility
2. Difficulty with vision
3. Difficulty with hearing
4. Difficulty with walking
5. Displays seizure activity
6. Difficulty with eating
7. Difficulty with bowel and/or bladder control
8. Difficulty in administering self-care

(This description adapted from the Arkansas Department of Special Education Unitsource)

Braille transcription (download), Part 1Part 2

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