Deafblindness Interest Group
Statement of Purpose
The Deafblindness Interest Group exists to support professionals, researchers, and leaders working with individuals who have combined vision and hearing loss across the lifespan. Deafblindness presents unique challenges related to communication access, information access, orientation and mobility, social-emotional development, and system navigation, requiring specialized knowledge and coordinated interdisciplinary supports.
Although deafblindness intersects with multiple AER divisions, there is a need for a dedicated, centralized space focused specifically on deafblindness as a distinct disability category with its own body of research, intervention strategies, and service systems.
This Interest Group will serve as a national hub for advancing best practices, research, training, and advocacy, while promoting collaboration among educators, interveners, rehabilitation professionals, family members, and individuals who are deafblind.
Statement of Goals and Objectives
Goal 1: Strengthen Professional Knowledge and Skills in Deafblindness
Objectives:
- Provide ongoing professional development through webinars, workshops, and technical assistance sessions on topics such as communication systems, intervener services, tactile strategies, orientation and mobility for individuals who are deafblind, and social-emotional development.
- Disseminate current research, instructional frameworks, and intervention approaches grounded in evidence-based and deafblind-specific practices.
- Highlight lifespan considerations, including early intervention, school-age services, transition, and adult services.
Goal 2: Build a National Community of Practice in Deafblindness
Objectives:
- Facilitate networking and peer learning through watercoolers, communities of practice, and conference sessions.
- Support mentorship and leadership development for professionals entering the deafblind field.
- Promote collaboration across AER divisions and interest groups, as well as with national deafblind projects, intervener training programs, and family organizations.
Goal 3: Advance Research, Data, and Position Statements in Deafblindness
Objectives:
- Support and promote member-led research, data initiatives, and evaluation efforts related to deafblindness prevalence, services, and outcomes.
- Develop position papers and white papers on critical topics such as intervener services, communication access rights, educational placement, and adult services for individuals who are deafblind.
- Collaborate with national partners (e.g., NCDB, state deafblind projects, research institutions) to strengthen the evidence base and inform practice.
Goal 4: Promote Advocacy, Systems Change, and Cross-Sector Collaboration
Objectives:
- Identify and address gaps in policies, funding structures, and service delivery systems impacting individuals who are deafblind.
- Engage in cross-interest group and cross-professional collaborations (e.g., with audiology, speech-language pathology, special education, aging services, and disability advocacy groups) to promote integrated service delivery.
- Elevate the lived experiences and perspectives of individuals who are deafblind and their families in policy and program development.
Goal 5: Enhance Member Engagement, Leadership, and Resource Development
Objectives:
- Provide high-quality, practical resources such as communication guides, assessment tools, and training modules that members can implement in their settings.
- Create opportunities for members to lead webinars, contribute to publications, and co-develop AER resources and position statements.
- Ensure alignment with AER’s mission and strengthen the field’s capacity to support individuals who are deafblind.
To become an associate of the AER Deafblindness Interest Group email a confirmation of commitment to [email protected].