A Guide to Planning and Support for Individuals Who Are Deafblind

In this ground-breaking collection, leading experts in the field address the problems of parents, intervenors, and professionals who work with people who have been deafblind since birth or from a very early age. Individuals who are congenitally deafblind face the same challenges as those who become deafblind later in life, but they have not had the same opportunity to develop the communications skills and a conceptual base needed to construct an understanding of the world. The contributors address identification of deafblindness, planning and intervention, development, family support, and education. Just as McInnes and Treffry's "Deafblind Infants and Children" helped to change the approach to and the perception of deafblind children, this collection will assist in fostering a new approach to the education of and support for older children, youth and adults who are deafblind. An essential part of this process is to set forth standards for program development, implementation, and evaluation, which this volume aims to accomplish. It will make an essential contribution to the expanding field of services for the deafblind population of all ages, and to the improved understanding of parents, family members, and professionals who support them.