Deaf-Blind: Resources

Professional Development

2023 SUMMER INSTITUTE ON DEAF-BLINDNESS AND SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT NEEDS
Communication Matrix: From Assessment to Implementation

Dates: June 27-28, 2023
8:30 am - 4:30 pm on both days

Location: Adams 12 Conference Center - 1500 E. 128th Avenue, Thornton, CO 80241

Content: When assessing the early communication skills of children and youth who are deaf-blind service providers and families can struggle to find tools outlining what a child can do. The Communication Matrix is an observational tool and behavioral inventory that  pinpoints how a child at the earliest levels of communication uses multiple modes to express themselves, with or without speech or sign language.

Objectives: 

• List a variety of communicative behaviors students use to express themselves
• Understand the characteristics and features of the 7 levels of communicative functioning in the Matrix
• Identify the reasons Early Communicators express themselves
• Practice basic administration and scoring of the Communication Matrix
• Develop language around the Educational Needs of students based on Matrix results
• Review examples of how Communication Matrix results can be used to set goals and plan instruction

Registration

When registering please indicate if you require any accommodation(s). Please note that all registrations must close two (2) weeks prior to the event to address all the conference logistic needs.

Register for DB Summer Institute

DB Summer Institute flyer

On-Demand Professional Learning Specific to Deaf-Blindness

Pediatric deafness/hearing loss is addressed in five training modules on topics that detail (a) the importance and methods to detect and identify early-onset hearing loss; (b) the mechanics of how we hear; (c) the types and incidence of early-onset deafness/hearing loss; (d) the degree of hearing loss; and (e) causes and risk factors for early-onset hearing loss.

• Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
• How We Hear 
• Types of Hearing Loss
• Degree of Hearing Loss 
• Etiologies and Risk Factors of Hearing Loss 

Lending Library

A lending library is maintained with up-to-date books, articles, workshop materials, videotapes, and manuals related to the topic of vision and hearing loss.Lending library materials are mailed out upon request.

• Lending Library Inventory 2018 (XLS)
• Lending Library Request Form (PDF)

 Colorado Resources for Families of Children who are Deafblind

• Deaf-blindness (CDE) (PDF)
• Deaf-blindness: Educational Service Guidelines (Perkins Scout)
• Family Voices (Colorado)
• Hands and Voices (Colorado Office)
• Helen Keller National Center - Rocky Mountain Office
• Parents of Blind Children (Colorado)
• Parent to Parent of Colorado
• Peak Parent Center
• Special Education - Parent Information and Resources
• Special Education - Parents Encouraging Parents  Conference

National and International Resources Specific to Deaf-Blindness:

• American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB)
• Center for Literacy and Disability Studies
• Communication Matrix
• Deafblind International
• Experience Books (Washington Sensory Disability Services)
• Hands and Voices
• Hands and Voices - Colorado Office
• Helen Keller National Center for Deafblind Youth and Adults (HKNC)
• Interveners and Children Who Are Deaf-blind
• Intervener Resource Page (NCDB)
• Intervener Resources, Videos, and Recommendations (NCDB)
• Literacy for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss (Literacy Website Resources)
• National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB)
• National Family Association for the Deafblind (NFADB)
• National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD)
• Path to Literacy
• Promoting Literacy - Emergent  Writing
• Sibling Support Project
• Tarheel Reader- a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics

National Resources Specific to Children with Disabilities

• NORD - National Organization of Rare Disorders

For more information about the Colorado Services for Children and Youth with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss project, please contact: