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Intervention

Effective Intervention for Children Who Are Deafblind

Effective intervention for children who are deafblind must connect them to the world and provide clear and consistent information needed for learning and development. This connection to the world can be made through an intervener. By definition, an intervener is a consistent person who works one-to-one with children who are deafblind and who has specialized training and skills in deafblindness. The intervener helps the child gather information, learn concepts and skills, develop communication and language, and establish positive relationships. The intervener provides a bridge to the world for the child who is deafblind and encourages independence rather than dependence.

The Role of the Intervener in Providing Effective Intervention

The role of the intervener is three-fold and is the key to effective intervention for children with deafblindness

1. The intervener facilitates access to environmental information that is usually gained through vision and hearing but which is unavailable or incomplete to the child who is deafblind.

2. The intervener facilitates the development and/or use of the child’s receptive and expressive communication skills.

3. The intervener maintains a trusting, interactive relationship with the child that promotes social and emotional development and well-being.

The Responsive Environment

A critical issue to be addressed when considering appropriate intervention is to look at the environment as a whole.

  • For individuals with deafblindness, the environment must be adapted.
  • The environment needs to be a reactive or responsive one, not a directive or passive one.
  • Children who are deafblind will lack the information and communication skills needed to have some control over the people and things in their environment.

For a child who is deafblind a responsive environment is reactive rather than directive or passive:

  • Someone is there to respond to any effort that the child makes to communicate.

  • There are opportunities for the child to interact and form relationships with others.

  • There are opportunities for the child to initiate events or activities.

  • There are opportunities for the child to make choices and solve problems.

  • The child is given motivation to reach out and explore.

  • Continuing stimulation of any residual vision and hearing must be provided as well as training to integrate information from other sensory input channels.

  • There are opportunities for hands-on learning, and activities that are fun and meaningful.

  • Activities are structured so the child can be successful in a reasonable length of time.

  • Enough encouragement and support is given for the child to be successful and to know that he is successful.

  • The child has sufficient time and information to be able to anticipate what is going to happen.