Deaf-Blind Resource List
Appliances:
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults
111 Middle Neck Road
Sands Point
Long Island, New York 11050-1299
Voice: 516-944-8900
TTY: 516-944-8637
Fax: 516-944-7302
Web site: http://www.hknc.org/
International Hearing Society
20361 Middlebelt Road
Livonia, Michigan 48152
Toll Free: 800-521-5247
Web site: http://www.ihsinfo.org/
Ultratec
450 Science Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53711
Phone: 608-238-5400
Web site: http://www.ultratec.com/
Manufactures telecommunications devices for the deaf which can be made to work with VersaBrailles to make communications devices for the deaf-blind.
Communication Methods:
Alphabet Gloves
A glove is worn with letters and numbers printed on it. A sighted person spells words by touching the appropriate letter on the glove. The deaf-blind person can tell which letters are meant by knowing which part of the hand was touched. The deaf-blind person must remember where each letter appears on the glove in order to interpret the touches correctly. This is a cumbersome communication method, but it works well when no other system is available.
Manual Alphabet
The manual alphabet is a series of hand motions which depicts letters. In some instances, the fingers are positioned to resemble print letters. Other letters are formed by arbitrary hand positions which bear no resemblance to print symbols. The basics of the alphabet can be learned in a few hours. It takes a good deal of practice to develop speed. The deaf-blind person reads by placing his or her hand over the hand of the person making the letters. It's possible to communicate at a speed similar to that used in shorthand dictation. An interpreter must summarize speeches, lectures, and ordinary conversation. The manual alphabet can be one of the quickest and most versatile communication methods for a deaf-blind person.
Print-in-Palm
It is possible to communicate with deaf-blind people by tracing the shapes of block letters on the palm of their hand with an index finger. Capital letters should be printed and cursive writing should be avoided.
Sign Language
Some deaf-blind people were deaf from birth and became blind as teenagers or adults. They prefer the sign language used by deaf people. Instead of watching the hands and arms of friends, they touch the hands of the person making the signs to learn what is being said. It is usually necessary to restrict the movements involved in making signs so that a deaf-blind person can follow along conveniently. This system can lead to confusion. It requires the speaker to have extensive training in sign language. However, it is possible to interpret as quickly as English is spoken using this method.
Tadoma
Tadoma is lip reading by touch. It is not very popular because it is hard to do and not very accurate.
Tellatouch
This device is portable and weighs less than four pounds. It consists of a small typewriter keyboard which the interpreter uses to pass on information. The deaf-blind person sits opposite the typist and places a finger on a small Braille "screen." Each letter that is typed appears briefly under the finger of the deaf-blind person. The letter can be felt as long as the typist holds down the key. Only one letter can be felt at a time. Fifty words per minute is probably the maximum speed of the device. The chief advantage of the Tellatouch is that it allows people who have no specialized training to communicate quickly with the deaf-blind.
Organizations:
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998
Phone: 410-659-9315
American Association of the Deaf-Blind
814 Thayer Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Phone: 301-584-7279 (TDD)
Contact: Harry Anderson, President. Membership organization of deaf-blind persons. It holds annual conventions each year in June and is closely tied to many of the service agencies around the country.
Deaf-Blind Division of the National Federation of the Blind
President: Burnell Brown
3400 C.J. Barney Drive, N.E.
Apartment 301W
Washington, D.C. 20018
Phone: 202-832-0697
E-mail: brownburnell@aol.com
National Information Center on Deafness (NICD)
800 Florida Avenue N.E.
Washington D.C. 20002-3695
Voice: 202-651-5051
TTY: 202-651-5052
Puerto Rico Deaf-Blind Parents Association
Sant Rosa Unit
Box 6616
Bayamon, Puerto Rico 00621-9006
Phone: 809-782-4475
Contact: Thomas Santana
Phone: 809-782-8994
Puerto Rico (Multi-State) Project for Children and Young Adults who are Deaf-Blind
P.O. Box 19075
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00919-0759
Phone: 787-759-7228
E-mail: moralesmt@de.prstar.net
Project Director: Maria T. Morales
The Puerto Rico Department of Education through the Assistant Secretariat of Integral Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities will implement and evaluate the services of the Puerto Rico Deaf-Blind Program. The activities and services will be available to approximately 30 to40 children and youth, their families, and service providers throughout the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Sign Language Associates, Incorporated
8630 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Phone: 301-588-7591
Offers free manual for parents of deaf-blind children.
Miscellaneous Services:
Apartment Complex for Deaf-Blind:
Commission on Compassion
c/o Muriel Hersom
6819 North Figueroa
Los Angeles, California 90042
Phone: 213-258-2481
Apartment complex with limited interpreter service for those who live in building. Ms. Hersom provides this service as part of a Christian mission.
Communication:
Capcom, Incorporated
Voice and relay: 202-331-5771
Centralized Interpreter Referral Services
Phone: 410-243-3800
TDD: 410-243-1275
Lucent Technologies
Toll Free: 800-233-1222
TDD Toll Free: 800-896-9032
Assists with repair of telephones using TDD, TTY, or amplified handsets.
Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT)
Department of Budget and Management
301 West Preston Street, Suite 1008A
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1304
Phone: 410-767-6960
Voice/TTY Toll Free: 800-552-7724
Fax: 410-767-4276
Provides free TTY's, amplified headsets and other assistive telephone devices to deaf-blind persons.
Tellatouch Machine (available from Howe Press)
175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, Massachusetts 02472
Phone: 617-924-3490
Fax: 617-926-2027
E-mail: howepress@perkins.pvt.k12.ma.us
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Information:
Children's Hospital
Biomedical Research Institute
CMV Coordinator
345 North Smith Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
CMV is a disease commonly associated with deaf-blindness.
Guide Dogs for the Deaf-Blind:
International Hearing Dog, Incorporated
5901 East 89th Avenue
Henderson, Colorado 80640
Voice or TDD: 303-287-3277
Fax: 303-287-3425
Guide dogs trained to recognize sounds such as a door bell, telephone ringing, smoke alarm, baby crying, etc.
Online Resources:
DeafBlindinfo.org - Minnesota's online resource about combined vision and hearing loss
Publications:
Hot-Line to Deaf-Blind
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
18440 Oxnard Street
Tarzana, California 91356-1504
Phone: 818-343-2022
Publicaton includes summary of current news written especially for deaf-blind persons. It is taken directly from wire services and straight news sources and is the only Braille news publication which does not include editorials. Available free upon request.
Deaf-Blind Service Center Bulletin
Deaf-Blind Service Center
2366 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 312
Seattle, Washington 98102
Phone: 206-323-9178
Manual for Parents of Deaf-Blind Children
Sign Language Associates, Incorporated
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 406
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Phone: 301-588-7591
Fax: 301-588-3021
Publications for Teachers of deaf-blind:
Teaching Research Publications
345 North Monmouth Avenue
Monmouth, Oregon 97361
Phone: 503-838-8391
DB-LINK
345 North Monmouth Ave
Monmouth, Oregon 97361
Voice In-WATS: 800.438.9376
TTY Toll Free: 800-854-7013
Fax: 503-838-8150
E-mail: dblink@tr.wou.edu or leslieg@fsa.wosc.osshe.edu
Web site: http://www.tr.wosc.osshe.edu/dblink/index.htm
Federally funded national information clearing house on children who are deaf-blind.
Rehabilitation Services:
Deaf-Blind Service Center
2366 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 205
Seattle, Washington 98102
Voice or TTY: 206-323-9178
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults
111 Middle Neck Road
Sands Point, New York 11050-1299
Voice: (516) 944-8900
TTY: (516) 944-8637
Fax: (516) 944-7302
Web site: http://www.hknc.org/
Federally funded program providing direct services to deaf-blind youth and adults. Program has ten regional offices throughout the country and has developed a number of aids and devices for deaf-blind individuals through research department.
Relay Services:
Teddi for Maryland
Toll Free: 800-735-2258
Can get a relay operator number in each state from the operator or directory assistance.
Technology:
Tactile Communicators:
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults
Research Department
111 Middle Neck Road
Sands Point, New York 11050-1299
Voice: (516) 944-8900
TTY: (516) 944-8637
Fax: (516) 944-7302
Web site: http://www.hknc.org/
Contact: Mr. Herb Cohen
Radio paging system for deaf-blind communication that transmits basic lifeline information such as a doorbell ringing, telephone ringing, and fire alarm.
Silent Call
Post Office Box 868
Clarkston, Michigan 48347-0868
Phone: 248-673-0221
In-WATS: 800-572-5227
Fax: 248-673-5442
E-mail: silentcall@aol.com
Vibra-Call personal alert system.
Telecommunications Devices:
Telesensory Systems, Incorporated
455 North Bernardo Avenue
Post Office Box 7455
Mountain View, California 94039-7455
Phone: 415-960-0920
Manufactures the Navigator which is used with Ultratec's TDD system for communication. Package available from Telesensory Systems, Incorporated.
Ultratec
450 Science Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53711
Phone: 608-238-5400
Web site: http://www.ultratec.com/
Manufactures telecommunications for the deaf which can be made to work with VersaBrailles to make communication devices for the deaf-blind.
