Children and youths aged birth to 21 with combined visual impairment and hearing loss, and their families, school district staff, and other professionals.
These children often have disabilities in addition to their dual sensory disability, such as developmental delay, brain injury, cerebral palsy, or medical issues.
Children who qualify for services from our deaf-blind project may be classified in special education as multiply disabled, deaf, hearing impaired, or visually impaired—rather than deaf-blind.
The Washington state educational definition of “deaf-blind” reads:
"Deaf-Blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for students with deafness or students with blindness and adversely affect a student's educational performance."
Many people think “Helen Keller” when they see the words “deaf-blind.” Most of the students who qualify for services with our deaf-blind project have partial vision and some hearing. Only a few are totally deaf and blind; however, any degree of hearing loss and vision impairment, when combined, create unique learning challenges for children. See the table below for a summary of the 2008 Washington Deaf-Blind Census by ESD and Age Category.
For more information, contact Sandy Honeycutt:
425-917-7827 (Puget Sound ESD, Renton
800-572-7000 (toll free in Washington state)
Email: wsds@psesd.org (or) shoneycutt@psesd.org
Infants and toddlers aged birth to three with both hearing loss and visual impairment also qualify for services through Washington’s Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program. We can help to provide training and support for service providers and family members. We have a free lending library of videotapes, books, curricula, and other resources.
If you suspect that an infant or toddler may have both a hearing loss and visual impairment, you can call us for guidance.
For infant/toddler questions, contact Nancy Hatfield, director of early childhood:
425-917-7828 (Puget Sound ESD, Renton)
800-572-7000 (toll free in Washington state)
Washington Sensory Disabilities Services
Washington State Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness
Washington State December 1, 2008 Census
by Educational Service District and Age Group
Age of Child/Youth (Dec. 1, 2008) |
||||||
Educational Service District (ESD) |
0 - 2 |
3 - 5 |
6 - 11 |
12 - 17 |
18 - 22 |
ESD TOTAL |
ESD 101 (Spokane) |
2 |
2 |
6 |
9 |
4 |
23 |
ESD 105 (Yakima) |
1 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
13 |
ESD 112 (Vancouver) |
0 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
4 |
18 |
ESD 113 (Olympia) |
0 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
ESD 114 (Bremerton) |
1 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
16 |
ESD 121 (Renton) |
5 |
5 |
24 |
20 |
14 |
68 |
ESD 123 (Pasco) |
2 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
16 |
ESD 171 (Wenatchee) |
0 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
15 |
ESD 189 (Anacortes) |
7 |
2 |
18 |
15 |
5 |
47 |
TOTAL: |
18 |
28 |
71 |
69 |
42 |
228 |
Revised 6/1/09