The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education provides FREE Technical Assistance services to children, birth through 21 years, with combined vision and hearing loss. Families, service providers and support agencies of children and youth with deafblindness may request services. Technical Assistance can include On Site Consultations, Training Services, Information Dissemination and Additional Consultative Services. To request service, a parent, service provider or school system may call Lynia White to make arrangements at (800) 229-0844 or (614) 785-1163.

What is deafblindness?

Deafblindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational* needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness and children with blindness.
*Children under 3, intervention

AND

Degree of Hearing Loss
Mild (26-40 dB loss)
Moderate (41-55 dB loss)
Moderately Severe (56-70 dB loss)
Severe (71-90 dB loss)
Profound (91+ dB loss)
Diagnosed Progressive Loss
Documented Functional Hearing Loss

Degree of Vision Loss
Low Vision (Visual Acuity of 20/70 to 20/200)
Legally Blind (20/200 or less or field restriction of 20 degrees or less)
Light Perception Only
Totally Blind
Cortical Visual Impairment
Diagnosed Progressive Loss
Documented Functional Vision Loss

OR

Have documented hearing and vision losses that, if considered individually, may not meet the requirements for auditory impairment or visual impairment, but the combination of which adversely affects the student's educational performance.

OR

Have a documented medical diagnosis of a progressive medical condition(s) that will result in concomitant hearing and visual loss that, without special education intervention, will adversely affect the student's performance.

Note: Deafblind DOES NOT mean totally deaf and/or totally blind. Most individuals who are deafblind have some usable hearing and vision. If you suspect that a child has a combination vision and hearing loss please contact our office for additional assistance.

Who Can Ask for Technical Assistance?

• Parents and Families

• School Teams

• Service Providers

• Professional and Community Groups

• Caregivers

What Types of Technical Assistance are Available?

The Deafblind Census

OCDBE maintains a state registry of children and youth who have been identified as deafblind. If a child is not registered, contact Lynia White at (800) 229-0844 to receive census forms.

• Any family member or professional can register a child by contacting OCDBE.

• Registering a child provides families and service providers access to information about available services, training, events and conferences.

• Children are eligible for services if they are reported on the census. Information and referral services are available to all children.

• To download a copy of the census referral form, click here.

Information and Referral Services

• Assistance in Identifying Children and Youth Who Have Vision AND Hearing Loss

• Conferencing by Telephone or Email

• Referrals to Other Agencies For Additional Services

• Contact Lynia White at (800) 229-0844

On-Site Consultations

• Consultations in the home, classroom, school or community

• Instructional Strategies

• Home and Classroom Adaptations

• Curriculum Development

• Communication Skills and Systems

• Vision and Hearing Information

• Contact Heather Herbster at (800) 229-0844
  To download a copy of the Parent Release form, click here (pdf)
  To download a copy of the Visit Request form, click here (pdf)

Training Services

• On Site Workshops

• Statewide/Regional Workshops for Families and Service Providers

• Contact Allison Glasgow at (800) 229-0844

Information Dissemination

• Resource Lending Library (books, articles, video tapes, DVDs)

• Center Newsletter

• Web Site/Web Links

• Contact Allison Glasgow at (800) 229-0844

Lending Library

The lending library housed at The OCDBE office has materials available for family members and service providers of individuals with deafblindness. Materials pertain to topics relating to deafblindness, education and multiple disabilities and can be checked out for a 30-day period. If you are interested in learning more about the library, contact The OCDBE office at (800) 229-0844. Some of the more popular items available are:

• Hand In Hand: Essentials of Communication and Orientation and Mobility for Your Students Who Are Deaf-Blind

• Simulations of Different Types of Hearing and Vision Loss

• What Do I Do Now? Video Series

• Guidelines: Practical Tips for Working and Socializing with People with Deafblindness

To download a copy of the library catalog (62 pages), click here. (pdf)