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SSP + DEAF - BLIND = SUCCESS!

SSP + DEAF - BLIND = SUCCESS!. Presented by: Dorothy Walt, Helen Keller National Center Molly Rimer, Helen Keller National Center Jamie Pope, American Association for the Deaf-Blind. Workshop topics. Brief introduction to deaf-blindness Role of an SSP in the life of a deaf-blind person

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SSP + DEAF - BLIND = SUCCESS!

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  1. SSP + DEAF - BLIND =SUCCESS! Presented by: Dorothy Walt, Helen Keller National Center Molly Rimer, Helen Keller National Center Jamie Pope, American Association for the Deaf-Blind

  2. Workshop topics • Brief introduction to deaf-blindness • Role of an SSP in the life of a deaf-blind person • Positive impacts that an SSP can have on the employment of a deaf-blind person • Resources

  3. Definition of deaf-blindness as written in the helenkeller act Vision • Central vision loss of 20/200 or less in the better eye with corrective lenses • Peripheral vision of no greater than 20 degrees • Progressive vision loss Hearing • Chronic hearing loss so severe that most speech can’t be understood without amplification • Progressive hearing loss

  4. Definition of deaf-blindness helenkeller act (cont’d) Combination causes extreme difficulty in: • Attaining independence in daily life activities • Achieving psychosocial adjustment • Obtaining a vocation Functional and performance assessments • Used for those with cognitive and behavioral constraints

  5. American association for the deaf-blind Definition of Deaf-Blind: Combination of hearing and vision loss of any varying degrees that affects a person’s ability to: • Communicate • Get environmental information • Participate in the community • Obtain and keep a job • Maintain independence

  6. Diversity of Deaf-blind people From the Deaf community • ASL, Usher 1, Deaf culture From the Blind community • Spoken language, multiple etiologies, Braille readers, mobility skills With low vision and are hard-of-hearing • Spoken language, Usher 2, and multiple etiologies, many seniors With multiple challenges • Alternative communication systems, usually born deaf-blind, may live in a group home

  7. How does vision and hearing loss affect a person? • Communication • Independence (traveling, living alone) • Psychosocial adjustment (esp. related to identity) • Technology EMPLOYMENT!

  8. Support Service Providers: Are the “eyes and ears” for deaf-blind people, allowing them equal access to the community where they live and work.

  9. ssps assist with visual information • What’s happening around them • How the room is set up, who is there, what they are doing, their mood • Reading a menu • Product information when shopping: size, color, shape, price, and options available

  10. ssps assist by providing human guide • To and from a meeting place • To and from the restroom • Through a lunch line • To and from special events • At recreational activities • To and from work

  11. sspS assist with communication • Connect with people • Basic, informal interpreting i.e. social interactions • Make phone calls, read and respond to mail and emails

  12. ssps assist with Transportation • Rides to job interviews, conferences, workshops, errands, recreation, doctor’s appointments, shopping • Important in rural areas where public transportation is limited • Communicate with bus drivers, ticket agent • Navigate subway system, catch the right bus

  13. SSPs assist with everyday life • Food/clothes shopping • Basic banking • Watching sporting event • Participating in extra- curricular activities • Connect with families • Vacations • Church, temple, synagogue, etc • Access to systems (rehab., medical, education, and social security)

  14. It is not appropriate for ssps to: • Be a personal care attendant • Run errands without the deaf-blind person • Teaching • Formal interpreting (unless already a certified interpreter) • Ask personal questions • Make decisions for the deaf-blindperson • Give opinion if not asked

  15. Ssps assist with pre-Employment Transportation and human guide to various appointments: • VR counselor • Medical evaluations • Vocational assessments • Classes/training on vocational and job search skills Read letter and print materials, fill out forms associated with these appointments

  16. Ssps assist with job search activities • Read job announcements on the web and newspaper • Visual information on resumes, applications, cover letters, and thank you letters • Interview preparation: clothes shopping, dry cleaners, haircut, nice paper for resume • Informational and job interviews

  17. Sspsassist with maintaining jobs • Connect with co-workers • Read memos, files, reports • Provide transportation tomeetings and other locations • Human guide to meetings • Assist through a lunch line (or assist with food shopping to bring lunch to work)

  18. Meet Bapin • SSPs give deaf-blind individuals an empowered feeling • SSPs assist with transportation (hotels, training facilities, etc.), networking, and accessing communities • SSPs provide technological assistance • Without an SSP, it would be difficult to investigate and research new technologies

  19. Meet Ashley • Mental health and substance abuse therapist with Usher Syndrome Type I • Interpreters used for meetings, training • SSPs provide transportation for my community and outreach work • Rely on coworkers, interpreters or SSPs to provide communication assistance with clients

  20. Additional success stories Entrepreneur, Usher • SSP for communicating with clients, transportation and assistance with telephone conversations Teacher, Braille, computer, ILS and tactile sign • SSP for training support and transportation Teacher, Language, Usher • SSP for monitoring student behavior ASL instructor, Usher 1 • SSP to provide visual/environmental information regarding student communication and relaying visual communication tactually

  21. Recent efforts AADBHKNC • Nationwide SSP program • Formal training at AADB symposium • SSP Task Force with HKNC • New Jersey • California • Collaboration with Seattle’s DBSC • SSP Task Force with AADB

  22. Resources American Association for the Deaf-Blind • Email: AADB-info@aadb.org • Website: www.aadb.org Helen Keller National Center - Regional Office • Email: hkncinfo@hknc.org • Website: www.hknc.org National SSP Pilot Project Deaf-Blind Service Center • Email: info@seattledbsc.org • Website: www.seattledbsc.org • SSP Curriculum: http://www.seattledbsc.org/SSPCurriculum.html

  23. “While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done.”- Helen Keller

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