DeafBlind Connection
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart." -Helen Keller
Most deafblind people have some vision and/or some hearing; few deafblind individuals have total blindness and total deafness.
The DeafBlind Connection was organized in response to a need to provide a series of coordinated services and programs to DeafBlind students enrolled in the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind (MSAB) and the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD). These schools functioned separately and the two respective staffs had expertise in providing vision or deaf educational-services but not for dual sensory loss students.
History of Formation: A general meeting was held in February 1994, consisting of 24- hour program staff from both Academies, parents of DeafBlind students, consumers, and related agencies. Strengths, gaps, and differences on how DeafBlind children were being served by MSAB and MSAD, were discussed. It became evident during this meeting that both schools had expertise that could be used to strengthen present services. The Academies needed a process that collaborated educational services and generated new methods and strategies for educating DeafBlind students. Out of this meeting grew the DeafBlind Connection and the committee concept. Sub-committees formed in three areas:
1. Assessment - identification process of dual sensory losses.
2. Training - develop training sessions to provide insight and understanding of DeafBlind issues.
3. Programming - develop 24-hour program that meets the needs of DeafBlind students.
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