“Communication as connection. What do we mean by communication? Our first response may be that communication is the use of words in a formal language structure. But communicat ion is more– much, much more. It is the means by which people con-nect with their environment and with other people. Communicat ion is the way we reach out to each other; it is the way we “touch” each other. Through communica-tion, we connect in the most meaningful sense of the word. Commu-nication IS connec-tion.”- Remarkable Conversations

There are so many ways to communicate! There are the obvious methods of communi-cation, such as talking, signing and writing. We use these methods every day; in fact you are reading what I have written, and therefore I am communi-cating with you. Speaking, signing and writing/reading are very complex forms of communicat ion that preclude your knowl-edge of a formal language.

Look at the “Communication Examples” in the box. What is being communicated?

What do you do when you are bored? Do you start scribbling, doodling, tapping your

fingers, or playing with your hair? What about if you are frustrated or nervous? Do you bite your nails, eat more, or clench your teeth? What about if you are de-pressed or sad? Are you lethargic? Do you eat less, or sleep more? What about if you are mad? Would you like to punch some-thing, or yell at someone?

Do you see communi-cation in these actions and behaviors?

Let’s talk about our children and our stu-dents. Are our chil-dren’s actions related to what they are trying to communicate to us and to the world? If they are acting up, are they overwhelmed, t ired, frustrated, or bored? When they are not eat-

ing well, are they physically sick, de-pressed, frustrated, or excited?

If our ch ild ren don’t have much movement of their own, can you notice differences in their muscle tenseness, their eye movement, or vocalizations? They are communicating to us in ways most people overlook. They have emotions and thoughts, and they are trying to be heard. And you are hearing them .

Volume 1, Issue 1

Receptive and Expressive Communication

Spring 2004

Where did that quote come from?

• The quote used on the front page came from a book called Remarkable Conversations: A Guide to Developing Meaning-ful Communication with Chil-dren and Young Adults Who are Deafblind.

• This book is available for pur-chase from Perkins School for the Blind. They may be con-tacted at:

175 North Beacon Street Watertown, MA 02472 (617) 924-3434 www.perkins.org

M I S S I S S I P P I D E A F - B L I N D P R O J E C T

Focus Fly er

Inside this issue: The Main Focus– Communication

1

Future Focus Parent Focus

2

What a Great Opportunity!Support Professional Focus

3

Focus on Services 4

F o c u s i n g o n q u a l i t y s e r v i c e s t o i n f a n t s , c h i l d r e n

a n d y o u n g a d u l t s w i t h d e a f - b l i n d n e s s

Communication Examples Your baby is born. You feed the baby. The baby still cries. You change the baby’s diaper. The baby settles down and goes back to sleep. You give a lecture to a large audience. Certain members of the audience are sitting wide-eyed taking notes. Other members of the audience are yawning and falling off to sleep. You are on your first date to the movies. As you sit in the dark you are suddenly aware that your date’s pinky finger is now touching yours. (Remember those butterflies?)

Future Focus April 19-23: Helen Keller National Center: Touch-ing Lives: Interpreting Techniques for the Deaf-Blind Population presented in NY. Con-tact Sister Bernadette Wynn at (516) 944-8900 for more information. 24-25: Youth and Parent Retreat Contact Sam Gleese with Healthy Futures at (601) 969-0601. 29-30: Second Annual Early Intervention Conference “Capture the Possibilities” spon-sored by Southern Miss Institute for Disability Studies. Contact Sonia Carr at (888) 671-0051.

May 16-21: Helen Keller National Center: Orien-tation and Mobility Techniques for Deaf-Blind Travelers presented in NY. Contact Sister Bernadette Wynn at (516) 944-8900 for more informat ion.

June 2-4: Communication Strategies for Children with Severe and Multiple Disabilities Confer-ence in Baton Rouge, LA. Special half-day seminar for family members is offered free of charge on June 4. Presented by Philip Schweigert, M.Ed. Contact Linda McDowell at (800) 264-5135 if you are interested.

3-4: Youth Leadership Conference in Jack-son. Contact Sam Gleese with Healthy Fu-tures at (601) 969-0601. 14-18: Helen Keller National Center: Pro-fessional Development for Employment Training Specialists presented in NY. Con-tact Sister Bernadette Wynn at (516) 944-8900 for more info rmation.

July 8-9: The Arc of MS Summer Conference-Contact Mary Ann Robinson at (800) 717-1180 or (601) 982-1180.

August 1-13: HKNC Summer Seminar for high school juniors and seniors with deaf-blindness. Contact Susan Lascek at (404) 766-9625.

5-7: NTAC/NFADB Parent Workshop.

November 17-20: TASH National Convention in Reno, Nevada. Funding assistance available for family members by MS Deaf-Blind Project. Call (800) 264-5135 for more information.

It is important to docu-ment your child’s expressive and receptive communicat ion. Th is will help people in the community and school understand more about your child. It is vital that they are able to build on the foundation you and your child have built. It is also important for you to be in-volved and continue building your child’s communicat ion. Talk to your service provid-ers and make a p lan on how to share this infor-mat ion.

Your reception of your child’s com-municat ion is good. You know when your child is hungry, happy, frustrated. There may be times when your child is trying to express something and you are not able to figure it out, but you are the one who knows your child best.How can you help other people know your child better?

P a g e 2

Communication

F o c u s F l y e r

It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel towards our distant goal. -Helen Keller

V o l u m e 1 , I s s u e 1

Are you interested in working with indi-

viduals with deafblindness? Are you inter-

ested in being capable of leading future

training in services for individuals who

have multiple disabilities? Are you inter-

ested in earning a Master’s for free?

The University of Southern Mississippi

has been awarded a five-year low inci-

dence personnel preparation grant to pro-

vide a master of education degree focusing

on special education of individuals with

multiple disabilities. This grant funding

will cover the two years of a student’s tuition, books, travel, and some child care

expenses.

You don’t have to move to Hattiesburg

to take advantage of this opportunity!

Courses will be provided in an Internet

format using real and asynchronous time

and include CD-ROM’s, videotapes, tele-

phone dialogue and email communication

as part of the course design. On-line

courses will also have one scheduled face-

to-face classroom experience between the

instructor and students and at least one

opportunity for Interactive Video Network

(IVN) connection.

This degree will include ten courses

(provided on-line by Texas Tech Univer-

sity, University of Southern Mississippi

and T.K. Martin at Mississippi State Uni-

versity) and two practica (one in-state and

one out-of-state).

the goals they may work on could be conver-sational skills. A child can learn turn-taking and greetings at any point. Make sure the communicat ion you use with your student is consistent and pertinent to the situation.

Remember that receptive communication must be internalized before your student can begin to express communicat ion.

What opportunities can you create to expose your student to new and expanded communica-tion? How can a child’s fascination with water or the feel of a certain type of fabric be a build-ing block of more communicat ion? What is your student expressing right now?

You know your student very well and want them to learn and achieve their goals. One of

P a g e 3

What a Great (Free) Opportunity! Master’s in Special Education: Multiple Disabilities with emphasis on Dual Sensory Impairment

Communication

A person who is severely impaired never knows his hidden sources of strength until he is treated like a normal human being and encouraged to shape his own life. —Helen Keller

For more information, call (800) 264-5135.

The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and

Special Education 118 College Drive # 5115

Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001

M i s s i s s i p pi De a f - B li n d P ro j e ct

Who can request services? Any family member or service provider of a ch ild from b irth to 22 years old with both vision and hearing losses can re-quest services.

Services Training and Technical Assistance Project staff provides training on topics regarding deaf-b lindness and travels on-site to offer individual technical assis-tance to families and service providers. Dissemination o f information on best practices related to deaf-blindness. Maintaining a Web site linking to addi-tional resources.

The Mississippi Deaf-Blind Project offers different services depending on the needs of the child with deaf-blindness, their family, and their support system (including schools, districts, home- and community- based waiver aides, and more). Who is eligible? Children, ages birth to 22 years old , with vary ing degrees of hearing and vision losses are elig ible. Very few children who qualify for services are totally deaf and blind. Qualified individuals may have additional dis-abilities, such as cognitive or motor disabilit ies, and medical conditions.

Phone: (800) 264-5135 Fax: (601) 266-4978

E-mail: deaf-blind@usm.edu

We’re on the Web! www.usm.edu/msdb

Conducting an annual needs assessment in order to maintain quality services. Resource Library with materials on a range of topics: Receptive/Expressive Communication Orientation and Mobility Functional/Age-appropriate Activities Active Engagement Functional Implications of Vision/Hearing Loss Transition Planning Early Identification and Assessment Behavior Issues IFSP/IEP Planning/Implementation Need help? Contact us today! (800) 264-5135.

Dr. Linda McDowell, Administrative Director Elizabeth Grantham, Administrative Assistant Janet Salek, Project Coordinator Jennifer Baker, Support Coordinator

Mississippi Deaf-Blind Project