Greetings!
The Montana Deaf-Blind Project is pleased to announce our two-part Early identification of Deaf-Blindness webinar series. Register now for these free opportunities to learn from nationally-renowned expert Dr. Susan M. Bashinski. (Please note - you must register separately for each session.) MT OPI renewal unit credit is available.
Reserve your webinar seat for Session 2 now at:
Series Overview:
Experiences that occur during the earliest years of life have a profound effect on a child's ability to learn, move, and interact with others. This is especially true for children with combined vision and hearing loss—known as deaf-blindness—whose physical, communicative, cognitive, social, and emotional developmental domains are deeply intertwined. Because the impact on learning is exponentially greater for combined vision and hearing loss than for vision or hearing loss alone, early identification, followed by early intervention services from individuals who understand the unique impact of deaf-blindness, is essential. Register for this two-part webinar series to learn more.
Session 1: Early Identification of Children with Deaf-Blindness
Thursday, February 3, 2022
12:00-1:30 PM Mountain Standard Time
The foundation for this webinar is the assumption that early identification of combined vision and hearing loss is positively correlated with minimizing the negative impacts of sensory loss on a child’s future development in multiple domains. The webinar will include a discussion of risk factors for deaf-blindness, as well as early behavioral signs or symptoms of this condition. The presenter will examine authentic assessment approaches, and suggest ten primary areas in which families and early intervention teams might focus their observational assessment, should they suspect a baby or toddler might experience deaf-blindness. The webinar will conclude with a brief mention of resources for assistance with identification of deaf-blindness.
Session 2: Bridging Early Identification of Deaf-Blindness to Effective Intervention
Thursday, March 3, 2022
12:00-1:30 PM Mountain Standard Time
The purpose of this webinar is to provide strategies for mitigating the potential impacts of limited visual and auditory stimulation on a baby or toddler’s long-term development. The presenter’s purpose is to assist families and early intervention teams to build a foundation for the young child’s learning and access to the environment, through developing supports to maximize the baby’s / toddler’s (1) use of residual sensory abilities and (2) receive communicative input. The presenter will discuss intervention strategies appropriate for implementation in the NICU, home, and on-site preschool—for both families and early interventionists, with the over-arching consideration that it is most critical to ensure the baby / toddler feels safe and environments are as predictable as possible.
Reserve your webinar seat for Session 2 now at:
