Deafness, the full or partial inability to hear, and blindness, the full or partial inability to see, can cause many obstacles and hardships for people. But with help for the deaf and blind, offered by organizations such as the American Association of Deaf-Blind (AADB), opportunities and support are far greater than ever before. Many local community organizations and government programs offer services for the sight or hearing impaired.
Deaf and Blind People
According to the AADB, approximately 50 percent of people who are deaf or blind were born that way, due to Usher Syndrome, which is a genetic condition causing a person to be blind or deaf at birth. People can be deaf, blind, or deaf-blind (a combination of both).
Help for the Deaf or Blind
People who are deaf or blind can now use technology to help them deal with daily life. According to the AADB, a variety of technology is used, like special software and global positioning systems, to assist the blind and hearing impaired, as well as closed-circuit TV, Braille, large-print clocks and watches, and specially trained service dogs.
Being deaf or blind does not necessarily mean 100 percent of a person's vision or hearing is lost. Deafness and blindness can fall into a wide range of severity. In addition to the previously mention technology, hearing aids and glasses can be used to assist the deaf or blind.
Training to Become Independant
Deaf and blind people have opportunities through training classes to teach them to become independent. There are many facilities which offer training courses for the deaf and blind through local and state rehabilitation agencies, as well as organizations like the Helen Keller National Center (also known as the HKNC). The Braille Institute also offers many valuable courses and challenges, with such diverse classes as photography for the legally blind.
Classes for the deaf include sign language courses. Learning to become mobile for the deaf or blind is another example of such training classes. Taking a mobility class will allow a blind or deaf person to travel independently, according to the AADB.
The HKNC is a rehabilitation center specifically for deaf-blind youth and adults. According to the Helen Keller National Center, training programs work with each individual to create a program which meets his needs, abilities and preferences.
HKNC helps the person to learn the skills necessary to work and function on their own. According to the AADB, deaf and blind people fulfill many jobs and roles: teachers, professors, counselors, homemakers, agency directors, business executives and government workers.
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