Young Children who are Deafblind

Abstract This chapter focuses on selected strategies that enhance early intervention practice with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are deafblind and their families. It discusses the critical need for early identification of deafblindness and the role of diverse disciplines in providing support to the family. The chapter explains strategies from a project with young children who are deafblind that demonstrated family-centered, relationship-based, routines-based interventions, and involved interdisciplinary teaming. It includes a section on Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction for preschoolers with visual impairments and additional disabilities including deafblindness. Given the very limited research on young children who are deafblind and their families, this chapter also draws from the literature on effective interventions used with young children who have sensory and multiple disabilities.