It is usually assumed that the development of infants who are deaf-blind follows an observable “normal” sequence, although progress may be slow and uneven. However, the means by which these infants learn new skills and concepts is not well understood. This article uses a case study of one such infant to address these issues and the factors that affected the method used to study them.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BestT., & BellJ. (1984). Assessment of children with profound handicaps: An analysis of 12 schedules. Mental Handicap, 12, 160–163.
BrownD., SimmonsV., & MethvinJ. (1986). The Oregon project for visually impaired and blind preschool children (3rd ed.). Medford: Jackson Education Service District.
4.
ColeK.N., SwisherM.V., ThompsonM.D., & FewellR.R. (1985). Enhancing sensitivity of assessment instruments for children: Graded multidimensional scoring. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 10, 209–213.
5.
CoupeJ., & LevyD. (1985). The object related scheme assessment procedure. Mental Handicap, 13, 22–24.
DamonW. (1981). Exploring children's social cognition on two fronts. In FlavellJ.H., & RossL. (Eds.), Social cognitive development.Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
8.
DavidsonF.W.K., & Nesker SimmonsJ. (1984). Mediating the environment for young blind children: A conceptualization. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 78, 251–255.
9.
DewartH., & SummersS. (1988). The pragmatics profile of early communication skills.Windsor, England: NFER-Nelson.
FeldmanC.F. (1987). Thought from language: The linguistic construction of cognitive representations. In BrunerJ., & HasteH. (Eds.), Making sense (pp. 131–146). London: Methuen.
FoxA.M. (1983, March). The effects of combined vision and hearing loss on the attainment of developmental milestones. Paper presented at the First Canadian Conference on the Education and Development of Deaf-Blind Infants and Children, W. Ross Macdonald School, Brantford, Ontario.
14.
FraibergS. (1977). Insights from the blind.London: Souvenir Press.
15.
HodappR.M., BurackJ.A., & ZiglerE. (1990). Issues in the developmental approach to mental retardation.Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
KiernanC., & ReidB. (1987). Pre-verbal communication schedule manual.Windsor, England: NFER-Nelson.
18.
LangleyM.B. (1986). Psychoeducational assessment of visually impaired students with additional handicaps. In EllisD. (Ed.), Sensory impairments in mentally handicapped people (pp. 253–296). Beckenham, England: Croom Helm.
19.
LightP. (1987). Taking roles. In BrunerJ., & HasteH. (Eds.), Making sense (pp. 41–61). London: Methuen.
20.
McInnesJ.M., & TreffryJ.A. (1982). Deaf-blind infants and children.Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press.
21.
ReynellJ. (1981). Manual for the Reynell-Zinkin scales.Windsor, England: NFER-Nelson.
22.
SamuelsC.A. (1986). Bases for the infant's developing self-awareness. Human Development, 29(1), 36–48.
23.
SantinS., & Nesker SimmonsJ. (1977). Problems in the construction of reality in congenitally blind children. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 71, 425–429.
24.
SheridanM.D. (1975). From birth to five years: Children's developmental progress (3rd ed.). Windsor, England: NFER-Nelson.
25.
StillmanR. (1978). The Callier-Azusa scale (G).Dallas: University of Texas at Dallas.
26.
StillmanR.D., & BattleC.W. (1986). Developmental assessment of communicative abilities in the deaf-blind. In EllisD. (Ed.), Sensory impairments in mentally handicapped people (pp. 319–335). Beckenham, England: Croom Helm.
27.
UrquhartM.K. (1991, August). The impact of an insult or handicap from birth on infants’ ability to organize and interpret multiple sources of information. Paper presented at the 10th International Association for the Education of the Deaf-Blind Conference, Orebro, Sweden.