Deafblind
Deafblindness is a combination of sight and hearing loss that affects a person's ability to communicate, access information and get around. It's also sometimes called "dual sensory loss" or "multi sensory loss". A deafblind person won't usually be totally deaf and totally blind, but both senses will be reduced enough that barriers to the community are amplified.
Deafblind people have various ways to communicate and access information. In Australia, Deafblind people will commonly use speech, Auslan or an adapted form of Auslan such as close range, visual frame, or tactile Auslan. Other tactile methods such as tactile fingerspelling, printing on palm, and social haptics may also be used. Additionally, alternative and augmentative communication may be used, such as touch cues and pictographs along with large print and braille for printed information.
In Western Australia, the Deafblind community is active with regular activities and events through Deafblind West Australians. Some high profile Deafblind individuals and groups have visited Perth in the past.
When you think of Deafblind people, you probably think of Helen Keller. Helen was a published author, with her autobiography "The Story of My Life"
(Newspaper clipping image: Blind, Deaf Woman to lecture in Perth. Sydney, Mon - American blind and deaf wonder Helen Keller is due in Sydney on an Australian lecturing tour on March 29. Miss Keller "hears" by placing her fingers on the throat of the speaker and a finger on the lips. Although she has never heard human speech except in infancy she has also learned to speak. *Miss Keller lost her sight, speech and hearing when she was 18 months old. She has astounded the world by her triumph over those disabilities. now 67, she is ranked one of the 12 outstanding Americans of the century. Miss Keller will lecture in Perth.)
Father Cyril Axelrod is a Deafblind Catholic priest who has worked around the world supporting Deafblind people. He was a guest of the Emmanuel Centre, a catholic self-help centre for people with disabilities in Perth. He has published an autobiography, "And the Journey Begins".
(Image: Father Cyril Axelrod with Deaf interpreter, Patricia Levitzke-Gray)
Perth has been a host of several national and international Deafblind conferences. In 2016 we hosted the 10th National Deafblind Conference titled "Celebrating Experiences Across the Lifespan". Previous conferences include the Deafblind International World Conference in 2007 and the 5th National Deafblind Conference in 2000. These events saw a large influx of Deafblind participants, their families and friends, interpreters, support workers, volunteers, and allied health professionals.
Renowned Deafblind theatre groups have also visited Perth.
Nalaga’at Deaf-Blind Theatre Ensemble, the world’s only deaf-blind theatre company from Israel performed "Not by Bread Alone" in 2014 at Perth Festival. The UK group, GOT2ACT visited in 2015 and performed two short plays titled "American Idol" and "The Great Explorer".
A WA Deafblind person you may be aware of, is Deafblind advocate, Vanessa Vlajkovic. Numerous newspaper articles highlight her achievements such as being the first Deafblind person to graduate from Edith Cowan University, the first Deafblind finalist in Miss West Coast competitions and winner of the 2016 WA Young Person of the Year.
