الصم المكفوفين
A. Definition. Deaf-Blindness is concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational problems that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for students with deafness or students with blindness.
1. If a student has only two disabilities and those disabilities are deafness and blindness, the student must be classified as having deaf-blindness. Each LEA shall notify state Deaf-Blind Census of all students who have both hearing and visual impairments.
B. Criteria for Eligibility. Evidence of criteria listed in Paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 are required.
1. Vision Impairment―any of the following:
a. measured corrected visual acuity is 20/70 or less in the better eye, and/or a previous chronic condition has interfered, is interfering, or will interfere with the visual learning mode;
b. cortical blindness in the presence of normal ocular structure as verified in the report of an ophthalmologist, pediatrician, or pediatric neurologist;
c. field of vision that subtends an angle of 20 degrees or less in the better eye; or
d. other blindness resulting from a documented medical condition.
2. Deafness
a. Sensorineural hearing loss of 25 decibels (ANSI) or more across the speech frequencies in the better ear with amplification and/or a previous chronic condition that has existed which has interfered, is interfering, or will interfere with the auditory learning mode.
3. Educational Need
a. Educational determination that the student's combined vision and hearing losses are such that he/she cannot be served appropriately solely by the special education program for either visual impairments or hearing impairments.
C. Procedures for Evaluation. Conduct all procedures described under §513, Evaluation Components.
D. Additional procedures for evaluation:
1. an assessment of the student's vision conducted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. When the impairment results from a documented medical condition, it shall be verified in the report of an ophthalmologist, pediatrician, or pediatric neurologist. When the condition is progressive or unstable, the need for a yearly eye examination will be documented in the integrated report;
2. an assessment of the student's hearing conducted by an audiologist or otologist;
3. an orientation and mobility screening conducted to assess the student's ability to travel around in his or her environment. (There is a suggested screening checklist in the Appendix.) Based on the results of the screening, an assessment conducted by a qualified orientation and mobility instructor may be warranted;
4. the educational assessment conducted should verify that the student's combined vision and auditory losses are such that he/she cannot be served appropriately by a program for students with visual or hearing impairments;
5. the family interview must include an investigation of family history of Usher Syndrome or other contributing medical difficulties;
6. a speech and language assessment of receptive and expressive language to include the student's language level and communication skills conducted by a speech/ language pathologist. The examiner should be fluent in the student's primary mode of communication or should utilize the services of a certified interpreter/transliterator, when necessary.
