ADAMLS: Assessing Access to Sign and Fingerspellng for Deafblind

Robbie Blaha Tina Hertzog

HELIX Conference November 9, 2020 Participant Objectives

Participants will be able to describe the importance of assessing the student's current and future use of a system.

Participants will be able to identify the necessary team members assembled to conduct the ADAMLS as presented.

Participants will be able to identify appropriate modifications to manual communication to accommodate a student's visual loss. Assessment of Deafblind Access to Manual Systems

The ADAMLS is an assessment developed specifically for children with .

Peer reviewed and Piloted Manual Communication and Deafblindness

For the deaf or hard of hearing, They may fail to learn and use access to information and interaction manual communication simply relies heavily on the visual channel. because it is not on their radar.

Sign language, , Pre-service programs for teacher of speechreading, are intensely visual in the visually impaired and teachers of nature, vision loss affects the child's the deaf and hearing impaired do not ability to access these typically teach strategies which are communication forms. commonly associated with deafblindness. Manual Communication and Deafblindness

Because deafblindness is a low incidence disability, the communication assessment, functional vision evaluation (FVE), or learning media assessment (LMA) do not routinely address this issue

Assessment of vision must be carefully planned for and carried out related to receptive communication.. . ADAMLS: Divided into three Sections

Section 1: Gathering the assessment team.

Section 2: Determining accommodations from the field of deafblindness that support access to manual communication.

Section 3: Reporting results. Section One: The ADAMLS Assessment Team

The evaluation process requires:

Someone who can understand what Someone who knows the specific the child is signing, what is being visual obstacles must be overcome signed to the child. Teacher of Deaf for the child to detect and interpret and Hard of Hearing. (TDHH) , these forms of communication. A Interpreter, and/or Intervener. Certified Teacher of Visual Impairments (CTVI) Section One: The ADAMLS Assessment Team

Each group has a different skill set In order to select and use the other lacks and the only times accommodations, a third skills set is their paths cross is with a child with needed form the separate field of deafblindness. deafblindness.

Unique collaborations!! An exchange Ideally, the team will have support of information! from a Teacher of Deafblind (TDB). Section One: Tips for doing the ADAMLS

Utilize the collaborative model of assessment in the student’s natural instructional environment

Assess:

Under a variety of light conditions.

With all communication partners.

During various times of the day.

Capturing assessment through video recording may be of benefit. Section 2: What Items Should be Assessed?

Asks 16 questions that pinpoint specifics that need to be assessed. For each of the items addressed, the following are provided:

● A paragraph that provides necessary background information needed to understand the problems faced by the student and definition of novel terms. ● A menu of accommodations for the IEP.

Look at specific conditions. Acuity Issues

Manual communication is a very complex visual exchange. Facial expressions, sign fingerspelling and gestures in one short conversation.

Signs vary greatly in visual characteristics

Heather on acuity loss Acuity Issues

Fingerspelling: Z and L

Fisted fingerspelled letters are challenging for people with acuity losses (e.g., a, t, m, n, o, s, e).

The typical rate for fingerspelling is a rapid 3-4 letters per second and this may present a problem for the child.

https://slideplayer.com/slide/927 2331/ Acuity Accommodations

What is the best distance and rate of communication of the child related to visual acuity? Need to make a call on how close and how fast.

Make specific determinations about the best receptive distance for him/her (ex. within 16 inches). Acuity Accommodations

Slow the rate of signing, fingerspelling

May have to combine tactile support with use of vision to access communication. Field Loss

Signing takes place within a two-foot cubic area including the face.

Students with field losses can have considerable difficulty in seeing some of this information and this can greatly affect comprehension. Field Loss Accommodations

Present signs consistently in the Allow the child to turn his head same quadrant, at the same distance to use eccentric viewing and within a precise signing space. positions if needed. Alter the distance (based on the type of field loss) between you and the deafblind person.

Reduce signing space to move sign into their visual field Nonmanual Signals Reading Faces

Can the child visually discern nonmanual signals that add meaning to signs?

When specific signals combine with the manual sign for a word, the meaning changes (Baker & Cokely, 1980). The child can perhaps see the large hand movements, but not be able to see the more subtle of the eyebrow.

ADAMLS p. 18 Nonmanual Signals Accommodation

Pro-Tactile: The DeafBlind Way Instead of relying on your facial expression, use additional manual Pro-Tactile (PT) is an approach developed signs to convey the meaning (e.g., by aj Granda and Jelica Nuccio. sign or say "suspicious" as well as Pro-Tactile embraces the concept of touch narrowing your eyes). Others: throughout the life of a person who is deaf- “Question” “ Tease/Haha” blind and a “common tactile language” regardless of life experience or degree of hearing and vision loss. PT consists of three critical components: Philosophy | Method| Attitude Pro-Tactile: The DeafBlind Way OHOA Module 23 : Visual and Tactual Modifications It’s a Matter of Trust ….. Billy Joel A Matter Trust Tactile Accommodation: Handtracking

The student place his hand(s) on the wrist(s) area of the signer.

To know where the signer's hand is moving so that he can direct his gaze accordingly.

To get enough information from the plane or general of the hand to recognize the sign without seeing it clearly. Tactile Accommodation: Coactive Signing Co-active signing is the physical guidance of the child’s hand(s) to facilitate production of a standard manual sign for expressive communication.

Facilitates sign production from the child’s perspective.

Consider the child’s dominant hand in the production of the sign.

Direction and movements are produced accurately.

Not all manual signs can be produced accurately in a non-visual manner coactively, such as the sign for wait. Deaf-Blind Intervener Tricia, teaches a child to sign "Orange" at Blind Children's Learning Center

A Co-Active Signal System for Deafblind Children, Hope Inc. Tactile Accommodation: Tactile Signing

Tactual signing is used by a person who understands sign language, but cannot visually read signs and fingerspelling.

The deafblind person places one or both hands on the hand(s) of the signer in order to read signs and fingerspelling through the tactual sense.

A direct adaptation of a communication system originally intended for vision…..to the tactual sense." (Reed, et al 1995.) Tactile Accommodation: Tactile Signing

Can be used in combination with visual signing.

Will require training for if new to student and staff.

Fatigue issues for students.

Tactile Signing Can lighting affect access to communication?

For some children, dim or very bright lighting may present challenges.

Observe the child's ability to understand and respond to manual communication, speechreading, or cues in different lighting conditions.

Watch for changes in skill level indoors and outdoors, under fluorescent lights and incandescent lights, in shaded or dimly lit https://twitter.com/mrdavismnes/ areas, at twilight and at night, etc. status/739951428261797889 Lighting Accommodations Adaptations/strategies to consider for the child’s educational plan:

In low light conditions, have the child shift to tactual signing.

● For example, when the lights are dimmed for a videotape, a child with peripheral field loss and/or night blindness may need this support.

Use area lighting.

● Lamps or overhead spotlighting on the person communicating can be very helpful. ● Position the lights so that shadows do not fall on the signer's or speaker's hands or face. ● Cross lighting (with a light on each side) is best.

Use visors, hats, and sunglasses to reduce glare. For children with Usher Syndrome or other visual conditions, glare is a big obstacle.

Avoid signing or speaking to the child with your back to the light source. Section 3: Reporting

Determine whether assessment is formal or informal:

● Informal: Stand alone assessment report ○ Questions from Issues Regarding the Assessment of Vision Loss in Regard to Sign Language, Fingerspelling, Speechreading, and Cued Speech for the Student with Deafblindness

● Formal: Embed into Functional Vision Evaluation and Learning Media Assessment

● Part of the student’s Communication Plan. ○ COMMUNICATION PLAN - School Age Supplemental Aids and Services

After completing the assessment, and developing the accommodations, there can be a need for additional staff.

Rate

Distance

Use of tactile Example of a Team Administering the ADAMLS

ADAMLS on Vimeo

(10:31)

Shared through National Center on Deaf-Blindness