Language and Communication

for Children with Visual Impairments or Blindness

This section presents information on the development of language and communication skills in young children who are blind or visually impaired.  Parents can explore strategies for establishing communication, fostering the use of language, and the use of tactile and object cues in helping the child to understand his environment.

Below is a list of topics you'll find in this section. Click on a title to jump to a specific topic.

• Establishing Communication
• Language Development
• Communication Systems

Establishing Communication

Communication Fact Sheets for Parents, National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness
These fact sheets inform parents on all aspects of communication. Each sheet defines the topic, explains its importance, and offers tips and important points to remember; available in English and Spanish; 65pp.

Communication: What is he trying to tell me? California Deaf-Blind Services
Many behaviors are a form of communication, and this tip sheet reminds caregivers and educators of the basics; available in English, Chinese, Laotian, Spanish, Vietnamese.

Conversations without Language: Building Quality Interactions with Children who are Deaf-Blind, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Linda Hagood and Kate Moss describe Dr. Jan van Dijk's approach to communication development by initiating turn-taking conversations with a child who has limited language skills. They address common problems and present practical solutions; available in English and Spanish.

Creating A Need to Communicate, California Deaf-Blind Services
CDBS's fact sheet provides specific strategies and activities that create a need for the child to communicate; available in English and Chinese.

Early Interactions with Children Who Are Deaf-Blind, National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness
This article by Deborah Gleason offers a wealth of ideas to help you discover how you can make your child's world safe and understandable, and how you and your young child can share many enjoyable conversations together; available in English, Spanish, and Indonesian.

Learning to Communicate: Strategies for Developing Communication with Infants whose Multiple Disabilities Include Visual Impairment and Hearing Loss, California Deaf-Blind Services
In this 6-page article, Deborah Chen outlines specific strategies for developing communication: observation, engaging the child's available senses, cues, key word signs, interrupted routine strategy, and selecting the child's first signs. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Let's Talk: Conversations with Children who have Multiple Disabilities, American Printing House (APH)
In this one-hour podcast, Marianne Riggio explains basic elements of a good conversation and strategies for initiating conversations with children who are at the not-yet-verbal or early levels of communication development.

Tips for Developing "Good" Communication, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
These helpful suggestions are an excerpt from Early Interactions with Children Who Are Deaf-Blind by Deborah Gleason.

Language Development

Building Language Skills, Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
This article discusses vocabulary-building and the importance of teaching children with visual impairments how nonverbal behavior and body language contribute to communication.

Helping Your Baby Develop Language, Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
This article offers suggestions for helping your child to learn about communication and language.

Toddlers' Language Development, Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
Find out about some common concerns in the language development of young children with visual impairments and learn what you can do to help.

You Can Say That Again! or... "Echolalia, echolalia, echolalia," WonderBaby.org
Mary McDonach explains the pattern of speech development in which children repeat what has been said to them.

Communication Systems

Communication, Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
The articles in this section offer a wealth of information on alternate methods of communication, including symbol systems, schedules, and sign language.

Communication Matrix
This assessment tool is designed to pinpoint exactly how a child is currently communicating and to assist in creating communication goals. This user-friendly online version is aimed at parents whose children have severe multiple disabilities; available in English and Spanish.

AAC Strategies for Young Children with Vision Impairment and Multiple Disabilities, California School for the Blind
In this article on Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC), Marjorie Goldware and Marsha Silver  present "the issues central to communicative/cognitive development in the visually impaired/blind child with multiple impairments" and review devices that can assist in communication.

Beginning to Use an Object Calendar, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
This simple introduction to setting up and using an object calendar lists the steps in the first level of the process.

Communicating and Connecting with Learners who are Deafblind: Developing Communication Portfolios, Iowa Deafblind Project
The New England Center Deafblind Project offers this practical guide to creating a communication portfolio. It includes sections on the family's perspective, socialization, educational practices, adaptations, sample forms, and much more; 120.pp. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Communication Symbols, Project SALUTE
Project SALUTE describes the hierarchy of communication symbols, from most abstract to most concrete. Color photographs of each of the eleven symbols are included; available in English and Spanish.

Non-Verbal Communication: Cues, Signals and Symbols, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
J.C. Durkel describes different types of non-verbal communication, including cues, signals, and symbols. It compares the hierarchy of visual symbols from objects to the printed word with a similar hierarchy for movement, from object to abstract sign.

Let Me Check My Calendar, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Robbie Blaha and Kate Moss explain the advantages of a calendar system for students with deafblindness, an approach that reinforces communication skills and invites the student's participation in the educational process; available in English and Spanish.

Object Cue, Project SALUTE
Project SALUTE explains object cues, a "concrete means of supporting conversational interactions and language development." Included are examples, advantages, disadvantages, and specific strategies; available in English and Spanish.

On-body Signing, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
Mary Lee introduces on-body or tactile signing and explains how to use the adapted signs.

Tactile Communication Strategies, Project SALUTE
This information sheet provides a thorough introduction to tactile communication strategies, including general interaction tips, suggestions for encouraging communication, and requirements for a communication system; in English and Spanish.

Tangible Symbols, Project SALUTE
This introduction to tangible symbols includes a definition, examples, considerations, and a list of advantages and disadvantages; available in English and Spanish.

Tangible Symbol Systems, Design to Learn
This site offers a wealth of practical information about communicating with individuals who don't use abstract symbols or a formal language system. Topics include setting up a system, constructing tangible symbols, and tips from the field.

Tangible Symbol Systems: Making the Right to Communicate a Reality for Individuals with Severe Disabilities, U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, (OSEP) – Ideas that Work, Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities
Charity Rowland and Philip Schweigert provide an in-depth introduction to tangible symbol systems, including their purpose, receptive and expressive communication, getting started, and monitoring progress.

Teaching Your Blind Baby Sign Language, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
"The author of this informative article outlines the research-based evidence for using sign language with blind babies, shares simple tips for teaching sign language, and highlights several websites for supporting families along the way."  Available in English and Spanish.

Touch Cues, Project SALUTE
This information sheet introduces touch cues, including their purpose, examples of their use, considerations, advantages, and disadvantages; available in English and Spanish.

Research: Communication Systems

The Use of Tangible Cues for Children with Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairment, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness
"The purpose of the study ... was to introduce a communication system that uses tangible cues to ... preschool and lower school children ... [who] had multiple disabilities, including visual impairment, and limited to no verbal skills."