The Deafblind Program provides training, resources and support to persons who are both vision- and hearing-impaired. The goal of the program is to ensure that deaf-blind individuals have access to information, technology, and the skills needed to live independent and joyful lives.

Independent Living Skills Training

Training in activities of daily living is critical for deaf-blind individuals to maintain independence. Training includes meal preparation, shopping skills, labeling and organization skills and systems in the home and at work. Students will be given a multitude of examples of how accessible technology can be of use in daily activities.

Orientation and Mobility Training

Upon referral, LightHouse Orientation and Mobility instructors provide training to enhance an individual’s ability to travel independently and safely in their community.

Employment Access Program

This program for deaf-blind clients of the California Department of Rehabilitation assists individuals in developing skills to find and retain employment. The following areas are covered:

Pre-vocational Skills Assessment

Each program participant receives an assessment of his/her skills in activities of daily living, communication, job-readiness and access technology in order to determine what training would assist the participant in obtaining employment.

Communication skills training:

Includes training on a variety of specialized tools and systems, such as FM and other assistive-listening devices; tactile communication, such as Print on Palm and Tactile American Sign Language; telecommunication systems and assistive technology; and recruiting and working with certified interpreters and with Support Service Providers (SSP)

FCC Free Equipment Program

The LightHouse continues to provide telecommunication equipment and training to eligible deaf-blind Californians. In our initial three years of the FCC grant we’ve distributed over $1 million in free telecommunications devices to over 300 deaf-blind Californians. This means phone, email and other valuable ways to connect with friends, family and potential professional connections.

We have been able to provide a range of equipment depending on need and skills, for example: iPhones with Braille displays; computers with screen readers and noise canceling headsets to hear JAWs; assistance with upgrading software such as ZoomText or JAWS; or providing braille displays to folks who can no longer hear the speech on the screen reader, but can read email using a braille display.

To find out more about any of these programs, contact Sook Hee Choi, Deaf-Blind Specialist at SChoi@LightHouse-sf.org. Read more about our Sook Hee and her accomplishments.