Deaf-Blind

Deaf-Blind Deaf-Blind Criteria Checklist A. Definition of Deaf-Blind Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness. B. Criteria for Deaf-Blind “Deaf-blind” means medically verified visual loss coupled with medically verified hearing loss that, together, interferes with acquiring information or interacting in the environment. Both conditions need to be present simultaneously, and the pupil must meet criteria for both visually category. Minn. R. 3525.1327, subp. 1. C. Pupils at Risk Pupils at risk of being deaf-blind include pupils who: (A) are already identified as deaf or hard of hearing or visually impaired but have not yet had a medical or functional evaluation of the other sense (vision or hearing); (B) have an identified condition, such as Usher Syndrome or Optic Atrophy, that includes a potential deterioration of vision or hearing in the future; (C) have a medically or functionally identified hearing loss and a verified deficit in vision determined by a functional [evaluation] in the learning environment; and (D) have a medically or functionally identified vision impairment and verified hearing loss determined by a functional [evaluation] in the learning environment. (E) have an identified syndrome or condition that includes hearing or vision loss in combination with multiple disabilities, for example, CHARGE syndrome. Minn. R. 3525.1327, subp. 2.