Name
Breakout Session 8C: Developing Individual Holistic Communication Profiles on Learners who are Deafblind
Date & Time
Thursday, July 27, 2023, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Location Name
Room 205
Country of Submission
USA
Description

This presentation addresses how to create a comprehensive communication profile on learners who are deafblind. The Holistic Communication Profile was first published in 2010 and then updated in 2021 (Bruce, 2010; 2021). This profile is both a template for conducting communication assessment and a template on which to record assessment results for a specific learner of any age. It is intended to be collaboratively developed with family members of the individual who is deafblind. The Holistic Communication Profile (Bruce, 2010; 2021) is especially appropriate for early intentional to early linguistic communicators. A major portion of the profile is organized by the four aspects of communication: form (expressive and receptive modes), function (purposes of communication), content (messages expressed across forms), and context. The fourth aspect of context includes characteristics of physical environments that support communication, activities and routines and their influence on the learner's communication, how the learner engages in the process of communication (initiating, sustaining and terminating), and skills required of communication partners, (Bruce, 2010). The following pivotal milestones that share a strong relationship to communicative milestones are included: individuation, joint attention, imitation, object permanence, means-end, discrimination, and categorization. In the case of young learners, it includes a section on play. Sections that are not relevant to a specific learner may be deleted from the profile. The completed profile is a 'can do' statement of the learner's communication that recognizes the interconnectedness of communication with related areas of development. The holistic communication profile is useful for mutual recognition of the child's achievements, orienting new team members, and to support transitions to new classrooms or to adult settings. The completed profile may be updated yearly. This presentation will address the meaning of each section of the profile. A recent sample profile of a child who is deafblind will be shared, along with relevant resources. The Holistic Communication Profile is both a structure for conducting comprehensive communication assessment and a structure for representing assessment results. This profile supports team members to have a comprehensive understanding of the learner's communication. It includes recommendations for practice. The profile should be collaboratively developed with family members and shared across team members to ensure consistency in practices and supports.