Name
Plenary Session 8: Building Expertise with Communication Partners of People with Deafblindness
Date & Time
Thursday, July 27, 2023, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Location Name
Canada Hall 1
Country of Submission
Netherlands
Description

Harmonious interactions and a good understanding of each other are the basis of any relationship. The promotion of satisfactory social and communicative interactions is also inherent in the actions of parents, family members, teachers, and support workers of people with deafblindness. Many communication partners of people with deafblindness, however, indicate a need for knowledge of and support in the communication with their child, sibling, student, or service user. Working on the competencies of communication partners can contribute to a sense of competence and reduction of stress for both the person with deafblindness and the social partner. In this keynote presentation, interventions are described that foster insights and skills of communication partners and help them scaffold communication with persons with deafblindness. The importance of co-creating interventions for communication partners, using their expertise and strengths and their individual needs and circumstances, is discussed. In addition, examples are given of the involvement of parents as experts through experiences in assessment, treatment as well as education, and research.