Deafblindness

Deafblindness is a combined vision and hearing impairment that creates unique challenges beyond those associated with either sensory loss alone. It is not simply the sum of deafness and blindness — the combination creates distinct communication, information access, and mobility needs that require specialized approaches. People with deafblindness may use tactile sign language, braille, haptic communication devices, or other adapted methods. Deafblindness is a key example of why accessibility research must move beyond single-impairment frameworks, as assistive technologies designed for "visual" or "hearing" impairments often fail to meet the needs of people who experience both simultaneously.