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VIDBE - Q Volume 6 4 Issue 1
Catherine Nelson
Associate Professor, University of Utah,
Cathy.nelson@utah.edu
On January 23, 2018, we lost a luminary in the field of deafblindness
with the passing of Dr. Jan van Dijk of the Netherlands. Often known as the
"father of deafblind education," Dr. van Dijk began his career as an
educator working with children who are deafblind in the late 1950's and
obtained training in deafblindness at Perkins School for the Blind in the
early 1960's.In 1962, he started the firs t school for children with
deafblindness, the St. Rafael School in Sint Michielsgestel, the Netherlands
(now Kentalis Rafael). His groundbreaking work with students with
congenital rubella syndrome received world - wide attention as educators
grappled with h ow to teach students with the syndrome after the world - wide
rubella outbreak in the 1960's. As a result of his work on assessment,
communication development, and challenging behaviors of students who
are deafblind, Dr. van Dijk received the Anne Sullivan A ward and Deafblind
Dr. Jan van Dijk
