VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 4
The use of interveners goes beyond the classroom. The school years are
important, but individuals who are deafblind keep learning after they age out of the
school system. They continue to need intervener services in order to have access to
experiences safely, paired with language that builds on their communication
abilities, and supports their participation in life around them. An intervener needs
to be competent in tactile learning and to have the patience to expose the individual
to tactile experiences. Life beyond the school system can last for possibly 40+
years.
In Houston, Texas, my husband and I co-founded Touch Base Center for the
Deafblind with another family. This is a day activity center that carries forward life
skills teachings, provides safe access to organized outings, and consistent
communication modeling. The Coordinator organizes activities in the community,
encouraging engagement in the basic activities of living healthy daily lives, while
seeking to have moments of joy along the way. All who attend come with an
intervener who supports them in an environment that is conducive to their
language and individual needs. We know the value of an intervener in the life of a
person who is deafblind.
