Day Four – DeafBlind People and Deaf People with Disabilities
DeafBlind people and D/deaf people with disabilities, including Deaf Plus, are fully-fledged members of D/ deaf communities and have the right to participate in these communities and society at large on an equal basis. Access provisions for people with disabilities are essential to ensure access for all members of D/deaf communities.
In addition to access to sign languages, DeafBlind people will sign varieties of sign language, including protactile language and sign language interpretation services that are designed for DeafBlin people. Such as interpretation may also include environmental description and guiding, as well as tactile signs.
D/deaf people with additional disabilities, including D/deaf people on the autism spectrum and D/deaf people with intellectual disabilities, have the right to live their lives with self-determination and with access to sign language environments, in educational, residential, and social settings. With access, D/deaf people with disabilities can achieve full participation, equality, independence and self-determination in all areas of life.
Today, let us celebrate D/deaf communities by ensuring we are always inclusive of all D/deaf people.
These photos – taken at the Clock World and Longitude Café SH 3 Ohaupo Village, Waipa in 2018. This group is a Waikato DeafBlind Network under Deafblind Association New Zealand. There are five regions of DeafBlind Network, including Waikato around New Zealand. The Waikato DeafBlind group came to us and requested assistance and to support them with this group over eight years and making sure they are keeping in contact within their community regularly. It is difficult because the DeafBlind Association of New Zealand receives no funding from the central Government.
We have another person who is deaf, Speech impaired, wear glasses and cerebral palsy under CCS Waikato over many years.
A link to the video and his name are Jacek.
He uses gesture signs while the struggle to speak if anyone can understand him. He assumes that anyone can understand him, but not really for the first time when meeting him. Jacek is independent around his home and can travel to his work and shops by bus daily. Currently, Jacek is working with the same company for fifty-one years, and he plans to continue to work another few years. He is learning to read for he can not grasp to understand letters from Deaf Aotearoa, and other organisation, information and newsletters. He knows about money when spending on foods, clothes, bills and other items. As a specialist support worker with him over ten years, to ensure Jacek will spend time out in the community as social outings and his request on shopping, appointments and movies.
There is another person who has speech impaired and hard of hearing, and she loves going out to feed the ducks at the Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake Domain) once a week, often fortnightly. Marlene is her name, and she lives on her own in a rental house in Hamilton in the past. Marlene moved to another small town three years ago. She does not use sign language, just gestures when it comes difficulty to understand her.
