Services for Children & Youth with Dual Sensory Impairments

  1. Services & Projects
  2. Services for Children & Youth with Dual Sensory Impairments
An adult man and a child with low vision practice ASL while reading a book about London.

Dual Sensory Impairment means a person has both vision and hearing loss. People with combined vision and hearing loss are considered deafblind. 

Rhode Island Services to Children and Youth with Dual Sensory Impairments (also called the DSI Project) is a federal program run by the Sherlock Center. The DSI Project helps families and school staff who work with children and young adults (birth to age 22) who are deafblind.

The DSI Project:

  • Works with doctors and early childhood programs to find children with both hearing and vision loss as early as possible.
  • Teaches families and professionals how to support children who are deafblind.
  • Helps families and youth learn how to speak up for themselves.
  • Connects families and schools with services that help children be more independent and ready for life changes.
  • Keeps track of the number of children in Rhode Island who are deafblind for a national count.
     

Our Services

The DSI Project gives support to children with both vision and hearing loss. We also help families and school teams through early intervention and school programs.

Family Support

We help families understand the strengths of their deafblind child. We also help them get the right services and plan for changes like starting school or moving to a new class. We stay with families through each step of their child’s education and help them make good choices for the future.

Child Support

Children with both hearing and vision loss often need new ways to learn and communicate. We work with the child and the team to find what works best. This might include special communication systems, tools to help with movement, or changes to lessons and materials. We also help teachers find better ways to assess how the child is learning and growing.

Professional Support

The DSI Project trains teachers and other school staff through classroom visits, workshops and college courses at Rhode Island College. We focus on:

  • Learning about the needs of children with hearing and vision loss.
  • Helping students join regular classrooms successfully.
  • Sharing resources that support families and teachers in communication, learning and play.

 

How to Access Services

Who is eligible

Eligibility is determined by reviewing a child's medical records and talking with a child's family and/or educational team.  

Next

The referral process

The first step in getting services from the DSI Project is to refer a child between birth and age 22. It’s important to fill out the referral form completely and correctly. Once a child meets the eligibility requirements, they can receive DSI services. If you know a child who has both vision and hearing loss, please contact the DSI Project.

Families and school teams of children with dual sensory impairments can get free support through the DSI Project. Services may include consultations, training, resource sharing and connections with other families. The project can also help you find state and national resources.

The Sherlock Center’s Lending Library offers free materials on deafblindness and other topics. Families and school teams can also join the Sherlock Center’s mailing list to get news and event updates.
 

To make a referral, please provide:

  • A release form from the referring organization signed by the child’s parent or guardian.
  • A completed referral form.
  • A vision report with details like:
    Visual acuity (near and distance with correction)
    Field limits
    Visual functioning 
    Eye movement 
    Onset date 
    Cause
  • A hearing report with details about:
    Hearing loss type and degree 
    Hearing ability
    Onset date
    Cause
    Any chronic conditions that affect learning through hearing
  • An education report (IEP or IFSP) with information about:
    Teaching strategies
    Preferences
    Assessments 
    Performance levels 
    Goals
    Services 
    Supports (like assistive tech, hearing aids or communication tools)
     

DSI Referral & Release Forms

These forms below are fillable PDFs that you can print or download and send to Stefanie Davit at sdavit@ric.edu.

Referral and Release Form (Fillable PDF)

Referral and Release Form (Spanish, Fillable PDF)

Dual-Sensory Impairment Resources

View all DSI resources
  • Online Resource

    ABC Flash Cards for Kids (Android)

    This app features ABC's on flash cards with a letter on the front and a picture on the back and includes seven types of games that help teach the English alphabet.

  • Online Resource

    Art of Glow (iOS)

    In this free app, you can draw with colorful, animated glow particles on a black background. (You can change the speed; slower is best. Do not use with children who have seizures.)

  • Online Resource

    Awesome Xylophone (iOS)

    This app includes a touch-and-play xylophone. There is a small fee for this app.

  • Online Resource

    Bubbles (iOS)

    Touch the screen and bubbles appear. Tap to hear them popping, see bubbles fly from your fingers and feel gravity pull your bubbles downward. There is a small fee for this app.