Helen Keller National Center's (HKNC's) Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience

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OVERVIEW: About this Audio-Described Brochure



Welcome to the audio-described version of the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) for the Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience (DBIE) official double-sided, trifold color print brochure. This audio version lasts about 12 minutes which have been divided into 8 sections, as a way to improve the listening experience. Section 2 gives a brief overview of the HKNC's Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience. Section 3 reviews the front cover of the brochure. Section 4 covers person-centered approach. Section 5 covers the immersion experience. Section 6 covers the support teams. Section 7 reviews the pre-employment transition services. Section 8 provides more information. 



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OVERVIEW: HKNC's Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience



Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience (DBIE)

An innovative assessment and training program for individuals who are deaf-blind and have intellectual disabilities (FOCUS person) and the STAFF who support them.

A team of HKNC’s experienced staff will guide, train and model tactual techniques and personalized strategies to support the consumer to participate more fully in life.

Staff who would benefit from this training seminar include job coaches, habilitation specialists, program managers, behavior specialists and therapists. All participants need to provide a copy of their most recent PPD Skin Test (Tuberculosis Test).

The consumer and his/her STAFF person will reside in the HKNC Residence and join the Destiny Group Home program. Visiting staff will be responsible for the support and administration of medications for the consumer for the duration of the program.



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IMAGE and TEXT: Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults



DESCRIPTION: Image of a young white man and a young white woman, standing in front of two industrial washing machines. The silver machines are large in scale, have a circular front door, with a small glass window, showing the white laundry inside, and large black wires coming out of the back. The information pad is on the front at the top in the center and has a red emergency stop button to the right side of the screen. There are flat buttons around it. The man’s hands are on top of the woman’s hands using tactile communication. He has short brown hair, a goatee with a mustache and eyeglasses. He is wearing a Blue crew neck t-shirt. He is looking off-camera. The young woman has shoulder length blonde hair parted in the middle and is wearing large frame eyeglasses. She is wearing a moss green t-shirt and black skirt. She has a brown cross-shoulder bag. She is staring at the camera, smiling, showing dimples on both cheeks.


RELATED TEXT: 
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience 
DBIE 

ADDRESS: 141 Middle Neck Road , Sands Point, NY 11050 

PHONE: 516-944-8900 (V)

PHONE: 516-579-3635 (VP)

WEBSITE: www.helenkeller.org/hknc



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IMAGE and TEXT: Person-centered approach



DESCRIPTION: Two white males sitting casually on a blue couch with rectangular, wooden armrests and a turquoise knit blanket over the back. An armrest from a separate couch is also shown in the foreground. The man on the left is sitting up and looking to the side at the other man. The man on the right is sitting back, both feet planted on the wooden floor. In the background, is a brown wooden table with a white opaque pitcher topped with an orangish-yellow lid; up against a brown and tan brick wall. Next to the table is a brown trash can and a lid with a push-open door and a blue round recycle bin with a black trash bag coming over the edges. The man on the right has his hands over the other man’s hands using tactile communication. The man on the right looks deep in thought, concentrating on the communication. The man on the left is wearing a grey pullover sweater with a black collar poking out from the top, dark navy-blue pants, and brown shoes. He is wearing dark-framed eyeglasses. He has dark, short, trimmed hair. There is a light brown, fur-trimmed jacket laying behind him. The man on the right has short brown receding hair. He is wearing a black crewneck sweatshirt with a white undershirt poking out from the collar, blue jeans, with black, white and red lace-up Nike sneakers.


RELATED TEXT:
The DBIE program is an innovative service for conducting discovery and training for individuals who are deaf-blind and have an intellectual disability and the staff and family who support them.

DBIE offers a person-centered approach to training in these areas:

• Workplace readiness

• Communication

• Mobility

• Independent Living

• Additional preference based choices



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IMAGE and TEXT: Immersion experience



DESCRIPTION: A middle-aged white male and a younger-looking white female seated next to each other on a black couch, against a brown and tan brick wall. They are smiling at the camera. He is wearing a dark navy blue buttoned-down long sleeve shirt, buttoned almost to the top. He has dark framed eyeglasses and short trimmed dark hair. He has a little bit of facial scruff. The women has long, straight blonde hair with portions on either side of her face, draped down the front of her chest. She is wearing large frame eyeglasses and her smile shows dimples on both cheeks. She has a maroon long sleeve top with a scoop collar. Her hands are lightly crossed in front of her body, highlighting her red fingernails.


RELATED TEXT:
The program consists of up to 5 days of immersion training.

The DBIE Team offers customized serviced at HKNC Sands Point, New York as well as in your home area nationwide.



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IMAGE and TEXT: Support teams



DESCRIPTION: A colored photograph of five individuals standing shoulder to shoulder smiling and looking at the camera. In the background, there are two cinderblock walls that come to a corner. On the left, there is a beige wall with a brown classroom door that has a small glass window at eye level.  Behind the people, the wall is brown with a hanging tactile calendar with a gold letter M and text that reads: My Daily Calendar. To the right, hangs a yellow and white monthly calendar.  Beginning from left to right, the first person is a white middle-aged female with shoulder-length brunette hair, highlights of blonde with bangs. She wears glasses, a white long-sleeve sweater with a purple star pattern, and dark brown corduroy pants. Her hands are crossed in front of her waist clasped at the hands. The second person is a white middle-aged man with dark-framed glasses and short cut hair. He wears an elbow-length V-neck black t-shirt. Dark jeans and tan lace-up shoes. The next person is a young white female with pixie cut brunette hair, and glasses. Her blouse is a black tunic with a round collar over that she wears an open zippered gray-blue sweater. Her athletic leggings have a white base with bright blue paint-like stroke patterns and no-lace close-toed sneakers. Her hands are bent at the elbows and hover up by her face holding an unidentifiable object. The fourth lady is a young white female that has blonde shoulder-length straight hair and glasses. She wears a black long sleeve blouse tucked into her high-waisted black and grey speckled ankle-length skirt and pointed black flat pumps. Her right arm is draped over the shoulder of the person in front of her. The fifth individual is a middle-aged white female. Her dirty blonde hair has full bangs and pulled back into a ponytail. She is wearing a long sleeve t-shirt that has starts with a light blue top portion that fades into white on the bottom.


RELATED TEXT: 
The DBIE Team will offer hands on coaching to the support teams to ensure effective transitions. This will enable the team to utilize successful strategies and newly developed skills when exploring opportunities for increased independence and customized employment upon returning home.

The support team will have the opportunity to gain skills that will equip and enhance their ability to serve the individual. 



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IMAGE and TEXT: Pre-employment Transition Services



DESCRIPTION: A colored photograph of two men in a cafeteria kitchen setting. The man on the left is white, middle-aged, with short dark hair. He has dark-framed glasses and a broad smile. He wears a black button up long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and black lace-up sneakers. The man to the right is the shorter of the two. He has light brunette hair, dark-framed glasses, and a pleasant smile. His short sleeve t-shirt is tie-dyed and hangs past his waist. Around his neck is a blue lanyard with a white card attached to the end. His pants are blue jeans and dark sneakers. Both men are wearing white, disposable, full-body aprons with small white paper chef hats with two thin blue lines. Both are wearing white disposable gloves. The man on the left has his right arm handing down by his side and his left arm resting on the other man's left shoulder. The man on the right has both arms bent at the elbows and hands closed with excitement. 

Behind the two men, attached to the beige tile wall, is an automatic paper towel dispenser, hands-free soap dispenser, and hand sanitizer. Above those, is a notice on yellow paper tacked to the wall. Below the paper towel dispenser is a 'Wash your Hands' sign. The whole right side of the photo shows a large steel door. Behind the head of the shorter man is a wall outlet. In the background, to the left, is one large shelf with various unidentifiable objects and an old black boombox with a collapsible antenna sticking up. Below that is a silver countertop with an extra-large pot with small grip handles sitting to the left.  To the far left of the photo, is a silver corner of a counter and in the bottom left corner is a plastic grey trash can. The floor they stand on is burgandy red tiles with a non-slip black mat to the left.


RELATED TEXT: 
DBIE is offering expanded services to provide an individualized approach to Pre-employment Transition Services (PRE-ETS). This includes employment-based exploration, work-based learning, workplace readiness training, and self-advocacy.

For more information, please visit: https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc/deaf-blind-immersion-experience or Michael.Richards@hknc.org



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OVERVIEW: More Information



The Helen Keller National Center is the only comprehensive national program that provides information, referral, support and training exclusively to youths and adults who have a combined vision and hearing loss, their families and the professionals who work with them.


Michael Richards, Coordinator, Deaf-Blind Immersion Experience
PHONE: 516-944-8900 (V) EXT 245
EMAIL: Michael.Richards@hknc.org


Helen Keller National Center
ADDRESS: 141 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, NY 11050



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