The Ohio State University’s Buckeye Sign Language and Multimodal Collaborative is inviting local PK-12 educators to attend a free workshop, Co-Presence, Information Source, and Reciprocity: A Framework for Inclusive DeafBlind Education.
Hayley Broadway M.A.: DeafBlind educator and protactile specialist with extensive experience supporting tactile access and autonomy for DeafBlind learners
As co-Principal Investigator for the Protactile Kids research project, she works directly with children, families, and educators to enhance tactile communication and early protactile language use. Her approach emphasizes student-led autonomy and exploration, reciprocity, and creating spaces where DeafBlind children can fully participate through touch.
Deanna Gagne Ph.D.: Developmental Psychologist and faculty member in Linguistics at Gallaudet University. Her work focuses on early language acquisition and its relationship to cognition over the lifespan. As co-Principal Investigator for the Protactile Kids research project, she partners with DeafBlind research collaborators to document protactile language development and inform practical strategies for classrooms.
The website, deafblindkids is a good starting resource for those who are seeking to learn about Protactile and utilize Protactile to connect with their child and members of the DeafBlind community.
The website includes a video resource series offering an in-depth exploration of Protactile, providing insights into its various aspects and how it can be used effectively in tactile communication. Each video offers a different aspect of how Protactile works and how it can benefit parents, children, as well as others in the DeafBlind community.
Workshop requires advance registration by invitation. Contact Kristin Wickham-Saxon for more information: wickham-saxon.1@osu.edu.
This opportunity is generously provided by funding from the Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme grant and workshop space provided by the Ohio School for the Deaf.