On October 22, 2019, on the European Day of the Deafblind, the book “Haptični način sporazumevanja z ljudmi z gluhoslepoto” (Haptic Method of Communicating with People with Deafblindness) was published, which is extremely important for the field of deafblindness in Slovenia because it is the first time to present this type of communication with people with deafblindness. The book contains 113 basic haptic signs that we developed in close collaboration with people with deafblindness within a working group to develop ways of communicating with people with deafblindness at The Deafblind Association of Slovenia DLAN and the Association of Interpreters for the Deafblind in Slovenia TAKTIL.
Haptic signs are completely adapted to the environment and culture in which we live. They are used as complementary communication with people with deafblindness. They most often describe the space in which a person with deafblindness is located and what is happening in the room or surroundings. The primary purpose of using haptic cues is to transmit all visual information at the same time as auditory information is translated. Signs are performed on the upper back, shoulders and upper arms of the recipient of the information.
You are kindly invited to read the book and learn the haptic way of communicating in workshops that take place regularly at the association. The book is available at The Deafblind Association of Slovenia DLAN.
Photo: Petra Štrukelj
Photo: Matjaž Rušt (Dnevnik)
