Deafblindness is any degree of a combined vision-hearing loss. For example, an individual may have a severe hearing loss and a mild vision loss or a mild hearing loss and a mild vision loss. Deafblindness does not mean an individual is totally blind and totally deaf.

OCDBE can be contacted by:

• Calling 614-897-0020 Please leave a message if no one is available to take your call.
• Going to the OCDBE website and clicking on “Contact Us”

The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education (OCDBE) is a federally funded state project under the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs. OCDBE is responsible for identifying children birth-21 years who are deafblind, registering children with a documented vision-hearing loss, and annually updating the records of children with deafblindness registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census. Data, excluding personally identifiable information, from the Ohio Deafblind Census is submitted inclusion in the National Deafblind Child Count.

Census data, reflected in the National Deafblind Child Count, are used by USDoE to determine funding levels for state deafblind projects including the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education. Such projects are intended to improve learning outcomes for children and youth, birth through age 21, with deafblindness; and support parents/caregivers, educators, and agency personnel who serve children with deafblindness by providing information, resources, consultation, and training/professional learning opportunities.

Services provided by the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education include:     

• Conducting an annual count (i.e., census) of Ohio children, birth through age 21, with combined hearing-vision loss, managing the census registration site, and submitting data for the National Deafblind Child Count
• Disseminating Information and resources (e.g., publications) to improve understanding related to deafblindness
• Providing consultation services to parents, educators, and agencies who service a child with deafblindness through the Deafblind Technical Assistance Program (DBTAP) for children registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census
• Providing training and professional learning opportunities for parents/caregivers, educators, and agency personnel who provide services to children with combined hearing-vision loss.

If a child is registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census, there is no cost for services provided by the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education.

The Request for Consultation Services can be found on the OCDBE website by clicking Consultation Services found under the Educational Support Services tab.

A child does not need to be identified as deafblind under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to receive services from the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education (OCDBE). Many children with a combined vision-hearing loss (deafblindness) are identified for reporting purposes as children with multiple disabilities. To receive services from OCDBE, a child must have a documented vision and hearing loss and must be registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census.

The Ohio Deafblind Census is part of the National Deafblind Child Count. Data from OCDBE and all other federally funded state DB projects are submitted to the National Center on Deaf-Blindness for inclusion in the National Deafblind Child Count. According to the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, anyone can register a child for the DB census. Identifiable information is not submitted for the National Deafblind Child Count. Information obtained from the child count is used to identify needs and allocate funding to state projects for improving understanding of the learning needs of children with deafblindness.

A child with a documented vision-hearing loss (aka deafblindness) can register for the Ohio Deafblind Census by completing the census record form. The census record form can be accessed here. Once a child is registered, the child’s record is updated annually.

Parental consent is not required to register a child on the Ohio Deafblind Census. Registration of a child on the census by educators or agency personnel does not violate FERPA, as outlined in Reg. 34 §CFR 99.31(a).

For answers to questions regarding the completion of the Ohio Deafblind Census record, contact OCDBE by:

• Calling 614-897-0020. Please leave a message if no one is available to take your call.
• Going to the “Contact Us” page and sending a message

The record of a child registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census is updated annually and submitted to the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) for inclusion in the National Deafblind Child Count annually. National Deafblind Child Count information is used to identify changes in trends and plan for meeting the needs of children with deafblindness at the national and state levels.

A newborn child with a documented syndrome that causes deafblindness can be enrolled on the Ohio Deafblind Census.

Any child with a combined hearing-vision loss should be registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census. By registering the child on the Ohio Deafblind Census, services from OCDBE can be accessed at any time, if needed. In addition, information is routinely provided by OCDBE that may be beneficial for the student’s current or future needs and planning.

Any child, birth – 21 years, with a documented vision-hearing loss can be registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census.

A child with a documented vision-hearing loss who is home schooled can be registered on the Ohio Deafblind Census.

When a student graduates, he/she/ is no longer eligible for services through the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education.

A dual sensory loss, also known as multi-sensory impairment, is a combination of a vision and hearing loss that affects a person's ability to communicate, access information, and move about the environment. Deafblindness is a dual sensory loss.

Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment, known as CVI, is a vision problem caused when the brain has difficulty processing and understanding visual signals that cannot be explained by a problem with the eyes.

Central Auditory Process Disorder (CAPD) is a deficit in the way the brain receives, differentiates, analyzes, and interprets auditory information (such as speech) that cannot be attributed to impairments in hearing or intellect.