This keynote lecture highlights the central role of touch and the tactile modality in communication and language, particularly for individuals with deafblindness. While often overlooked in conventional assessment and intervention approaches, touch is, for many, the primary pathway for accessing information, learning, and social interaction. The presentation explores why this modality is frequently neglected, including persistent misconceptions and a lack of knowledge and skills among parents and professionals. Emphasis is placed on reconceptualizing touch as a rich, dynamic channel for meaning-making, development, and learning. Through practical examples, the keynote demonstrates effective strategies for embedding the bodily-tactile modality in assessment and intervention practices. It also addresses how to support and train sighted-hearing communication partners to use touch in responsive, attuned, and developmentally appropriate ways. Importantly, the keynote highlights the value of involving people with deafblindness in the training and coaching of sighted-hearing communication partners. In addition, it stresses the importance of fostering tactile peer interaction between individuals with deafblindness, as this supports a sense of belonging and creates opportunities for the emergence of authentic, shared language. Ultimately, the lecture advocates for placing the tactile modality at the core of communication and language practices in the field of deafblindness.
Saskia Damen is a Professor in Inclusive and Special Needs Education at the University of Groningen and a Senior Researcher at the Kentalis Academy in the Netherlands. Her research program focuses on developing evidence-based assessment and intervention methods to foster the development and learning of people with congenital and early-acquired deafblindness and people with complex communication needs.
Read more