Deafblind Tactile Signers: The Dynamics of Communication and Space

Abstract: The focus of this article is on deaf blind people who are or have been involved with deaf signing communities and, when vision changes, transition to tactile reception of sign language. This brings about a disconnection with the signing community, exploration of (other) possibilities, and seeking or creating deaf blind spaces. In the United States, the protactile movement led to a more tactile-centric form of communication and to more autonomy for deaf blind people. In international settings, deaf blind people from diverse language backgrounds communicate in a mix of visual and tactile representations or conventions of concepts. At the academic level, deaf blind people have been studied by a variety of disciplines. Deaf blind studies benefits from multidisciplinary and insider perspectives to gain more insights into theory and research methods.