2027 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 22-24, 2027 • Bellevue, WA
3/17/2026 | 9:40 AM - 10:10 AM | The Benefits of Early Touch: Applying Protactile Language Principles with Infants & Toddlers with Dual Sensory Loss | City Terrace 6
The Benefits of Early Touch: Applying Protactile Language Principles with Infants & Toddlers with Dual Sensory Loss
Most early intervention providers are hearing/sighted individuals who may have never encountered an individual with compromised hearing and vision. Without understanding the impact of congenital deafblindness, providers may be at a loss as to the appropriate techniques that will enhance early language development. This session will introduce the seven principles of Protactile Language (PTL), a language developed by DeafBlind adults that is based on touch. These seven principles will be defined: contact space, reciprocity, PT perspective, size and shape specifiers, exceptions, information source, and tactile imagery.
- Identify the seven principles of Protactile Language (PTL).
- Apply the PTL principle of copresence with infants & toddlers with dual sensory loss.
- Recognize the importance consistent touch across communication partners.
Presentation:
View Presentation File
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Susanne Morrow
(Primary Presenter), New York DeafBlind Collaborative, susanne.morrow@qc.cuny.edu;
Susanne Morgan Morrow, MA, CI, CT has 30 years of experience in the fields of deafness and deafblindness. She earned a masters degree at Gallaudet University in Rehabilitation Counseling for the Deaf and then began her career at Helen Keller National Center and then with the National Technical Assistance Consortium on Deaf-Blindness. In her early career, she obtained national certification as a sign language interpreter and provided extensive training on DeafBlind interpreting strategies. Today, Susanne is the Project Director of the New York DeafBlind Collaborative, a federally funded grant for NYS. Susanne’s work aims to bring the lessons learned from DeafBlind adults with lived experiences to young learners who are DeafBlind to enhance communication access and rapport with the world.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from CUNY Research Foundation.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with New York DeafBlind Collaborative.
Nature: USDOE OSEP funded grant.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.