Dual Sensory Impairment Project
Capturing the hidden epidemic
Dual Sensory Impairment Project
Capturing the hidden epidemic
Moira recently represented the DUAL-SIP team at the Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation conference in beautiful Florence, Italy. Not the first time she’s presented in Italy – the last time was in Lake Como in 2012 for the Vision-Hearing Project led by Julie – so its been a while between visits. Florence did not disappoint! First, the conference – it …
The University of Sydney hosted an event on Monday, 8th September. We invited Professor Tom Shakespeare from the UK via Zoom to address the state of affairs in disability thinking and experience engaging us today. Tom is a renowned social scientist and a Professor of Disability Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He has published over a …
Like Charles Kingsford Smith, Billie Sinclair came into the world of flying at its glorious dawn. On October 3rd, 1932, fourteen-year-old Billie – the only deaf and blind child among students from the NSW Institute for Deaf, Dumb and Blind Children – receives a joy flight from the famous aviator. Strapped to a board in Smithy’s Fokker trimotor, the Southern …
Thursday 27th November, Friday 28th November 2025 REGISTER: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/national-deafblind-conference-tickets-1459528391709 This two-day, lived experience-led conference is a collaboration between the University of Sydney and Macquarie University. It is directly informed by the insights of people living with combined sight and hearing loss, gathered through the 2024 survey on community needs and wants, as well as by input from professionals, practitioners, and organisations …
This has been a big week: with a council cleanup, an occupational therapist home visit, the moving around of objects and furnishings alongside the purchase of items to make life easier or safer (or both). It therefore seems timely to write about home modifications. In my experience, very, very few professionals and organisations have experience in the complexities and challenges …
At NextSense, Macquarie University, the Hunter Deafblind Project from CDAH and Newcastle Deafblind members came down from Newcastle to run their Deafblind Awareness Week 2025 event. Community members Carleeta, Lisa and Pat shared their lived experience. They spoke on how their deafblindness turned their world upside down, some of the many challenges they face, and how they remain positive as …
Join us at Nextsense for Deafblind Awareness Week, a global event. Let’s celebrate the unique diversity of the Deafblind community. This event will include: Event details: When: Friday 20th June 2025 Sessions available: 10am-12pm or 12:30pm-2:30pm Where: 2 Gymnasium Rd, Macquarie Park Tickets available at: eventbrite – A journey without sight or sound Register Now – it’s free!
While in Helsinki, Annmaree Watharow, Skye Wallace, Amanda Francis and Tony Yee met with Russ Palmer, Riitta Lahtinen and interpreter Stina Ojala at the Hotel Lilla Roberts to conduct a Social-Haptic Masterclass. Russ is a deafblind person with Usher syndrome, and he and his wife Riitta began developing social-haptic communication in 1991. For over 30 years, they have been working …
Annmaree Watharow, Susannah McNally, Skye Wallace and Amanda Francis Annmaree, Amanda and Skye from the Dual Sensory Impairment Project travelled to Helsinki for the Nordic Network for Disability Research conference held at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Annmaree, assisted by Amanda (social-haptic communication) and Skye (driving the tech devices and communication), presented on one aspect of the survey we …
Research Study: Developing integrated care models for older adults with combined vision and hearing loss, and their family carers. We are conducting a research study about the impact of combined vision and hearing loss (also known as dual sensory impairment [DSI]) on older adults and the close family members who provide care. We know from previous studies we have conducted …