FSDB (the Swedish Association of the Deafblind)writes on its web page that the most common ways of communicating with deafblind people in Sweden are: sign language, manual alphabet, clear speech, sometimes writing (in Braille or in clear handwriting or typing). Technical devices like Tellatouch are very seldom used. The interpreter service is very important to deafblind people.
Congenitally deaf people who become deafblind usually go on using sign language, tactilely (felt by the hands) or visually. In both instances it is the same sign language that sighted deaf people use, maybe adapted to the loss of sight and the inability to read facial expressions etc.
The manual alphabet that deafblind people use, generally tactilely, is the same alphabet as in the Swedish sign language. It is very similar to the international manual alphabet (the one that deaf people use in the United States, Finland, Denmark and other countries) but not identical.
Other methods of communication (Stig Ohlson)
(2006-11-14)