Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week
Thirty years ago this month, President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation designating the last week of June as “Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.” Every year since, the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths & Adults (HKNC) commemorates the week with a national advocacy campaign in recognition of the achievements and capabilities of people who are deaf-blind.
In 2014, Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week is June 22 to June 28. This year’s theme, “SHE’S DEAF-BLIND AND, WITH TECHNOLOGY, SHE HOLDS THE WORLD IN HER HANDS…JUST LIKE HER LOVED ONES,” highlights the fact that, through technology, people who are deaf-blind can now access the world around them independently.
In an increasingly digital world, HKNC is working with deaf-blind individuals to stay connected to their friends, family, and peers through the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. This program ensures that qualified individuals with a combined hearing and vision loss can obtain accessible telecommunications devices at no cost and the necessary training to use them.
