Deafblind Awareness Week runs from 22 to 28 June 2026. This year’s theme is ‘Connected by Touch: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges’.
Deafblind Awareness Week celebrates people with deafblindness and multisensory impairments for their achievements and contributions to our communities. It honours the birthday of deafblind author, political activist and disability rights advocate Helen Keller (b: 1880) – 27 June, which last year was officially recognised by the United Nations as the International Day of Deafblindness.
Deafblindness is a unique and isolating disability that has a significant impact on an individual's quality of life. The condition is also known as multisensory impairment due to the impact on other senses, such as touch, taste, smell and the vestibular system that controls balance.
Almost 100,000 people in Australia experience combined hearing and vision loss.
The most common cause of congenital deafblindness is CHARGE syndrome, a genetic condition that affects approximately 1 in 15,000 people. Usher Syndrome is another genetic condition, where people are born deaf and usually develop vision impairment in their late teens. This condition affects 1 in 6,000 people.
Supporting children and young people with deafblindness and multisensory impairments to reach their full potential involves a tailored and multi-disciplinary approach with a focus on building communication, social skills and independence.
Early intervention and educational services that include specialised teaching and assessments are crucial in providing deafblind children with opportunities to learn and thrive in inclusive and supportive communities.
For more information about the impact of deafblindness on children and young people, visit:
CHARGE Syndrome Australasia
UsherKids Australia
Aurora School
For information about deafblindness in the adult population, visit:
Able Australia
Vision Australia
Deafblind Information Australia
Deafblind Australia
Deafblind Victoria
