2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL

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3/11/2025  |   11:30 AM - 12:00 PM   |  Following Our Children’s Leads: Supporting early language acquisition in young children with complex access needs, including children who are born deafblind   |  321

Following Our Children’s Leads: Supporting early language acquisition in young children with complex access needs, including children who are born deafblind

When considering early language acquisition for young children who have complex access needs, especially children who are born deafblind, we need to recognize that they are often not ready for conventional communication strategies. We must begin by learning “the perspective and interest” of the child and respond in ways that are both accessible and meaningful (van den Tillaart, 2001). During this session, the presenter will share her personal experience being the parent team member in an Interaction Program training developed by Bernadette van den Tillaart and facilitated by the Texas Deafblind Project. The program empowered her family and child’s intervener to be more observant of her DeafBlind child’s topic, thus the time and engagement in interaction increased. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn some evidence-based benefits of reciprocal interaction training, practice video analysis techniques, and explore ways to use this with families who have young children.

  • Attendees will recognize and increase their knowledge about two-person interactions/conversations occurring prior to conventional communication.
  • Attendees will be able to examine a child’s topic and confirm it in accessible ways.
  • Attendees will discuss the benefits of identifying and following the child’s topic and their lead in interactions.

Presentation:
3545975_18298HeatherWithrow.pdf

Handouts:
3545975_18298HeatherWithrow.pdf

Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference


Presenters/Authors

Heather Withrow (Primary Presenter), Texas Deafblind Project, withrowh@tsbvi.edu;
Heather “Hex” Lightfoot Withrow, of Austin, Texas, is a mother of three children, one of whom is DeafBlind, one of whom is Deaf, and one of whom is a CODA*. She received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design from Gallaudet University, a Master of Education in Special Education with a concentration in Orientation and Mobility (O&M) as well as a graduate certificate in Deafblindness from Texas Tech University. She is a DeafBlind Transition Consultant on the Texas Deafblind Project within the Outreach Department at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) where she also still teaches O&M to a small number of DeafBlind students. In addition to serving as a mother and an advocate for Deaf and DeafBlind Texans, she is a member of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) Governing Board, and member of the Board of Directors for the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC).


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.

Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

AAA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.

Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.