Charity to launch groundbreaking digital platform to support people with deafblindness

GLOBAL deafblindness charity Sense International is launching a groundbreaking digital platform designed to empower people with deafblindness worldwide by providing vital information and resources online.

The Global Deafblindness Resource Hub brings together resources from the eight countries and four continents where Sense International works, creating an accessible, user-friendly space for access to information and learning for people with deafblindness, their families and communities. The platform connects users with wider local services and networks.

An estimated 157 million people globally live with deafblindness* which is a combination of both hearing and vision impairments that significantly affect communication, mobility, and access to information. Yet, much of the digital world remains inaccessible to them. This new platform aims to bridge that gap, ensuring more inclusive online access for millions with disabilities.

Kavita Prasad, Director of Sense International, said:

“The online world is a powerful place to connect and learn but sadly, it remains inaccessible for many, failing to accommodate diverse needs compounded by a significant digital skills gap. The Global Deafblindness Resource Hub is our way of bridging that divide—offering a platform where people with deafblindness and other complex disabilities, from South Asia to South America, can find relevant, accessible information in formats they can use. We hope this marks the beginning of a more inclusive, user-friendly digital space for the millions with deafblindness, as well as their carers, families, and support networks.”

Sense International, which celebrated its 30^th anniversary last year, will officially launch its Global Deafblindness Resource Hub on Tuesday 25 February 2025 at the Google Accessibility Discovery Centre in King’s Cross, London. The event will include a panel of experts from organisations including Sense International, Google, BBC, The Valuable 500 and the World Federation of the Deafblind. The Hub is supported with funding from Nelumbo Siftung.

You can find out more about the event here: Sense International Global Deafblindness Resource Hub Launch Tickets, Tue 25 Feb 2025 at 12:30 | Eventbrite.

Case study – Alice’s story

Alice is nine years old with partial sight and hearing loss. She lives with her family in Tanzania, close to a school but in a rural setting. For many years she wasn’t learning much at all and wasn’t at school. Her world was only her immediate surroundings and sometimes she was left out of interactions with her wider community.

A specialist teacher from Sense International introduced Alice’s mother to the Global Deafblindness Resource Hub and provided her with a tablet from which to access it.

Training videos on the hub equip her parents with the knowledge to guide Alice, while the guides and tutorials provide sensory stimulation activities, enabling Alice to engage in development exercises with assistance from her parents and siblings.

These digital tools have played a crucial role in her progress, offering interactive resources for communication, daily living skills (getting dressed, eating and nutrition), and mobility tactics for getting around the house both inside and outside, all accessible from their home.

The integration of technology has significantly expanded the possibilities for Alice’s learning and growth outside of traditional therapy settings.

She is now regularly attending a local school supporting her with inclusive education. The teachers and learning support assistants use the hub as part of her ongoing learning, using the teaching guides, learning through play activities and classroom toolkits to enhance Alice’s learning experience.

For Alice, the hub has become her window to the world with resources that can help her daily life, education and even future work but also the things we should all have in our lives such as books, news, and looking after our well-being.

For Alice’s mother, the hub is signposting her to local support groups and wider services she needs. She doesn’t feel alone anymore and is confident in supporting her daughter both at home and outside of her community.

Life has changed dramatically for Alice’s family. She has friends, is connected to her teachers and class, and now has the opportunity to use technology to stay connected to the world around her.