Environmental Considerations to Engage Learners Who Are Deafblind in Interactive Reading

Authors: Christopher Brum, Associate Professor, Department of Special Education, San Diego State University. Editor: Hillary Keys, Early Childhood Deafblind Consultant, Texas Deafblind Project, Outreach Programs, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)

This is the third article in a series on interactive reading for individuals who are deafblind (see Interactive Reading Materials and Selected Strategies). Deafblindness has a multiplicative impact that goes beyond the additive impacts of vision and hearing losses alone. Because of this complexity, specific environmental supports and considerations are necessary to promote active and meaningful engagement in literacy (Bruce & Brum, 2025). Because communication and literacy are interconnected for learners who are deafblind, it is crucial that communication support is included in all literacy activities, including interactive reading (Bruce & Borders, 2021). Literacy environments at home and in school impact educational outcomes for learners who are deafblind (Brum & Bruce, 2023). This includes ambient factors within the immediate space (lighting, noise, time of day, furniture placement) as well as supports intentionally added to the broader space, such as labels in the learner’s receptive communication form and organizing materials so that the learner can physically access them. 

Environmental Considerations

This article describes environmental considerations that families and teachers can implement at home or in school to support learners who are deafblind during interactive reading. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, and supports should be individualized and personalized to the learner’s specific needs (Luckner et al., 2016). Reading partners should also integrate communication supports like choice boards, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, or visual/tactile supports into the setting. To maintain the learner’s attention and engagement during interactive reading, the following considerations will help make the book and the reading partner the most interesting and captivating aspects of the environment. 

Ambient Concerns

Many factors can contribute to ambient distractions within the immediate environment, and they may not always be apparent to the adult facilitating the lesson. For learners who are deafblind, subtle changes in the ambiance can become major distractions for an individual who is concentrating on using their residual vision and hearing to attend to the activity. Below are some ambient factors that can impact a learner’s attention and engagement during an activity.  

Noise and movement 

It is important to be aware of all sounds in the immediate space, as they can distract the learner. For example, the fan starting from the HVAC system, an adult conversation in the hallway, or a family member preparing a meal in an adjacent room may go completely unnoticed by the reading partner but capture the learner’s attention. Similarly, movement, such as an adult cleaning up a previous activity across the room, can distract a learner from the activity at hand. 

Visual clutter 

Before the activity, look around the space to evaluate the visual input that surrounds the location where the interactive reading activity will take place. Piles on countertops or tables, boxes in corners, and, most importantly, busy bulletin boards can serve as major visual distractions. Determine if hiding items with bright colors and shiny materials that capture light is necessary. Consider which items can be moved away from the immediate instructional space and which are essential for students to access during the activity.   

Lighting 

Students must be able to see the materials. Overhead lighting in most classrooms can pose a challenge for learners, as it can cause glare on laminated materials or those displayed on a slant board. Proximity to windows can also impact proper lighting because it fluctuates throughout the day. Teachers should use caution when trying to mitigate the harshness of overhead fluorescent lighting by using lamps that cast a softer, dimmer light. Dim conditions may make the environment inaccessible to learners with low vision, who may require well-lit spaces to maximize their residual vision.  

Furniture and equipment

To maximize access, learners should be able to independently move within learning spaces and retrieve instructional materials. However, classrooms can often become cluttered with excessive furniture and mobility equipment, which may limit their ability to move around the room safely. Teachers and reading partners should identify separate storage spaces for equipment and intentionally arrange furniture to allow wheelchairs or walkers to navigate easily. Material storage also requires careful consideration. To ensure independent access, reading partners should store materials like story boxes in open, accessible locations, taking into account height, container type, and placement.

Positioning 

Finding the optimal positioning for the learner and the instructional materials can impact whether the learner has physical access to the materials. 

Proximity 

The space between the learner and their reading partner is important to consider. Proximity allows the reading partner to better anticipate the individual’s responses and to make adjustments throughout the lesson. For example, the learner slightly pulling away from a texture added to the book may go unnoticed if the reading partner is too far away. Proximity also encourages the integration of touch into the activity, especially hand-under-hand support, in which the partner’s hands are under the learner’s, allowing the learner full control over their level of tactile engagement and participation.

The reading partners’ proximity to one another, positioning, and physical space all influence the student’s engagement.

Material access 

Proximity also relates to the learner’s ability to access the materials. For a student with limited residual vision, sitting in a circle in a small group with the teacher holding a book may not be accessible. Many students who are deafblind also rely on their sense of touch to augment the fragmented information they receive from their vision and hearing, so it is important to have materials within reach. Proximity also includes having supplemental items within the learner’s reach, such as objects used to support the characters from the text. Similarly, if the reading partner is at a distance, they cannot make real-time adjustments to the materials, such as adjusting the angle of a slant board to reduce glare.

Students’ independent access to literacy materials is encouraged by well-organized storage and uncluttered space that is easy to navigate.

Predictability and Routine

When planning and implementing interactive reading, predictability will not only help the learner who is deafblind to develop anticipation but also help measure progress over time. 

Familiar setting 

Keeping the location of the interactive reading activity and the physical arrangement consistent allows the learner to understand and prepare for the activity that is about to take place. This includes seating arrangements and furniture. For example, when the learner has the tactile or object symbol for “reading” on their schedule, a consistent setting will allow them to know where to go, where to sit and anticipate what will happen next.

A unique environment can add a memorable sensory experience.

Lesson format 

Interactive reading follows a predictable format and sequence that is segmented into three parts: before, during, and after reading (Brum, 2025). The consistent format allows the learner to know what is about to happen and what is expected of them. Having a clear understanding of the expectations during the activity also makes it more likely that the learner will spontaneously communicate during the activity, especially as they become more familiar with the key vocabulary and plot of a story. 

Reading partners 

Learners who are deafblind require familiar communication partners who can anticipate, respond to, and interpret their communication efforts (Luckner et al., 2016). Reading partners fulfill this essential role. A partner who consistently engages the learner in interactive reading, accurately interprets their unique responses, and recognizes the supports needed at different points in the activity can more effectively support communication.

Conclusion

Interactive reading for learners who are deafblind is maximized when the environment is intentionally designed to support the learner’s access, communication, and engagement. Factors such as noise, lighting, visual clutter, positioning, and proximity to a responsive reading partner can either create barriers or facilitate meaningful participation. Predictable routines, consistent settings, and familiar partners further support anticipation, comprehension, and spontaneous communication by helping learners understand what to expect and how to participate. Although the environmental considerations described here offer a foundation for practice, in school, they must always be individualized and personalized to meet the learners’ unique needs. When environments are thoughtfully structured in this way, interactive reading becomes a powerful context for building both literacy and communication skills for individuals who are deafblind.

Please enjoy this video of an instructor and student reading a book about the student’s bath time at home. It demonstrates how experience books about familiar routines are meaningful to the student.