The content of the study plan consists of different main themes that provide a knowledge base about deafblindness. The aim is for the participants to develop a good understanding of the consequences and conditions of living with deafblindness, both at the individual and community levels. All the themes take their departure from what is common and shared in living with deafblindness.
Topics such as ethics and technology are not described as separate topics in this study plan, as they are expected to be present throughout the courses.
The courses aim to enhance the participants' ethical awareness and understanding, ensuring high ethical standards in their practice. Throughout the courses, the participants are faced with issues that require them to engage in ethical reflections, such as dealing with the unavoidable asymmetry appearing between a professional and a person with deafblindness. The ethical foundation is based on the UN Convention on Human Rights and encompasses a broad set of principles such as participation, accessibility, non-discrimination, safety, respect, the right to communication, and self-determination.
Participants should understand the importance of supporting persons with deafblindness through assistive technology and adaptive devices in various situations. They need to recognise that vision and hearing devices have to, due to the dual sensory loss, be of high quality and must be combined rather than seen as separate solutions and is an integrated part of life. They should be knowledgeable about the principles and complexities of testing, adaptation, training, support, and use of technology and assistive devices. Additionally, they should understand which professionals hold specific responsibilities and where to seek guidance on technology and assistive devices in their respective context. Furthermore, participants should be aware that assistive devices and technical adaptations are an essential part of life.