Tactile Working Memory Scale – A Professional Manual

Working memory, or the ability to keep something in mind for a limited amount of time is a central function in cognition. For persons with congenital deafblindness we need a bodily-tactile perspective on working memory. This manual gives a theoretical overview and presents a scale that can be used by professionals to identify and assess tactile working memory in persons with deafblindness, and design tools and strategies to ensure that these persons can develop and make use of all their potentials, both cognitively and linguistically.

The Nordic countries have a shared history dating as far back as the 70’s when it comes to jointly produce, develop and disseminate knowledge in the deafblind area. This manual is a result of such efforts, through the networks of Nordic Welfare Centre. The population of people with deafblindness is small in each country, therefor the Nordic benefit is great. By working across the borders we have managed to developed knowledge that can benefit professionals internationally working with persons with deafblindness.

This manual is the result of a collaboration in The Nordic network on Cognition in Relation to Deafblindness . The authors, neuropsycologist Jude Nicholas from Statped in Norway, senior adviser Annika Maria Johannessen from Statped and psycologist and senior researcher Trees van Nunen at Royal Dutch Kentalis are all involved in the network.