Recently, I did a presentation for the NC Beginnings Parent Educators about services available for learners with DeafBlindness and I happened to mention the iCanConnect DeafBlind Equipment Distribution Program. Immediately several of the parent educators asked me to stop and explain what this program was!
iCanConnect is a federal program administered locally in all 50 states. It is administered by different agencies in each state. In North Carolina, the program is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The purpose of the program is to help individuals with combined hearing and vision loss to communicate with others by providing them with equipment such as phones and computers.
To be eligible for the program the individual must qualify under disability and income eligibility guidelines.
The Vision Guidelines are:
– Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with corrective lenses
– A field defect such that the peripheral diameter of the visual field is no greater than 20 degrees
– Progressive visual loss with a prognosis leading to one or both of above conditions
The Hearing Guidelines are:
– Chronic hearing disabilities so severe that most speech cannot be understood with optimum amplification
– Progressive hearing loss having a prognosis leading to above condition
The income eligibility requirements state that “your household must be within 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines to qualify for iCanConnect.” Charts are available on the website showing what the income level would be based on the number of people in the household.
To apply you must contact your local branch of the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Examples of the types of equipment that can be purchased through iCanConnect are computers, Braille devices, mobile devices, phones, signalers and software. In my experience with the Early Intervention birth through five program, students have been able to acquire devices such as iPads and computers.
For more information about this wonderful program including success stories visit their website at https://www.icanconnect.org/
Patty Dischinger, M.Ed.
Technical Assistance Consultant
East Carolina University DeafBlind Project Teacher Support Program