Braille Institute has long been recognized as a leader in accessibility for people who are blind or have low vision. Its mission is to remove barriers, foster independence, and help individuals live full, meaningful lives. The Deaf-Blind Program is a vital part of that mission. Deaf-Blind individuals face unique and intersecting barriers that require specialized staff, intentional communication access, and sustained institutional support. When these supports are missing or inconsistent, Deaf-Blind people are effectively excluded from services meant to serve them. Right now, the Deaf-Blind Program at Braille Institute is at risk.

What’s at Stake

When accessible programming is available, Deaf-Blind students are able to meaningfully participate in a wide range of classes at Braille Institute—including creative arts (including ceramics, basket-weaving, and mosaics), movement and wellness, technology and communication, cooking and essential life skills. For Deaf-Blind individuals, they build independence, confidence, sensory access, and community connection. They support self-expression, physical and emotional well-being, practical daily living, and pathways toward autonomy. However, without consistent staffing, trained interpreters, and program oversight, Deaf-Blind students cannot reliably access these classes—even when they exist. The result is exclusion from programs that are meant to empower, not marginalize. What’s at stake is not just access, but equal access to dignity, autonomy, and community life. What’s Happening The Deaf-Blind Program is operating with minimal staffing while serving individuals with complex access needs.

Following repeated, unaddressed requests for additional staffing, oversight, and program development, the Deaf-Blind Program Coordinator recently resigned—raising serious concerns about the program’s future. Community members have observed:

• Reliance on unpaid or volunteer labor, including substitute teaching without compensation, to fill instructional roles
• Failure to consistently provide interpreting and translation services, with students being asked to supply their own, directly impeding communication and access
• Underutilization of existing designated space and specialized equipment intended for Deaf-Blind services
• Lack of a formalized structure, leadership, or oversight specific to the Deaf-Blind community
• Intake of Deaf-Blind students without adequate follow-through to support independence, access services, or meet stated program commitments, raising concerns of ableism and potential non-compliance with ADA requirements.

These conditions indicate a program operating at a critically minimal capacity rather than being intentionally supported or developed. Without timely intervention, there is a genuine risk that the Deaf-Blind Program will quietly dissolve.

Why This Matters

Deaf-Blind individuals face distinct and intersecting barriers that require specialized expertise, intentional planning, and sustained institutional investment. Meaningful access for this community cannot be symbolic, intermittent, or volunteer-dependent. Without proper staffing, communication access, and accountability, Deaf-Blind individuals lose more than services—they lose autonomy, safety, and opportunities to fully participate in their community. Braille Institute has an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to accessibility. The institution has the resources, infrastructure, and reputation to lead with integrity. What is currently lacking is consistent oversight, investment, and accountability for the vibrant and growing Deaf-Blind population. 

Our Requests

We respectfully call on Braille Institute leadership to take the following actions:

1. Invest in adequate staffing by hiring qualified Deaf-Blind program personnel, including paraeducators, trained interveners, and certified interpreters.
2. Establish a Deaf-Blind advisory or oversight committee that includes Deaf-Blind individuals, advocates, and subject-matter professionals. Stabilize and expand the Deaf-Blind Program to serve a minimum of 20 students.
3. At present, at least five Deaf-Blind individuals remain on a waiting list, demonstrating unmet demand.
4. Develop and offer Deaf-Blind–specific communication and language instruction, including American Sign Language (ASL), Tactile ASL, ProTactile, and related methodologies, with ongoing training opportunities for both students and staff.
5. Ensure fair and ethical compensation for all instructional, substitute, and support staff, recognizing the specialized skills required, including proficiency in ASL, Tactile ASL, and ProTactile communication.
6. Sustain the Volunteer Impact Program (VIP) by ensuring volunteers are supervised by certified interpreters with substantial Deaf-Blind experience to ensure safe, accurate, and ethical assistance and communication.
7. Fully activate and utilize existing Deaf-Blind-designated space and equipment to maximize access and program effectiveness.
8. Publicly affirm a long-term commitment to the Deaf-Blind community as a core and visible component of Braille Institute’s mission.

This program fills a critical gap in Deaf-Blind services in the Los Angeles region. Braille Institute has a long history of confronting ableism through innovation, adaptation, and leadership. We call on the Institute to continue that legacy by standing firmly for accessibility, autonomy, and equity for Deaf-Blind individuals because everyone deserves access to necessary and enriching opportunities. Helen Keller,  a Deaf-Blind advocate who fought for inclusion, education, and self-determination, once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The Deaf-Blind Program deserves intentional investment, transparency, and collaboration. We urge Braille Institute to act now—thoughtfully, visibly, and in alignment with its mission, history, and responsibility to the Deaf-Blind community it serves. Sign this petition to stand for accessibility, dignity, and equity.

Signed,


Concerned members of the Deaf-Blind community, families, allies, and accessibility advocates