Hearing impairment or deafness is the partial or complete inability to hear sounds. Children diagnosed with a significant hearing impairment commonly rely on their vision to develop language and communication skills and to explore the world around them. Research indicates that deaf children face an elevated likelihood of a vision impairment or of being diagnosed with Deafblindness. Deafblindness is a unique and complex condition characterised by combined hearing and vision loss. Given the strong relationship between deafness and vision impairment it is essential to prioritise vision screening for children diagnosed with a hearing loss.

La Trobe University has collaborated with Aurora School, a Victorian state-wide service for deaf and deafblind children aged 3-6 years, to conduct early education vision screening as part of a student-led clinical placement initiative. This placement is an instrumental part of fulfilling competency requirements, providing students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting and preparing them with essential orthoptic skills for inclusive clinical practice. This presentation will outline a novel approach to vision screening, with a focus on tailoring visual assessments for children with sensory impairments. It will also highlight the approach to teaching orthoptic students effective interaction strategies with children who have additional needs, ensuring a compassionate and holistic clinical assessment. Additionally, the student experience of the placement will be presented.