The Deafness Foundation was established in 1974 as a co-ordinating body for the Deaf Community. These minutes document the meetings that ran from 1971 to 1974. Black foolscap folder containing minutes of meetings concerning the proposal for an Australian National Council for Hearing Impaired people. The meetings ran from 1971-1974 Label on front "DEAFNESS FOUNDATION/PROPOSED NATIONAL BODY" deaf children australia, dca, deafness foundation, national council, minutes

Poster advertising the need to get immunised for Rubella, a cause of deafness. Space donated by the Royal Victorian Instituted for the Blind. Notes the Deafness foundation. Used on a Melbourne tram.trams, tramways, advertisements, posters

Compiled and distributed by The Deafness Foundation (Victoria) as a commuity service. Reprinted 1987Green cover, 21cmHx13.5cmW, 59 pagesservices directory for people with hearing impairments, deafness foundation (vic)

Compiled by Andrew Donald,Tess Hodgens,Jenny Rolleston for Deafness Foundation (Victoria)Pink cover, 25cmHx17.5cmW, 31 pagespost secondary education, hearing impaired student , deafness foundation (victoria), andrew donald,tess hodgens,jenny rolleston

In 1988, the Kelaston Community Day Centre won an award for providing accessible communication for deaf clients. These awards were developed to encourage and recognise programs that provided accessible communication for a wide variety of groups.1 digital image of blue and silver plaque1988 Access Communication Award Presented to the Kelaston Community Day Centre A project of Deafness Foundation (Victoria) Sponsored by the Quota Club of Moorabbinassociation for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

In 1948 during her Australian tour Helen Keller visited the west suburban SUNSHINE GIRLS TECHNICAL SCHOOL, to express her thanks for a letter written by the students in support of her work with deaf and blind people. She and her travelling companions presented the school with their signatures. Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880 and due to an illness at the age of 20 months lost both her sight and hearing. Helen was taught to communicate by Anne Sullivan who wrote words into her hand, and she also learned to speak by touching the throat and lips of people as they spoke. In June 28, 1904 Helen Keller graduated from Radcliffe College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, being the first deaf and blind person to do so. In October 1914 Polly Thomson joined up with Helen and Anne. Helen published an account of her religious beliefs and an autobiography, and in 1930 the three women travelled to Scotland, England and Ireland. In 1931 they participated in the first World Council for the Blind. After Anne Sullivan Macy died in 1936 Helen and Polly continued to travel to several countries. In 1943 Helen visited blind, deaf, and disabled soldiers in a USA military hospital, which she described as "the crowning experience of my life". In 1946 Helen and Polly made their first world tour for the American Foundation for the Overseas Blind and over the next 11 years visited 35 countries. In 1955 Helen became the first woman to be honoured with an honorary degree from Harvard University. In 1960 Polly Thomson died, and in 1961 Helen suffered her first stroke and so retired from public life. In 1964 President Johnson conferred the Presidential Medal of Freedom however she was unable to attend the ceremony. On June 1, 1968 Helen died in her sleep, and her ashes have been interred with those of Anne and Polly at the National Cathedral. Over 1200 mourners attended the funeral.It is significant that Helen Keller actually took the time and effort to visit the Sunshine Girls Technical School to thank the students for their supporting letter. Helen Keller's many achievements show that a severely handicapped deaf and blind person can make significant contributions to society, if they apply themselves and receive assistance from dedicated friends. Brown stained wood frame with glass face enclosing a beige paper with three signatures and a typed white paper section describing reason for the signatures. Helen Keller, Polly Thomson, Marion Fatuson, 11.5.48helen keller, polly thomson, marion fatuson, anne sullivan macy, deaf, blind, signatures, radcliffe college, sunshine girls technical school

Published by the Deaf Committee of the Adult Deaf and Dumb Society of VictoriaThe Victorian Deaf News' Newsletter is a significant publication as an historical record giving and insight into the people, activities and events of the Deaf Community in Victoria.Vol 2 No. 8 April 1938; Size 24.5cmHx19cmW; 12 pagesfrances leila peters, ernest j. d. abraham, principal's garden party, christmas rally, foundation day picnic, george parker, foundation day picnic, women's guild, cricket, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, jack mclean, annual bay trip, mens guild, j. mclaurin, j. hunt, easter rally, william o'keeffe, t. newton, mrs m. briner, egbert pallott, james walters, mona stevens, phyllis johnstone, cliff ellwood, george boyce, monahan, ernest a. reynolds, sutherland, willie elwin, george mcguinness, f. kendall, gertie kinsella, joy tampion, evelyn lloyd, l. treffene, alice smith, paqualin, j. williams, andrew rankine, percy smith, h. williamson, len treffene, t. beard, w. hately, w. a. ross, norma rawlins, a. salmon, arthur hately,

The Tellatouch was developed in the American Foundation research laboratory and resulted from one of the first AFB research projects, a major effort in the mid-1940s to help deaf-blind people. The device helped end social isolation for hundreds of deaf-blind children and adults. The Tellatouch provides a means of communication between a sighted (or blind) person and a deaf-blind person who can read braille. The keyboard has three rows of ten keys each and a standard braille keyboard on the fourth row. At the rear of the machine is a round metal plate with the braille cell in the center. The deaf-blind person rests a finger on the braille cell. Pins rise to form the equivalent of the letter key that is struck. The body of the device covered in beige vinyl, with a hinged lid at the front which lifts up to reveal the keyboard. The lid is secured with a metal latch at the front.Beige vinyl machine with leather carry strapbraille equipment, assistive devices