Protactile Immersion Training - Interpreter Cohort

From Wednesday, June 24, 2026 3:00 PM to Monday, June 29, 2026 10:00 AM (EST)

Description

The PT Immersion Training offers a unique and profound opportunity to experience elements of DeafBlind culture firsthand. This immersive program is designed to teach students the principles of Protactile and give real-world application through meetings and activities. This is not just a workshop; it is designed to develop communication skills in a Protactile Zone and DeafBlind space. You will learn to live and work with other students in a teamwork environment that prioritizes reciprocal connection and shared presence. By stepping away from visual-centric norms, you will cultivate a deep, tactile intuition and build lasting bonds within the community, ultimately transforming how you perceive, navigate, and contribute to the world around you.

Training topics will include, but are not limited to:
PT style presentations
Hand placements and responsibilities
PT vocabulary
Copresence
Conavigation
Using a meteor watch, and conveying time in touch space
Contact space vs air space
Reference markers
Role shift
Point to point
Emphasis and emotion/backchanneling
Reciprocity
Prompt, adopt, touch
Demonstrations
Mapping
Size and shape specifiers
Proprioceptive objects
Tactile Imagery
Exceptions
3- and 4-way communication
Copysigning
PT Braille
Creating PT stories
Interpreting ASL/English to PT, PT to ASL/English, copysigning PT to PT
Medical PT interpreting scenarios
PT interpreting in other situations

MassRID is an approved RID CMP sponsor for Continuing Education Activities. This Professional Studies program is offered at 3.325 CEUs/ACETs and an additional 1.4375 PPO CEUs, for a total of 4.7625 PS credits, at the "some previous knowledge" Content Level.

Presenters, coordinators, and participants of this educational opportunity agree to promote an environment of mutual respect, free from bias and discrimination.

At the conclusion of the activity, participants should be able to
1. Apply the Protactile Principles through small group learning and discussions.
2. Learn the proper hand placement and use in protactile, and learn about different functions of speaking and listening hands.
3. Identify the correct way to sit and stand in a Protactile style presentation to ensure contact with DeafBlind.
4. Demonstrate 2, 3, and 4 way communication techniques.
Analyze the importance of Backchanneling.
5. Demonstrate using contact space instead of air space.
6. Practice demonstrating size and shapes in contact space instead of air space.
7. Discover Copresence and how to replicate.
8. Maintain Copresence and socialize, learn, and communicate in an immersive PT Zone.
9. Recognize CoNavigating techniques and understand its importance.
10. Compare and contrast the concepts of Copresence and Conavigation.
11. Produce handshapes through Prompt Adopt Touch to supplement Protactile conversation.
12. Construct and create proprioceptive objects through Prompt Adopt Touch and use them in storytelling.
13. Analyze how oppressions can affect DeafBlind people.
14. Recognize different behaviors that can lead to feelings of oppression.
15. Reflect and assess on how distantism influences our experiences and how it can be prevented through copresence.
16. Learn, recall, and apply PT Braille
17. Explain why using PT Braille can assist with clearer communication
18. Identify weak spots and list questions for clarification.

For questions about accommodations, please email Jesse Stanley at PT@dbsan.org

Application Types

Protactile Student - Interpreter -- $400

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