Equal Opportunities for Achieving Everyday Quality of Life of Deaf-Blind Persons

Abstract

This paper deals with a narrative biographical research of the quality of life and equal opportunities for deaf-blind persons from the area of the city of Zagreb. Findings are based on a narrative analysis of semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 12 deafblind persons who have difficulties with varying degrees of severity. By Labov’s analysis and later grouping through narratives, personal stories and experiences, they have been grouped into five types according to their experiences during education, sociability, employment and later quality of life. The findings indicate severe difficulties that prevent persons with a double disability from quality education adapted to them, and then in the development of normal sociability, i.e. which enable a lack of isolation and depression.