DbI has four categories of awards:
Lifetime Achievement Award
At each World Conference, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be made to an Individual/Individuals who has/have made a distinguished contribution to services for people who are deafblind on a national and international level. This award is recommended to be given towards the end of one’s working life and will be given only occasionally and when deemed necessary. A statuette and certificate will be presented. The decisions will be made by the Management Committee.
DbI Lifetime Achievement Award Eligibility Requirements
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be made to an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to services for people who are deafblind on a national and international level. This award is recommended to be given towards the end of one’s working life. Distinguished contributions could be in the area of: publications, research, development of new techniques or procedures, practical application of teaching techniques, training staff and parents, advocacy; and dynamic leadership.
DbI Lifetime Achievement award winners:
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Marleen Janssen |
| 2023 | Bernadette Kappen |
| 2023 | Anne Nafstad |
| 2023 | Marianne Riggio |
| 2018 | Barbara Mason |
| 2018 | Pilar Gomez |
| 2017 | EvaBritt Andreassen |
| 2017 | Dorte Schultz Nielsen |
| 2015 | Cristiana Salomi |
| 2014 | Joseph Morrisey |
| 2013 | David Brown |
| 2011 | Mari Saetre |
| 2009 | Inger Rodbroe |
| 2008 | Mike Collins |
| 2007 | Norman Brown |
| 2003 | Peggy Freeman |
Distinguished Services Award
This award will be given more frequently than the Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be presented to people who have significantly contributed to the deafblind field, or DbI, Internationally. These awards will be presented at any Regional or World Conference.
DbI Distinguished Service Award Nominee Eligibility Requirements
This award recognizes a DbI member who has significantly contributed to the deafblind field or DbI, internationally. Examples of work in the deafblind field or within DbI. Examples of contributions when thinking about a possible nominee for the Distinguished Services Award:
- overall professional experiences;
- innovative practices;
- unique or extraordinary contributions to DbI;
- professional publications, research and/or staff training activities;
- leadership on the international level which has promoted or improved services to deafblind individuals and their families.
DbI Distinguished Service Award winners:
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Astrid Borck |
| 2023 | Saskia Damen |
| 2023 | Carmen Lucia Guerrero |
| 2023 | Karen Keyes |
| 2023 | Jude Nicholas |
| 2022 | Mary Maragia |
| 2022 | Roxanna Spruyt |
| 2022 | Dr. Meredith Prain |
| 2018 | Maria Bove |
| 2015 | Ricard Lopez |
| 2014 | Ruth Zacharias |
| 2013 | Marlene Daelman |
| 2013 | Dominique Spriet |
| 2011 | Bernadette Kappen |
| 2011 | Lex Grandia |
| 2011 | Shirley Rodriguez Maia |
| 2009 | Rossano Bartoli |
| 2009 | Ton Visser |
| 2009 | Eileen Boothroyd |
| 2009 | Hanne Pittroff |
| 2007 | Penny May Kamau |
| 2007 | Barbara Miles |
| 2007 | Graciela Ferioli |
| 2005 | Janka Sarisska |
| 2005 | Isabel Amaral |
| 2005 | Anna Nafstad |
| 2003 | Mary Guest |
| 2003 | Inger Rodbroe |
| 2003 | Stan Munroe |
| 2001 | Dietrich Bunck |
| 2001 | Marjaana Suosalmi |
| 2000 | Beroz Vacha |
| 2000 | Sadako Imamura |
| 1999 | Norman Brown |
| 1999 | Dr. Anthony Best |
| 1999 | William Green |
| 1999 | Mike Collins |
| 1999 | Jacques Souriau |
| 1997 | Sonja Jarl |
| 1995 | Dr. Jan van Dijk |
| 1995 | John McInnes |
| 1995 | Jacquie McInnes |
| 1995 | Rodney Clark |
| 1991 | Dr. Edward Waterhouse |
| 1987 | Joan Shields |
Certificate of Appreciation
This award will be presented to anyone who has served DbI, or the international field of deafblindness, well in any capacity. It can be issued at any time on the recommendation of a DbI Council member to the Management Committee.
DbI Certificate of Appreciation recipients:
| Year | Recipient |
| 2010 | Alessandra Broccolo |
| 2009 | Malcolm Matthews |
| Judith Varsavsky | |
| Neoklis Sarris | |
| Maria Tsani | |
| George Drakos |
Youth Professional Leadership
Throughout the world organizations are having a discussion about succession planning; DbI is no exception. Many of the professionals started working with individuals who are deafblind during the Rubella Epidemic years of the 1960’s. These professionals are looking forward to retirement over the next few years. DbI decided that it was important to promote the work of younger professionals and created the DbI Young Professional Leadership Award. This award was presented for the first time in Bucharest to three outstanding women.
DbI Youth Professional Leadership recipients:
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Asako Kawahara |
| 2022 | Claire Fraser |
| 2015 | Kitty Bloeming Sonja van de Molengraft Andrea Wanka |