Anne Sullivan was an American teacher, best known for being the lifelong companion and instructor of Helen Keller, a blind and deaf woman who became an author, lecturer, and political activist. Sullivan taught Keller how to communicate through sign language and eventually how to speak, as well as how to read and write. She also taught Keller about the world around her and helped her to develop her intellectual and social skills. Sullivan's work with Keller had a profound impact on both women's lives and helped to change the way that society viewed people with disabilities.