Meeting the Needs of the Hearing Parents of Deaf Infants

Abstract

This paper examines the needs, presentation procedures, professional role, and positive results of a comprehensive parent-education program as a component of a total communication early-intervention project. The educational plan calls for weekly parent-education sessions to supplement the scheduled individual family sessions of this family-oriented project. The individual family sessions trained parents in many diverse skills and strategies. There is a need for a supplementary parent-education program to provide parents with a sound educational framework against which to view their emerging competencies in a cohesive, meaningful way. This approach to parent education results in positive changes in both parent behavior and child behavior, strongly indicating that such an approach has important implications for meeting the special needs of all parents of handicapped children.