Support for Deaf Students and Those with Hearing Impairments

Abstract

Since the passage of PL-94–142 and its current iteration, Individuals with Education Disabilities Act (IDEA; https://sites.ed.gov/idea/" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://sites.ed.gov/idea/), the number of Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students attending local public schools (as opposed to state supported Schools for the Deaf) has increased significantly (Stinson and Antia 1999). Children that have a DHH diagnosis enter into a variety of educational placements based on the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for the individual student based on their cultural identity, educational needs, personal goals, and communication choices. These environments could include a general education classroom with or without accommodations, pull-out time with a special education teacher, or time with a speech therapist. Studies suggest that academic achievement of Deaf and hard of hearing students can mirror that of peers with normal hearing when instructors provide sufficient supports and accommodations for language and social development as well as academic accommodations (Kurz and Caldwell 2004; Livingston 1997). While several strategies for supporting students who are Deaf or who have hearing impairments are universal, Deaf and hard of hearing students generally require an individualized approach based on hearing level, assistive technology used, and communication preferences.