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Back to School: Mainstreaming Kids with Hearing Loss
Education for the children with hearing loss has dramatically changed since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. This act states that “all children with disabilities are entitles to a free appropriate public education to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living”.
Since then, more and more children with all levels of hearing loss are mainstreamed into public schools. Currently, approximately 75% of children with hearing loss attend public schools. Of these, around half spend most of each school day in an inclusive classroom, while others are in a separate classroom, to assist in speech, reading, and language comprehension.
For parents, when making the decision of whether or not to mainstream your child with hearing loss, they should be aware of the legal, social, and academic aspects of mainstream Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education.
Legal Aspects
The legal aspects of public school accommodation for hard of hearing kids is covered under the IDEA as stated above. Every child between the ages of 3 and 21 is entitled to free public education, evaluations, and an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
If the public school cannot properly educate the student in an inclusive classroom environment, the district must pay for the student to be educated elsewhere. Under IDEA, all families are also entitled to an IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan – to assist in planning their child’s education. Parents and children, along with specialized professionals, drive the development of this plan, and can legally challenge the system if the school is not addressing their child’s needs.
Social Aspects
Advocates for mainstreaming children with hearing loss into inclusive classrooms point out that being with a diverse group of students, most of which are hearing, will simulate the conditions that these children will face in professional and recreational settings later in life. Though socializing may be more difficult for hard of hearing children, they can develop skills that will enable them to work and socialize with hearing people, with real world, repeated practice of skills than cannot always be generalized from direct instruction in the classroom.
Academic Aspects
Given the proper resources and attention, it is very possible for a student with hearing loss to succeed and excel academically. In addition to personal motivation and parental involvement, the success of the student depends largely on the willingness and financial ability of the school district to address their specific needs. The Individualized Education Plan includes assignment of specific adaptations appropriate for the level of the individual child’s level of hearing loss. These adaptations can involve separate classrooms, technological and visual aids including personal amplification, translators, ambient sound mitigation, and others.
It Takes Teamwork
For academic success in the mainstreamed environment, a multidisciplinary team consisting of parents and specialized professionals creates the ideal structure for your child’s educational experience. Parents know their children best, and are the most important part of this team.
Specialized experts round out the team, and work closely with parents, teachers, administration, and students. Here is a brief outline of some of these professionals that may play a part:
- Certified Educational Interpreter (CEI) – Generally responsible for ensuring communications access in the classroom and extracurricular settings.
- Hearing Support Teacher – Helps with development of language, communication and advocacy skills.
- Educational Audiologist – Manages school-based hearing evaluations, recommends hearing devices and classroom assistive technology.
- Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) – Also known as a speech therapist, they work closely with the audiologist to correct, improve and prevent communications problem and implement social and academic goals.
- Case Manager – Oversees all aspects of the child’s mainstreamed education, coordinates with parents, children, and specialists, and measures progress.
Reality and Budgets
In an ideal world, the special education programs in all public schools would be well-funded, specialized professional available, and all administrations willing and able to prioritize the needs of these programs.
All problems faced by children with hearing loss can be solved, but that doesn’t mean they always are, unfortunately. Especially as large budget cuts affect schools all over the nation, the special education programs are often the ones to experience the deepest cuts.
When deciding where to send your child to school, it is important to find out what types of programs each school offers to ensure your child’s greatest chance for success.
There are many who advocate for children with hearing loss to attend specialized Deaf/Hard of Hearing Schools, citing the inclusiveness and emotional comfort of the “Deaf culture”, exposing them to other students with the same challenges, along with the obvious enhancements and adaptations available. Sign language immersion is thought to be one of the most important aspects of such specialized schooling.
Making a Decision
Mainstreaming is not for every child and family. Neither is specialized schooling.
If you are a parent trying to decide whether or not to mainstream your child with hearing loss, it is vital that you do your research, learn about your school district, find out what is available, and start intervention as early as possible.
You know your child best. If you choose to mainstream, stay involved, ask for help, be your child’s advocate, and consistently re-assess your child’s progress. With your support and encouragement, and that of your child’s school resources, your child can succeed and even excel in school.
