Meeting the Needs of Students Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing with Additional Disabilites

Bruce, S., DiNatale, P., & Ford, J. (2008). Meeting the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students with additional disabilities through professional teacher development. American Annals of the Deaf 153(4), 368+. Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/read/1P3-1626474071/meeting-the-needs-of-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-students  

            According to Bruce, DiNatale & Ford (2008), at least a quarter of children who are deaf and hard of hearing have additional disabilities.  Most professional teacher development programs for children with hearing impairments do not prepare educators for students with additional disabilities.  It is imperative that teachers recognize the severity of the additional disability and how it interacts with the effects of the hearing impairment. 

            The education programs for learners who are deaf with additional disabilities lack the appropriate assessments, contain limited curriculum materials and are in need of well-trained educators (Luckner and Carter, 2001).  There is no single assessment tool or curriculum that can incorporate all the complex needs of children who are deaf with additional disabilities.  Therefore a collaborative team approach encompassing a holistic view of the child is the most appropriate model to address the complex needs of students with hearing impairments and additional disabilities.  As stated by Bruce, DiNatale & Ford (2008), suggested by D’Zamko and Hampton (1985), the professional development programs for educators of the deaf need to include: “…child development theories, characteristics and needs of the deaf child with [multiple disabilities], assessment tools appropriate for children with multiple disabilities, special materials, program development…” as well as behavioral management, and communication skills. (p. 370).  In 2000 Kevin J. Miller, a former assistant professor in deaf education, proposed the need for more preparation in the areas of individualized education programs, parent relationships, legal issues surrounding special education, and multiple disabilities.

            To combat this challenge, a learning community of experienced teachers of the deaf at Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing voluntarily participated in a three year project to improve their ability to serve the increasing number of children who are deaf with additional disabilities.  Through in-service and in-classroom support, the teachers were observed and provided strategies and assessment tools to meet the needs of their students who are hard of hearing with additional disabilities.  Lesson plans and daily routines were specifically tailored to meet the needs of each individual student with multiple disabilities.  Overall, the teachers felt the availability of in-class consultation and collaboration provided them the needed support to integrate the information from the in-services within their existing classroom of students with hearing impairments and additional disabilities.

            As I processed the information I gathered from the journal article and this week’s readings, I came to realize that children with one special need most likely can have additional disabilities.  As educators, it is our responsibility to find the best ways in which we can meet all of our students’ needs.  I commend the teachers in this article that volunteered to take part in a three year long project to reach students who are deaf with additional disabilities. 

            I would recommend this journal article for all teachers, administrators, and especially parents of children who are deaf with additional disabilities.  By coming together and working collaboratively with the focus on the child, only then can a child with special needs obtain the appropriate services best suited for him.