Hearing Impaired, Deaf, and Deaf-Blind

IDEA §300.8 (2) Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

IDEA §300.8 (3) Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

IDEA §300.8 (5) Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness in this section.

Training information and documents are available by following the links below:

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AGBell)
AGBell is a membership organization and information center focusing specifically on childhood hearing loss, with an emphasis on the auditory approach. Informational materials address questions that parents typically raise, basic information on pediatric hearing loss, and general information on how to best service students with hearing loss in the classroom.

American Society of Deaf Children (ASDC)
ASDC is a national organization of families and professionals committed to education, empowering, and supporting parents and families to create opportunities for their children who are deaf and hard of hearing in gaining meaningful and full communication access, particularly through the competent use of sign language, in their homes, schools, and communities.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
ASHA provides information and resources about communication disorders for students, parents, professionals and others.

The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP)
The DCMP acts as a captioning information and training center. The DCMP is a FREE video lending library funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the National Association of the Deaf.

The Center for the Study of Communication and the Deaf (CSCD)
CSCD is devoted to both applied and theoretical research to benefit the deaf and their families.

Clerc Educational Center at Gallaudet University
The Clerc Educational Center has been mandated by congress to develop, evaluate and disseminate innovative curricula, instructional techniques and strategies, and materials. The aim of the Center is to improve the quality of education for deaf and hard of hearing children and youth from birth through age 21.

Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Communicative Disabilities and Deafness (DCDD)
DCDD is dedicated to improving the education of children with communicative disabilities or who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Deaf Resource Library
The Deaf Resource Library is an online collection of reference material and links intended to educate and inform people about Deaf culture.

National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities (NCLD)
The goal of NCLID is to increase the nation's capacity to provide educational and support services to infants, children and youths with deafness, blindness, and severe disabilities by developing a comprehensive, integrated, online system that prepares teachers, supports families and assists schools.

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID)
RID provides international, national, regional, state and local forums and an organizational structure for the continued growth and development of the professions of interpretation and transliteration of American Sign Language and English.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)
The mission of HLAA is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy, and support.