Teacher Consultants for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing program work with local school districts to provide educational support for students with hearing loss in both school and home environments. They provide assistance with evaluating students for eligible services, in-service school staff regarding hearing loss and its implications, monitor educational programming and supportive accommodations, as well as provide direct instruction in auditory skills, language development and self-advocacy.

 

The Total Communication Program consists of classrooms at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Teachers in these classrooms provide direct instruction through the use of the total communication approach which utilizes English, American Sign Language, speech, auditory training, reading, writing and assistive technology. In addition, teachers coordinate services among staff members and work to facilitate the integration of students into general education classrooms.

 

The Educational Audiologist works with students, parents and school professionals to ensure that students with hearing loss are identified, evaluated and managed to provide appropriate access to instruction in the classroom. The audiologist provides comprehensive hearing evaluations, selects, fits and validates hearing assistive technology in the classroom, educates students about their hearing loss to support self-advocacy skills and assists school personnel in the best practices to use with Deaf/Hard of Hearing students.

 

The Speech-Language Pathologist works with students who attend the Total Communication Center-Based Program, while also offering support to parents and educators. The pathologist assesses the students' communication skills and how they impact their ability to learn in a general education setting. Instruction can include the areas of articulations, receptive and expressive language, auditory processing, speech reading, pragmatic language and functional communication.

 

Educational Interpreters communicate classroom information between the teacher, the Deaf/Hard of Hearing student and other hearing impaired students according to their language levels and the goals outlined in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In addition to the traditional school day, interpreters may also assist with extra-curricular school-based activities when appropriate.