Resources for Mainstream Programs
A Practical Guide
Resources for Mainstream Programs is a user-friendly, practical collection of ideas, strategies and resources for anyone who will be working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing in a mainstream environment. As the user will find, recommendations designed to enhance the educational program for deaf and hard of hearing students will also enhance the educational program for all students in the school.
Providing a truly accessible and effective environment requires addressing many complex issues. A successful educational experience will not emerge simply by assuring that the student is wearing his or her hearing aid or has a sign language interpreter. These are only a small part of the whole picture. As with any group of students, students who are deaf or hard of hearing are a diverse group with different strengths and needs. What is appropriate for some may not be appropriate for others. Educators cannot ensure a deaf or hard of hearing child's success in an inclusive environment simply by reading this basic guide either. Educators must seek out further resources and supports so that they can develop the skills to promote the highest quality education possible for each student. Our hope is that the discussion of the issues in this guide will provide a starting place.
This online guide is an update to There's a Hearing Impaired Child in My Class, published by the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in 1988. This new version reflects changes in the field since that time; read about these changes here.
- Terminology Describing Deaf Individuals
- Understanding Hearing Loss
- Language and Communication
- Educational Planning for Individual Children
- Involving the Family
- Strategies for Effective Inclusion
- Strategies to Support the Development of Literacy
- Reviewing the Placement
- Working with Interpreters
- Hearing Aids and Other Assistive Devices
- Cochlear Implants
- Orientation to Deafness for Students
- Especially for Parents of Mainstreamed Children
- Especially for School Administrators
- Updates from the Original Version
- About the Authors and Reviewers
- Copyright and Publication Information