Educational Administrative Systems

The first level, Educational Administrative Systems, is about people with certain jobs, including administrators and board members. These people make important decisions. They are expected to create and carry out policies. They provide structures for deaf and hard of hearing students by following specific laws (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act, LeadK, IDEA). This includes ensuring deaf and hard of hearing students receive full language access, the right types of accommodations, and the best language support. This may mean providing training for professionals to work with deaf and hard of hearing students. Also, some people who took the survey said it is important for American Sign Language (ASL) to be a part of laws and policies.

Some people who took the survey made suggestions for how the system could be better:

1. School leaders need to set up language goals for deaf and hard of hearing students. This action is a decision school leaders make. Policies are made at higher levels, the federal and state levels.
2. School systems need to ensure these students have full access to languages in different school environments. This includes qualified service providers with the needed knowledge and background.
3. School systems need to ensure deaf and hard of hearing students receive the hearing assistive technology they need and that sign language interpreters are skilled so deaf and hard of hearing students can get more language access.
4. Decision makers and deaf and hard of hearing people need to talk more with each other.

People who took the survey also shared how Educational Administrative Systems have impacts on the next four levels—Knowledge and Perceptions; Resources; Language and Communication Access and Intervention; and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students’ Needs, Development, and Maximized Potential.

Knowledge and Perceptions

The second level, Knowledge and Perceptions, is about what people know and what they think about language and communication for deaf and hard of hearing students. These people include families, professionals, and the public. Some people have different understandings about language development, deaf education, and language and communication access. People can learn more through research to improve their understanding of these topics.

What professionals know about early language acquisition and how they share information with families can influence these families’ views about language and communication. These families may change their views on what their deaf or hard of hearing children need. This can impact how they support their deaf or hard of hearing students. So, it is important to ensure professionals and families have the correct information. The connection between the knowledge and perceptions of professionals and families is shown by the two-way arrow between families and professionals at this level.

Also, this level influences the next several levels. There is a direct influence on Resources. (e.g., what families know can affect how they use resources). This can influence how families support their deaf or hard of hearing children. It is also important to think about families’ backgrounds (e.g., their socioeconomic status, home language, where they live). For example, families with financial hardships or those in rural areas may have a harder time getting the resources they need to support their deaf or hard of hearing children. This level discusses what people understand or believe about deaf and hard of hearing students’ educational and language needs.

Resources

The third level, Resources, focuses on materials, information, support, services, programs, classes, and money (e.g., hearing assistive technology, speech therapy, sign language classes, testing tools, early intervention, teaching materials). Sometimes these resources are hard to find or unavailable. Also, they may not be right for deaf or hard of hearing students, including those with disabilities. As stated in the above level, access to these resources may be more difficult for families in rural areas or those who face financial hardships.

The Knowledge and Perceptions and Resources levels are connected (e.g., the information families get can help them learn how to support their deaf or hard of hearing children, such as about early language learning). Also, what people learn about language and communication can affect how they access resources (e.g., if people learn about programs such as Deaf Mentors, they may use these programs).

How people use resources can also affect the next two levels—Language and Communication Access and Intervention, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children’s Needs, Development, and Maximized Potential. This includes how deaf and hard of hearing children understand the language used around them, and how this helps their language development (e.g., families going to sign language classes and being able to better communicate with their deaf or hard of hearing children).

Language and Communication Access and Intervention

The fourth level, Language and Communication Access and Intervention, discusses how access and intervention affect each other. People who took the survey shared that it is important for deaf and hard of hearing students to have language and communication access. Access may be limited for various reasons, including not using visual aids or not understanding the language being used around them. When looking at intervention, it is important to support deaf and hard of hearing children’s development as well as school and social success. Language and Communication Access and Intervention are connected because intervention impacts the deaf and hard of hearing children’s ability to communicate and access the language around them. Also, access can affect what kind of intervention the children get. Both the “Access” and the “Intervention” parts are described below.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children’s Needs, Development, and Maximized Potential

The fifth and final level, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children’s Needs, Development, and Maximized Potential, focuses on supporting deaf and hard of hearing children with language and communication so that these students can thrive. These children need full access to language and early language learning. This includes a lot of communication with other children in different settings, such as siblings and classmates. Their needs depend on their personal traits, disabilities, backgrounds, languages used at home, and school experiences. Families play a big role in supporting their deaf or hard of hearing children’s needs and development. It is important for them to learn language early so they do not fall behind. The amount of language access these students have in their daily lives is important for their development. This includes how they communicate with other students and in their school. Their development and needs include school progress, language skills, identity, and emotions. Improving their access to language and communication will help their development in many areas (e.g., skills, identity, emotions) since all five levels in the Language and Communication Model are connected.