SWD: Overview

At the top, Legislation has a big effect on all the other levels. Individuals who took the survey discussed how legislation affects deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities and their families. This includes getting resources and hiring enough staff to support these students. They also discussed the effects of least restrictive environment as well as the grouping together of deaf and hard of hearing students with and without disabilities. This can make it more challenging for these students to get the support they need.

It is important to have different kinds of resources and support for deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities. This includes organizations, programs, webinars, services, translated materials, technology, research, and money. It is also important to ensure the resources are given to the right places and used in the best ways to help these students. Schools, professionals, and families need resources so they can provide support. Additionally, families need to learn how to support their deaf and hard of hearing children with disabilities. This includes learning about language, communication, tests, and accommodations. This information helps families know how to get more support. There is a definite need for more research and information about the best ways to help deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities.

Individuals who took the survey discussed how professionals sometimes do not do a good job of helping deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities. Those professionals might not know enough about how to support these students. They might not be able to test them properly. Also, they might not be willing to make changes to help them. Professionals need to get the right training to improve their skills and knowledge so they can do a better job of helping deaf and hard of hearing students and their families. Further, there needs to be more professionals who can work with these students and their families.

Individuals who took the survey said it is important to help deaf and hard of hearing children with disabilities and their families. Support needs to start when these children are babies. This is called early intervention, and it can help families to get the support and information they need. It is critical to ensure deaf and hard of hearing children with disabilities get what they need so they can learn and communicate well. This means having plans to help them with language and communication. Also, they need to get the right services. If these children get the correct support early on, then they will be more ready for school.

It is important for families to support their deaf and hard of hearing children with disabilities and to be involved with them. This includes providing language support as well as other types of support. However, sometimes families feel overwhelmed because they are busy or they do not have enough information. These families need help and resources to meet the needs of their children. A family’s background, including how well off they are financially, can affect how well they are able to support their children. Some individuals who took the survey were parents of deaf and hard of hearing children with disabilities. They discussed their own difficulties in ensuring their children get the support they need. For example, parents may struggle to find specific services to meet their child’s needs because their child’s school does not offer those services.

Deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities need to get tested properly so their needs can be met. This means figuring out what students need so they can take tests without barriers. Also, there is a need to find out what services they need so they can learn without extra challenges. This includes making plans for their language development and some changes to educational materials. However, there are challenges that make it harder for these students. For example, there are not enough people with the skills to give tests, and there are not enough tests. There are concerns that the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities are not being met and they may not be getting the support they need.

Deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities need to get the right support and services, but sometimes this does not happen. Individuals who took the survey said that some professionals are not focused on supporting these students. They might not know enough or have enough training, so they might not provide the right accommodations or make the right changes to meet these students’ needs. In rural areas, there might not be enough services for them and their families. Some students switch to different schools because they do not get enough support. These new schools still do not always meet their needs. Deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities may receive accommodations, but they may not be well served. For example, students may not feel comfortable with interpreters or may still have trouble with tests.

Deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities need to be able to communicate in a way that works for them. They need to have people around them who can support them with language development. Having a disability can make it hard for these students to learn language so it is important for their families, professionals, and peers to know how to communicate with them. If people can communicate with these students, then they can better understand their needs. Some individuals who took the survey discussed how using visual or sign language helps these students. Limited access to language can cause difficulties with learning. It can also lead to people not understanding what these students can do and what they need. There is a need to include the right services, research, and resources to help these students develop their language skills.

Schools can influence deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities in different ways. For example:

• Laws and regulations can decide what support and resources these students receive.
• The training teachers and school staff receive can affect how they support these students.
• Language and communication access and use influence how these students learn.
• Education settings or school programs may impact how the needs of these students are met.

Schools may need to make changes to educational materials for deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities. Schools have a big responsibility in meeting the needs of these students in different areas, such as academics, language development, socioemotional growth, and job preparation.

Schools may not be meeting the socioemotional needs of deaf and hard of hearing students with disabilities. They may face more challenges and negative impacts compared to deaf and hard of hearing students without disabilities. Having disabilities can sometimes affect deaf and hard of hearing students’ social skills. They need extra support and the right services for social and emotional growth. In some situations, when students’ socioemotional needs are not met, this can lead to behaviors that may result in a diagnosis of a disability.