Characteristics of Hearing-Impaired Children in the Public Schools

Abstract

Psychoeducational data were collected from the files of 1,250 hearing-impaired children in Iowa public schools in an effort to identify educational and linguistic profiles related to different degrees of hearing loss. The files of most mildly to moderately hearing-impaired children do not reflect complete assessment of language, academic, or intellectual skills even when support services are being provided. The data reveal deficits that often are inconsistent with the reports and patterns of achievement on which the allocation of support services for hearing-impaired children have been based. The appropriateness of many of the assessment tools in use is questionable.