Children Who Are Deaf/Hard of Hearing with Disabilities: Paths to Language and Literacy

Abstract

Students who are Deaf with Disabilities (DWD) comprise an extremely heterogeneous population. Similar to students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), students who are DWD vary in terms of degree, type, and age at onset of hearing loss, amplification, and preferred communication method. However, students who are DWD are also diverse in terms of type, etiology, and number and severity of disability(ies). Presented in this article is an overview of DWD followed by foci on Deaf with learning disabilities, Deaf with intellectual disabilities, Deaf with autism spectrum disorder, and deafblindness. Particular attention is given to communication, language, and literacy development.

Keywords

• deaf with disabilities
• deafblind
• autism spectrum disorder
• learning disabilities
• intellectual disabilities