What are the Issues at the Forefront of Deaf Education?
Each issue listed below exists for several overlapping reasons: • Hearing loss is a low-incidence disability – 0.11% of the estimated school-age population and 1.2% of all students with disabilities. • Heterogeneity of the population – Examples include: degree and type of hearing loss, age of identification, preferred mode of communication, and educational setting. • The field has been fueled by strong emotion, rather than demonstrated efficacy. Issues • Improving educational outcomes, including literacy, numeracy, and employability. • Increasing research to establish effective educational practices. • Providing appropriate educational services for students with additional disabilities and for those who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse.
