Students with Sensory Disability
(Awareness Project)---Shuying An 6-16-2015
- Federal definition and eligibility information
Deafness: A hearing impairment so severe that the child cannot understand what is being said even with a hearing aid
Deaf-Blindness: A combination of hearing and visual impairments causing such severe communication, developmental,
and educational problems that the child cannot be accommodated in either a program specifically for the deaf or
a program specifically for the blind. Hearing impairment: An impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating,
that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness as
listed above.
Eligibility: There are three eligibility categories dealing with sensory issues. They are: Visual Impairments,
Deaf-Blindness, and Hearing Impaired/Deaf,
- State definition and eligibility information
Definition of Visual Impairment: Visual impairment, including blindness, means impairment in vision that, even with correction,adversely affects a student’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.
Eligibility Criteria
a. There is evidence that
(1) The visual acuity with correction is 20/70 or worse in the better eye; or
(2) The visual acuity is better than 20/70 with correction in the better eye, and there is
documentation of either of the following conditions: a diagnosed progressive loss of vision or a visual
field of 40 degrees or less;
(3) The visual acuity is unable to be determined by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist, and
the existence of functional vision loss is supported by functional vision assessment findings; or
(4) There is evidence of cortical visual impairment.
b. The student’s visual impairment adversely affects his or her educational and functional
performance. The adverse effects of the visual impairment on the child’s educational performance require
specialized instruction and related services.
Definition of Deaf-blindness
Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing loss and visual impairment, the combination of which
causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be
accommodated in special education programs solely for children who are deaf or hard of hearing or
children who are blind or visually impaired.
Eligibility Criteria
a. There is evidence that the child meets the criteria for both the Deaf/Hard of Hearing category and
the Visual Impairment category.
(1) a hearing loss that is 20 dB or greater at any one frequency, either unilaterally or bilaterally, or
(2) a fluctuating hearing loss, either unilaterally or bilaterally, and
(3) The visual acuity with correction is 20/70 or worse in the better eye; or
(4) The visual acuity is better than 20/70 with correction in the better eye, and there is
documentation of either of the following conditions: a diagnosed progressive loss of vision or a visual
field of 40 degrees or less; or
(5) The visual acuity is unable to be determined by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist, and
the existence of functional vision loss is supported by functional vision assessment findings; or
(6) There is evidence of cortical visual impairment.
b. The adverse effects of the hearing and visual impairment on the child’s educational performance
require specialized instruction and/or related services.
Definition of Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Deaf means a hearing loss that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a student’s academic or functional performance. Hard of Hearing means a hearing loss, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a student’s academic or functional performance with or without amplification, but that is not included under the definition of deaf in this section
Eligibility Criteria
a. There is evidence that the child has
(1) a hearing loss that is 20 dB or greater at any one frequency, either unilaterally or bilaterally, or
(2) a fluctuating hearing loss, either unilaterally or bilaterally.
b. The adverse effects of the deafness or hard of hearing impairment on the child’s educational
performance require specialized instruction and/or related services.
- Prevalence rates nationally and for the state:
- 0.10% of the population from 6 to 21 years of age is deaf or hard of hearing
- 30% of the students receiving services for deaf or hard of hearing come from Spanish-speaking homes
- Evidence suggest far greater prevalence for hard of hearing than for deafness
- Educational services offered and where most students are served:
I.Students with visual impairments have unique educational needs, which are most effectively met using a team approach of professionals, parents and students. In order to meet their unique needs, students must have specialized services, books and
materials in appropriate media (including braille), as well as specialized equipment and technology to assure equal access to
the core and specialized curricula, and to enable them to most effectively compete with their peers in school and ultimately in
society.
II. There must be a full range of program options and support services so that the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team
can select the most appropriate placement in the least restrictive environment for each individual student with a visual impairment.
III. There must be adequate personnel preparation programs to train staff to provide specialized services which address the unique academic and non-academic curriculum needs of students with visual impairments. There must also be ongoing specialized
personnel development opportunities for all staff working with these students as well as specialized parent education.
- Characteristics and types of services most frequently needed
Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), all state and local governments, departments, agencies, and programs must ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities. This means they must communicate as effectively with individuals with disabilities as they do with other groups of people, by providing appropriate “auxiliary aids and services” where they are needed. Auxiliary aids and services must be provided without an extra charge to the individual with disabilities. The type of aid or service needed will depend on the communication’s length and complexity. For example, exchanging written notes might be effective communication for simple transactions like paying bills and filing applications, but in a court hearing, an individual with a hearing or speech impairment might need to have an interpreter to ensure effective communication with his or her attorney and the court. In this case, the cost for the interpreter would be paid for by the court.
6. Two research articles related to the disability category
7. Professional organizations for the disability: