Providers
Information to help providers working with Deaf childrenASDC believes that medical, audiology, and educational professionals serving deaf children and their families have a responsibility to:
- Be informed about the successes of deaf persons from all walks of life, including those who use American Sign Language, as their primary language and those who do and do not use cochlear implants.
- Recognize the benefits of early language, including sign language, and work to ensure that deaf children’s language development, whether signed, spoken or both, progresses at a rate equivalent to that of their hearing peers.
- Refer parents to a wide range of information sources, including deaf individuals, families with deaf children, schools for the deaf and local, state and national parent and deaf adult organizations.
We need to erase:
- Misconceptions that sign language will harm a deaf child’s language development.
- Misconceptions that supporting visual language means excluding spoken language approaches.
Additional Resources
Hands Land: ASL Rhymes and Rhythms
New ASL Rhymes and Rhythms video
Should All Deaf Children Learn Sign Language?
The benefits of learning sign language clearly outweigh the risks. For parents and families who are willing and able, this approach seems clearly preferable to an approach that focuses solely on oral communication.
New Transition Tool for Students – Map It
Pepnet 2 has released the new, online, interactive program Map It: What Comes Next. This program was designed to meet the needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing as they transition to work, college, or training programs. Map It is comprised of three...
2015 ASDC Booklet Now Available
The 2015 ASDC Information Booklet is now available
Welcome Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc.
ASDC welcomes our newest Organizational Member, the Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc. (IDRT). IDRT is dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities, their families, and service providers through research and development, training,...
An Overview of K-12 Educational Interpreting
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., (RID) Standard Practice Paper provides specific information about the practice setting and is intended to raise awareness, educate and encourage sound basic methods of professional practice.
Dispelling the Myths and Celebrating the Strengths of Schools for the Deaf
Schools for the Deaf can provide language-rich, high- quality educational and leadership opportunities where deaf and hard of hearing students and their families receive the services and support they like their hearing peers – are entitled to and so clearly deserve.
Strategies to Support Communication at Home and in the Community
This article presents an overview of six strategies families and service providers can use with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who have autism at home and in the community.
Supporting Deaf Students With Autism After High School
This article provides an overview of the transition process for students who are deaf and have autism and offers tips for helping your child in the transition to adult life.
Strategies for Working with Children with Autism: Visual Schedules
This article discusses strategies for working with children who are deaf and have autism using visual schedules.
