Education and Access Laws for Children with Hearing Loss
Pediatric Audiology
Chapter 31: Education and Access Laws for Children with Hearing Loss
This chapter explores the concept of disability in federal laws and how the legal treatment of inclusion has evolved in the United States. Eligibility for services requires that a child or adult demonstrate a disability that limits one or more life activities. Over time, coverage of disability laws has expanded to support the provision of services needed to ensure children and adults to attend school, live, and work in the mainstream. This chapter reviews laws relating to education, telecommunication, and general access to public places and in the workplace. It summarizes, in layman's language, the specific provisions of Federal laws that provide access for children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. The emphasis is on mentoring parents in taking charge of their child's needs and also helping children become their own best advocate so that they can fully benefit from the laws that are in place that can help them throughout their lifetime.
Underlying a child's or an adult's eligibility for services under the U.S. laws is the need to demonstrate a disability that limits one or more life activities
U.S. disability laws support the provision of services needed to enable children and adults to attend school, live, and work in the mainstream with full access to telecommunications, communication access, and other services that support their needs as people with hearing loss
Passage of laws does not guarantee access to needed services. Children with hearing loss should be involved in the Individual Education Program and all discussions of their needs from a young age, so that they can develop the knowledge and skills they will need to be their own best advocates.
ABCs of IEPs: Guidance for Parents of Kids with Cochlear Implants
Listen to John Flanders Esq. Special Education Lawyer speak on “ABCs of IEPs: Guidance for Parents of Kids with Cochlear Implants”.
Some background on our speaker: John M. Flanders is an attorney in private practice. For the last 22 years he has represented the needs of families that include children with disabilities to ensure they receive the appropriate education they need. He is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Connecticut School of Law. In addition to his legal practice John has served as the Children’s Rights Advocate for the AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, as the First Selectman of the Town of Cromwell, and the Executive Director of the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center. He is the Vice-President and a founding member of Special Education Equity for Kids of Connecticut where he actively advocates for systematic change to protect the rights of students with disabilities and their families. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Association of School Based health Centers, and as Chair of the Legislative Committee. He is married to Dr. Anne Camp and they have one son, Dr. Nathan Flanders, Ph.D. who has a profound hearing loss.
Segment One: The Complexities of Family-Centered Intervention: The Essential Need for Trauma-Informed Practice Carrie Neff MS, LPC-S, IMH-E; Darcy Stowe MS, LSLS Cert AVT
Segment Two: Maximizing Reading Potential: The Roles of Segmental and Suprasegmental Speech Perception for Successful Literacy Outcomes for Children Who Have Cochlear Implants Lisa Davidson PhD; Heather Grantham PhD
Segment Three: The Challenge of Transitioning to Life Beyond High School for Students who use Cochlear Implants Terry Zwolan PhD; Jennifer Still MHS, LSLS Cert. AVT
The mission of the American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance is to advance access to the gift of hearing provided by cochlear implantation through research, advocacy and awareness.
