Program Overview

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program is part of the PreK-12 Special Education Instruction within the Office of Special Education Instruction and the Department of Special Services within Fairfax County Public Schools.  The other program that comprises the office of Hearing and Vision Services is: Blind/Visually Impaired Program.

The office of Vision and Hearing has one program manager and one supervisor responsible for two programs, the Blind and Visually Impaired program, and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program.  The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program is staffed with 17 Audiologists, 14 Deaf and Hard of Hearing teachers, and 30 Educational Interpreters. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program serves eligible students ages 2-22 with various levels of hearing impairments who require specialized instruction and support with the curriculum, and in accordance with IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) which is federally mandated. 

The purpose of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program is to provide individualized access to the curriculum and targeted instruction to all eligible students, with consideration given to student communication and language modality, individualized education program (IEP), and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Teachers within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program work with IEP and school teams through the identification and eligibility process for hearing impairment/deafness. Based on the evidenced-based research advisory document, Guidelines for Working with Students Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Virginia Public Schools (The Virginia Department of Education & The Partnership for People with Disabilities Virginia Commonwealth University February, 2012), elements of a successful Deaf and Hard of Hearing program are:

• An understanding on the part of all service providers of the nature of deafness and training needed to work effectively with students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
• Access to appropriate technology, including assistive listening devices.
• Teachers and support personnel who are proficient in the student's primary mode of communication  [34 CFR § 300.324(a)(2)(iv); 8 VAC 20-81-110 F.2.f]
• A sufficient number of peers who use the student's language/mode of communication [34 CFR § 300.324(a)(2)(iv); 8 VAC 20-81-110 F.2.f]

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program addresses all these elements as follows:

• Understanding on the part of all service providers of the nature of hearing loss: The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in partnership with FCPS Human Resources and licensure offices, hires only teaching professionals who are certified from accredited programs and who have obtained endorsements in teaching students with Hearing Impairments, and who have the necessary communication skills to work with this low-incidence population.
• Training and professional development required to work effectively with students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program, under the leadership of the program manager, provides professional development opportunities for all service providers who work with students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing to maintain necessary skills, including self-advocacy skills.
• Access to appropriate technology, including assistive listening devices:  The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in partnership with the Office of Special Education Instruction plans, purchases, and directly provides students with appropriate technology, including assistive listening devices as prescribed by the IEP team for each eligible student.
• Teachers and support personnel who are proficient in the student's primary mode of communication: Teachers, Audiologists, and support staff, under the supervision of the Program Manager for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program have access to professional development and coursework opportunities that encourage skill development in the student's primary mode of communication.
• A sufficient number of peers who use the student's language/mode of communication: Teachers, Audiologists, and support staff, under the supervision of the Program Manager for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program will work directly and systematically with school teams to inform all stakeholders about the communication and language needs of our students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and do so on a regular and ongoing basis.

Itinerant Teachers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

• Itinerant Teachers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provide support and instruction to eligible students in general education classrooms and special education classes. Itinerant teachers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing serve students located at various sites throughout FCPS, providing access and support to students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing to be successful in their educational program.
• Itinerant Teachers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provide resources and instruction to all FCPS school sites that have a student needing their service, as initiated by IEP.
• Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing share strategies, such as re-phrasing of instructions, the provision of notes, pre-teaching of vocabulary, providing visual strategies, with general education teachers and other staff members for providing adaptations and accommodations for the students.
• Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing instruct students in self-advocacy strategies that will help them gain access to the general education curriculum. These strategies may include use and care of amplification equipment, skillful questioning, self-selecting appropriate seating, studying vocabulary, strategic skills for learning new vocabulary, etc.
• Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provide instruction in the general education curriculum. They may use modified materials and visual strategies to pre-teach vocabulary, re-teach material, and help enhance the background knowledge of students to better prepare them for instruction.

Audiologist and Interpreter support:

• In all educational settings where students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing attend, educational audiologists provide technical support and specialized assistive listening devices to allow students to access their educational programs.
• Diagnostic audiologists provide comprehensive audiological assessments in three FCPS Early Childhood Assessment Centers in partnership with the Early Childhood Education Special Education Program.
• For students whose communication modality is sign language or cued speech, a staff of interpreters and transliterators provide access to the educational curriculum and to other school-based activities. 

Site based instructional programs provides special education support to students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing that require a more intensive level of service (site-based versus base school) using the communication mode the IEP team determines is appropriate for each child. Programming is geared towards specific communication and learning needs of students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Modalities of communication and instruction within the site base programs include use of:

• The Auditory/Oral methodology for educating students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing emphasizes the use of residual hearing through amplification technology as well as speech reading to access language. The goal of the Auditory/Oral method is to develop effective auditory and oral/language skills to enable students to communicate verbally in all environments.
• Cued Speech is a modality that utilizes specific hand shapes at various placements around the face to provide visual access to spoken language. The hand shapes represent the sounds that comprise the English language. The combination of hand shapes, position and movement represents the syllables that make up running speech. Cueing allows the student to access every part of the spoken message he or she may not hear. The purpose of Cued Speech is to provide visual access to spoken English language.
• Total Communication is a methodology that utilizes a variety of communication modes that include: American Sign Language (ASL) and its cultural impact on deaf students; sign-supported speech; finger spelling; gestures; speech reading; written and spoken English; and use of amplification technology to access language. The Total Communication approach allows students the flexibility to choose the mode of communication that is most appropriate and comfortable in each situation.

The FCPS Office of Special Education Instruction has the following mission statement:   The Office of Special Education Instruction directs and supports the development, implementation, operation, and evaluation of Pre K–12 educational programs, curricula, and services that meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. In line with this mission statement, the Hearing and Vision Department plans and provides professional development for staff and administrators and provides instructional leadership for, and supervision, coordination, and evaluation of early childhood, elementary, secondary, career and transition programs and services.

Contact: Nicole Warwick, [email protected]