Best Practice Recommendations
When working with DHH children, it is important to to consider the unique experiences of DHH children in order to best support them. The following are best practice recommendations for working with DHH students based on these considerations.
1
Facilitate a functional mode of communication.
Whether it be sign language, speaking, or using an alternative communication device, it is important to make efforts to communicate at each student's language level and check for their understanding.
2
Provide multimodal learning opportunities.
Having visual supports, especially visual access to the space when speaking, is essential in helping DHH children understand the message of what is being said. At the same time, DHH children can still have different learning styles (auditory, kinesthetic, etc.), so it is beneficial to present learning opportunities through various media and make accommodations based on each child's unique needs and preferences.
3
Familiarize yourself with hearing technology.
Making sure that each student's personal hearing device is working properly should be an integral part of each therapy session. Therapists should also utilize hearing assistive technology, such as frequency modulation systems, in order to improve the student's ability to hear and ultimately participate in the session. Lastly, therapists should set up opportunities for students to troubleshoot problems related to their hearing devices and advocate for themselves.
4
Consider how unique DHH experiences impact performance skills.
In addition to performance challenges that occupational therapists typically see among other student populations, DHH children may encounter unique experiences that impact and are impacted by their performance skills. For example, some DHH students may frequently remove their hearing aids due to sensory processing issues or have difficulty clearly communicating in sign language due to limited manual dexterity skills.
These best practice recommendations were developed based on a study conducted on challenges faced by DHH children who primarily use auditory/oral communication. Additional/alternative considerations may exist for students who primarily use sign language or augmentative and alternative communication.