This article presents a systematic and comprehensive framework of proactive psychosocial attributes and tactics that individuals who are deaf use to maximize their professional and social potential. Empirical studies regarding deafness appear to lack such a framework which may be due to how the research is conducted. A framework of proactive…

An individual over age 18 can purchase a hearing aid online or through mail order if they sign a waiver declining a medical evaluation, while those under 18 are required to be seen by a physician to obtain medical consent. However, in many states there is nothing to prevent a parent or caregiver from purchasing hearing aids for their child from a…

Four case studies identify six factors affecting successful use of a hearing aid with a cochlear implant: duration of hearing aid use prior to implantation, amount of residual hearing in the non-implanted ear, educational and listening demands, cosmetic issues, hearing aid rejection, and extended period of non-use of hearing aid. (Contains…

This article examines the latest technological advances in hearing aids and explores the available research to help families and professionals make informed decisions when fitting amplification devices on infants and young children. Diagnostic procedures, evaluation techniques, hearing aid selection, circuit and advanced technology options, and…

This article presents information about the auditory and speech development of infants with normal hearing and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Methods of assessing hearing, evidence of auditory learning prior to birth, behavior assessment procedures, hearing aid use, and early identification and speech development are discussed. (Contains…

This article describes emotional availability scales that are designed to measure parental sensitivity, structuring, lack of intrusiveness and hostility, child responsiveness, and child involvement. A child nonhostility scale is also described. The importance and potential use of emotional availability for educators of children with hearing…

A review of six journal articles on the psychological and psychosocial development of children with hearing impairments indicates that while all suggest that children are at-risk in their psychological and psychosocial development, the articles must be interpreted with great caution since they are based on small study populations. (Contains…

This review describes the theory behind two new measures of spoken word recognition for children with sensory aids, the Lexical and the Multisyllabic Lexical Neighborhood Tests. It then summarizes data concerning the tests' word familiarity, interlist equivalency, and test-retest reliability. Results indicate that deaf children with cochlear…

A history of hearing and a review of the physics of sound is followed by an overview of how the ear works. The outer hair cell is the focus of particular attention because of its central role in the conversion of sound energy into neural energy used by the brain. Contains a list of recommended resources. (CR)

Synthesizes major research findings about improving reading skills in typical students and students who have severe to profound hearing impairments. Addresses three major components of instruction: word identification, word meaning, and comprehension. Instructional implications for improving the reading comprehension of students with hearing…

Through a review of the research, this article demonstrates that developing literacy in English as a first language is essentially similar to developing literacy in English as a Second Language for both students with normal hearing and students with hearing impairments. The implications for teaching literacy skills in English are discussed. (CR)

Discusses English acquisition in children with severe to profound hearing impairments. Components that should be integrated during language acquisition are discussed and include phonology, semantics, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics. The mixture of learning conditions that influence the progress of language development in sign, speech, and text…

The essay focuses on the interactive nature of the testing situation, calling attention to the need to examine factors specific to both tests and test takers (specifically the aurally handicapped) when assessing information validity. (SBH)

The paper presents a rationale for modifying or changing ear level hearing aids for babies, based on audiologic testing and impedance measurements. (Author/SBH)

Seven principles underlying the development of speech communication skills in hearing impaired children are presented. Among the principles discussed are that speech is an invaluable asset and deserves high priority, and that the caregiver should be the primary agent in helping the child acquire speech. (Author/PHR)