For every parent, at least every hearing parent, having a child who is deaf or hard of hearing presents a challenge, especially since in most cases (as was the case with the author) the deaf child is the first deaf human being that the parent has ever known. The parents turn to experts--the doctors, audiologists, therapists, teachers, counselors--who have studied the issues of hearing loss from multiple angles and worked with deaf and hard of hearing people in a variety of capacities, only to discover that they often disagree. Parents can become a house divided. Deshonda Washington's daughter received her cochlear implant at two years old, and she writes in this article that today things have changed. Children are identified earlier, often at birth, and services kick in quickly. Perhaps just as important, everyone crowds in and gets a seat at the table as educational plans are developed. Speech therapists, audiologists, sign language interpreters, and representatives of the Deaf community put aside their differences and sit down together. Everyone works to understand what is needed for these children to succeed. Washington describes how the deaf and hard of hearing educational community in Georgia joined in the Governor's plans to have all students reading by third grade. A community of practice focused on those involved with the education of deaf and hard of hearing children arose and agreed that literacy and language are a fundamental right of deaf and hard of hearing children and worked to support this effort. The result is the Georgia Pathway to Language and Literacy, a community of practice that serves as a professional network for individuals involved with education of deaf and hard of hearing children and as a repository of knowledge about the education of deaf and hard of hearing children. Whether children, adults, or their families use ASL or spoken language is irrelevant; all are welcomed. When it comes to the different communication philosophies, what works best for the child is what makes the choice the correct one.