Part 1: Why Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Have Larger IEP Teams
Submitted by Janelle Parker, NC Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
I am often asked some version of the same question when people see an IEP meeting for a Deaf or Hard of Hearing student. The room is fuller than expected. There are more reports on the table. Someone usually asks, “Why are there so many people involved?” or “Why do we need all of these evaluations?” Sometimes it’s followed by, “Aren’t they all saying the same thing?”
Those questions are understandable. IEP meetings for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students often look very different from meetings for other students. In North Carolina, teams are also required to complete the Communication Worksheet, which can feel like just another form added to an already long process. When time is limited and paperwork is heavy, it’s easy to see it that way.
The reality is that the team is not large because of paperwork. The team is large because access is complex. Hearing loss affects much more than hearing alone. It affects how a student communicates, how much effort it takes to listen, how instruction is received, and how a student participates throughout the school day. No single professional sees all of that, and no single report can explain it fully. That is why North Carolina supports a team approach for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
The Communication Worksheet did not create the team. The team already exists because of the student’s needs. The worksheet simply gives the team a shared place to organize what everyone already knows. It slows the conversation down and helps teams look at communication across settings, not just test scores or grades.
Parents are central to this process. North Carolina policy makes it clear that parents are full members of the IEP team, not observers. Parents know how their child communicates at home, what strategies work outside of school, and how their child responds emotionally and socially to different environments. That insight is just as important as formal evaluations.
As students grow older, their voices matter more as well. Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are often very aware of when communication breaks down and what helps them access instruction. Including student input doesn’t just improve the accuracy of the IEP. It helps students learn how to describe their needs and advocate for themselves over time.
There’s a phrase often used in education because it captures this idea well: “It takes a village to raise a child.” For Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, that village includes families, educators, specialists, and the students themselves. Understanding that village is the first step in understanding why the IEP team looks the way it does.
For schools and families seeking a clearer understanding of communication access and IEP team roles for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Equalize Sensory Services are a helpful resource.