PART 3: Looking Beyond the Classroom
Submitted by Janelle Parker, NC Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Another question I hear often is why medical providers or adult agencies are involved when the focus is a school-based IEP. The answer is simple: Deaf and Hard of Hearing students do not stop being Deaf or Hard of Hearing when the school day ends.
Clinical audiologists provide diagnostic hearing evaluations and manage hearing aids or cochlear implants. Their reports describe what a student can hear under ideal conditions. ENT doctors address the medical aspects of hearing loss, including diagnosis and treatment. This medical information provides important background, but it does not describe how listening works in busy, noisy classrooms. That is why school-based and medical information are both needed.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults add something no evaluation ever can: lived experience. They help students and teams understand how communication needs change over time and which skills matter most after graduation. Their voices help students imagine themselves as capable adults and support planning that looks beyond current services.
As students move into secondary grades, Vocational Rehabilitation staff may also become involved. They support career exploration, workplace accommodations, assistive technology, and self-advocacy skills. Early collaboration helps ensure that the supports students rely on in school carry forward into adult life.
When the Communication Worksheet is viewed on its own, it can still feel like just another form. But when people understand where the information comes from, it starts to make sense. Each section reflects a different part of the student’s experience—home, school, medical care, and future planning.
When those parts are seen together, the worksheet becomes what it was meant to be: a way to show the whole picture of a Deaf or Hard of Hearing child. And just like a village, each person’s contribution matters. When the village works together, students are better supported, better understood, and better prepared for what comes next.
For schools and families seeking a clearer understanding of transition planning, adult perspectives, and ongoing communication access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Equalize Sensory Services are a helpful resource.