Deaf/hard of hearing ecological assessment form—child (DEAF-C)

Abstract

Only about 1% of the children receiving special education services are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). This group of children is highly heterogeneous with respect to a range of factors such as age of onset, degree of hearing loss, language and communication choices and access, and educational settings. Capturing the complex background of a DHH child is a critical component of an appropriate and accurate evaluation. A structured developmental history is the most effective way to ensure clinicians of all levels of experience are gathering comprehensive information relevant to a DHH child. However, to date, no such assessment focusing on factors specific to DHH children exists. The purpose of this article is to introduce a structured background information and developmental history form designed to gather comprehensive developmental and ecological information unique to DHH children.