Making Communication Accessible: A Teacher’s Guide to Hearing Inclusion

This 15-page teacher’s guide helps educators identify communication barriers and make classroom activities more accessible and inclusive for Deaf and hard-of-hearing children. It explains communication options—including spoken and sign language, writing, pictures, gestures, and visual cues—and offers reflection prompts and a checklist for planning practical supports. Use it before adapting activities, and when collaborating with a child, family, and qualified professionals to identify individual preferences and accommodations. The guide emphasizes respect, access, and participation rather than assuming one communication method or trying to “fix” a child.