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Jack can’t hear…but he runs and plays hard as any other little
boy. A hearing aid or cochlear implant helps him hear better. Jack will wear it all his
life. That’s okay with him though…it helps him hear what his friends
are saying.
What it is
- A hearing impairment can affect
language and speech development and may interfere with learning.
- The severity of hearing loss varies from child to child. Some
children only have trouble hearing when speech is very faint or far
away. Others can’t hear even the loudest sounds.
- There are two main types of hearing loss. One centers in the middle
ear and can often be corrected. The other affects the inner ear and
cannot be corrected. However, educational intervention can assist these
children.
Student Eligibility
A student is eligible for specific programs or services for the hearing impaired if
the hearing loss interferes with learning. Intermediate school
district staff, local school district staff and the child's parents meet to
review the hearing test results, speech and language skills and school
progress. They then decide what kind of help the student needs.
Services Available
Services begin with a complete hearing test, which is available at
the Macomb Intermediate School District (MISD). If the child has a hearing loss that interferes with learning, special education services
are available to help.
Since speech and language develop as a direct result of hearing,
it is important to identify a hearing loss as early in a child's life as
possible. Parents can then be given information and support
to help them develop communication with their child.
Children can receive special education services as soon as a hearing
loss affecting development is identified. If the child is younger
than three, services are provided through the Macomb Infant Preschool
Program (MIPP). If the child is three or older and is in need of a
special education classroom for the hearing impaired, they are available
from preschool through high school. In these programs, trained
teachers of the hearing impaired work closely with each student and
family to develop communication skills. Academic skills are also
developed, in conjunction with general education.
Program Location
The Macomb Infant Preschool Program, serving birth-3 years olds, is
located at the Macomb Intermediate School District. Special
education classrooms are provided in three centers, located in the
Lakeview, Utica, and Warren Consolidated School Districts.
Placement is based on the communication mode being used and the
student's
district of residence.
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