Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Eligibility 

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) is one of thirteen special education eligibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Below is a side-by-side comparison of federal and Texas state laws outlining student requirements for possible consideration of DHH eligibility. 

Considering DHH Eligibility

According to federal and state laws, a student must be a “child with a disability” as defined in 34 code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and subject to the Commissioner’s rules and the Texas Education Code to be eligible to receive special education services. Special education means specially designed instruction outlines how a student may be considered for specially designed instruction. 

 

While the FIE may identify the presence of a disability and the impact of the disability on educational performance, the multidisciplinary team (MDT) makes recommendations about eligibility in the FIE. Only the ARDC has authority to make eligibility decisions and determine whether a student requires specially designed instruction. “Educational performance” includes both academic and functional knowledge and skills. 

There are four required components to a full and individual evaluation when considering DHH eligibility. 

1. Audiological evaluation 

2. Communication evaluation 

3. Functional skills evaluation 

4. Academic evaluation

• An otolaryngologic evaluation is important to conduct, but not required for eligibility. 

Full and Individual Evaluation

In order to best support all suspected and identified DHH/DB children in our community, Mesquite RDSPD provides evaluation services to all SSA Member Districts and to other local LEAs on an individual contractual basis.

Audiological Evaluation- must be provided by a licensed Audiologist

A current audiological evaluation is required by law to determine eligibility as a student who is deaf or hard of hearing (TAC §89.1040). There is no federal definition for the word “current.” The ARDC must determine if the student’s audiological report provides sufficient information to determine if the student is deaf or hard of hearing. 

This evaluation is only one component for eligibility determination. The evaluation does not solely determine the student’s functional listening ability or the student’s ability to process information through auditory or visual modalities. Students may have similar audiological results and yet may not process linguistic information in the same manner. Student has one or more disabilities One or more disabilities adversely affect educational performance Consideration of eligibility and specially designed + = instruction FULL AND INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION (FIE) ADMISSION, REVIEW, AND DISMISSAL COMMITTEE (ARDC) 20 

The audiological evaluation must include the implications of the hearing loss in various circumstances with or without recommended amplification; it must include the audiologist’s signature, credentials, and date of examination. The ARDC will use this information when considering eligibility.

Otolaryngological Evaluation 

A current otolaryngological evaluation is no longer required by law to determine eligibility as a student who is deaf or hard of hearing, but it is encouraged to obtain A student with a suspected hearing difference should be evaluated by an otolaryngologist or, if an otolaryngologist is not reasonably available, by a licensed medical doctor. Documentation of otolaryngological unavailability must be provided. This evaluation is a medical report that provides information related to the physical structures of the student’s hearing difference. It also may provide information related to medical management of the hearing difference. The evaluation must include the otolaryngologist’s signature, credentials, and date of examination

Communication Evaluation

A communication evaluation is a collaborative and comprehensive evaluation that is needed to determine the student’s preferred mode of communication. The evaluation should also address the student’s 

• functional listening skills, 

• speechreading, 

• speech articulation and intelligibility, 

• expressive and receptive language skills, 

• use of spoken and/or manual communication skills, 

• opportunities for direct communication with peers and professionals in the student’s preferred communication mode, 

• opportunities for direct instruction in the child’s preferred communication mode, and 

• need for assistive technologies and services, including assistive listening technologies (TEC §30.083(a)(6); CFR §300.324(a)(2)(iv) and (v)). 

 

The certified teacher of the deaf, general education teacher, speech and language pathologist, audiologist, related service providers (e.g., interpreter, captionist), and parent each have valuable information to contribute when determining the communication needs of the student. The student’s preferred mode of communication should be established prior to conducting formal and informal assessment. The preferred mode of communication statement should address how the student communicates expressively and receptively, and it should state if the student’s preferred mode of communication varies across settings.