DHH Family Support

Our Family Support section connects you to resources that directly serve students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) and their families.

MDE-LIO Resources

Contact MDE-LIO
Have a question for our staff? Email us at [email protected] or send a message on our Contact MDE-LIO page.

MDE-LIO DHH Events
Visit our DHH event section to find upcoming student and family events. Additional classes and informational webinars are available for parents.

Michigan Deaf/Hard of Hearing Service Directory [PDF]
MDE-LIO's service directory provides an overview of the programs and services each Michigan intermediate school district (ISD) offers for students who are DHH.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing Outreach Support
MDE-LIO provides support to families and school districts regarding a variety of topics.

Reading and Literacy

DHH Reading Kits
Reading books with your child is a wonderful way to support language, learning, and literacy. MDE-LIO offers reading kits for families of students in Michigan who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH). View the DHH Reading Kits Video to learn more.

Literacy Resources
Literacy is the building block for many aspects of a child’s learning. This page offers a sample of available literacy resources for those supporting students who are DHH.

Resource Library
MDE-LIO’s resource library includes books and materials for parents that are available for loan.

Parent and School Collaboration

IEP: Parent's Role [PDF]
This document offers three ways to prepare for and lead your child's IEP team.

Student Report [PDF]
This document outlines how to create a student report your child can use to introduce himself or herself to new teachers.

Additional Resources

MDE-LIO does not endorse the purchase or use of any non-State Board of Education-adopted commercial products. Products and services noted below are included for information only and their inclusion should not be interpreted as a recommendation of MDE-LIO.

Michigan Resources

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services offers a variety of programming including activities for children who are DHH, families, and American Sign Language classes. 

Early On Michigan 
Early On offers early intervention services for families with children ages birth to three.

Holley Family Village 
The Holley Family Village provides educational and recreational programs for families with children who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing. 

Michigan Alliance for Families 
Michigan Alliance for Families offers workshops, webinars, and disability-specific information for families. Learn about the for procedural safeguards for special education in this captioned video: Procedural Safeguards  

Michigan Hands & Voices
Michigan Hands & Voices provides support for families of children who are DHH, regardless of language of communication mode. The organization also coordinates trainings and state-level support programs such as Guide By Your Side (GBYS), which pairs a trained “parent guide” with a parent of a child recently identified as DHH.

Office of Special Education: Parent Resources
The Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education (OSE) is committed to providing support and resources for families with a child with a disability. The information on this page will help families find a variety of special education resources, including Family Matters fact sheets.

Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS)
SEMS provides facilitation and mediation services to help families and school districts resolve disagreements.

National Resources

A Parent’s Guide to Hearing Loss
This resource from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers information on understanding hearing, building language, and family decision making tools.

BEGINNINGS for Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing 
The mission of this North Carolina nonprofit organization is to “empower parents of children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing through education and support.” The organization provides many free resources for families, professionals, and children.  

Classroom Interpreting Parent Guide 
Gallaudet University created a series of guides for families and educators who work with students who are DHH. This guide helps parents understand their child’s needs as well as the need for an interpreter in the classroom. To receive the guide, fill out a quick survey and the guide will be emailed to you.  

Hands & Voices 
Hands & Voices is a parent-led, professionally collaborative organization infused with the life experiences of adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, that is dedicated to serving families with children who are DHH without a bias around communication modes or methodology. Hands & Voices provides many free, downloadable resources for families and professionals.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) 
The HLAA provides assistance and resources for people with hearing loss and their families to learn how to adjust to living with hearing loss. 

National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM): Family Support and Partnership 
NCHAM offers information on language and communication options, timelines, developmental milestones, and more. Learning About Hearing Loss: A Roadmap from Families provides a timeline that guides families through the screening, diagnostic, and early intervention enrollment journey. The site also features a "Just in Time" Tool to help families identify state agencies that provide support.

Language and Communication Resources

Resources are available below for American Sign Language (ASL), Listening and Spoken Language, and Cued Speech.

American Sign Language (ASL) Resources

ASL Learning and Standards
This MDE-LIO page offers a sample of available resources for students, family members, and professionals who are learning ASL.

Language First
Language First provides resources for building language focusing on an ASL/English bilingual approach.

Listening and Spoken Language Resources

AG Bell
AG Bell has a variety of resources for families to support their child as they are learning to listen and talk. 

Hear to Learn
Hear to Learn provides resources for parents to support hearing, language, and literacy development. 

Hearing First
Hearing First provides resources to support listening and spoken language skill development.

Hearing Our Way
This is a magazine for children and teens who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing; the magazine is available in print (by subscription) and digital versions.

Cued Speech Resources

Cue College
Cue College provides online courses for parents and professionals to learn Cued Speech.

National Cued Speech Association
This website offers a variety of informational handouts, videos, and resources.