Deaf/Hard of Hearing Resources for Educators and Families

Updated: May 13, 2020

We will continue to update this page with resources that can be used by both families and school personnel who are currently at home. Please note that all products, services, and tips mentioned are for informational purposes only.

The first section includes resource lists from March and April 2020 LIVE With LIO webinars. More lists will be added after each webinar.

LIVE With LIO Webinar Resources

The following resource documents correspond with MDE-LIO's weekly LIVE With LIO webinars. The same resources can be found below this section, organized by topic.

• March 24 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Virtual Learning Resources and Support [PDF]
• March 31 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Skill Development for Educators [PDF]
• April 7 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Resources for Parents and Families [PDF]
• April 14 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Resources for Educational Interpreters [PDF]
• April 21 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Resources for Early Childhood [PDF]
• April 28 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Resources for Parents and Families Part 2 [PDF]
• May 12 Resources: LIVE With LIO: Supporting Students Who Are DeafBlind [PDF]

For Educators and School Personnel

• Coronavirus Information and Resources from the Council on Exceptional Children – Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (CEC-DCD) includes resources for educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a Virtual Resources LiveBinder with accessibility and learning resources
• #DeafEdTips from the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education offers information and guidelines on how to provide accommodations and accessibility to students
• CSD Learns offers free educator resources, including science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) toolkits. The toolkits consist of ready-made presentations with engaging instructional content featuring Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) role models involved in STEM

Professional Development

• Gallaudet University Laurent Clerc National Deaf Center resources:
  • Free online modules in ASL and English called Setting Language in Motion
  • Free Clerc Center Webcasts in ASL on a variety of topics
• The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB)’s Pineapple Professional Development provides free webinars as well as videos and pictures of best practices
• EduPaths provides free, online, self-paced modules on a variety of educational topics; continuing education credits are available
• Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss, in collaboration with The Online Itinerant, offers professional development webinars at a variety of price points

Listening and Spoken Language

• Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) offers Free Online Learning Courses​
• Hearing First offers online learning and professional networking opportunities for Listening and Spoken Language professionals

Cued Speech

• The National Cued Speech Association offers informational handouts, videos, and resources in a variety of forms
• Cue College provides online courses for parents and professionals to learn Cued Speech

Transition

• The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) provides technical assistance with the goal of improving postsecondary outcomes for individuals who are DHH
• The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Center offers Info to Go resources on a variety of topics, including transition to postsecondary life

Early Childhood

• The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) is a technical assistance center for the implementation of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs
• A Practical Guide to the Use of Tele-Intervention in Providing Early Intervention Services to Infants and Toddlers Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center provides guidance, training, and resources for distance learning options; funded by the United States Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
• Early On Training and Technical Assistance (EOT&TA) provides preschool and special education COVID-19 guidance
• Early Childhood Personnel Center (EPCP) offers support and resources for personnel with the goal of improving outcomes for children
  • EPCP COVID-19 Resources
  • Tips for Providers: Providing and Coordinating Early Intervention Services Through the Phone, Tablet, or Computer [PDF]

For Educational Interpreters

• Boys Town National Research Hospital’s Classroom Interpreting page offers training designed for interpreters working in the K-12 classroom setting
• MDE-LIO’s Interpreter Resources page offers several professional development tools for educational interpreters
• National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE) provides links to resources and training for educational interpreters.
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) For Educational Interpreters page

Video Recording

• Loom is a video recording tool that many interpreters are using to provide picture-in-picture interpreted content. Free to create an account; if you create an account using your school district email address, you’ll get upgraded access for free. Be sure to mark that your primary use will be for education.
• Screencastify is a video recording tool interpreters are using to provide picture-in-picture interpreted content. Basic accounts are free; right now, you can upgrade your account for free using the code CAST_COVID. Enter the code; no credit card information is required.

Live Video Conferencing

• An Interpreter’s Guide to Zoom in the Classroom/Meetings
• Using an Interpreter in Zoom [VIDEO]​ from the National Center on Deafness at California State University Northridge
• Tips for Distance Learning with DHH Students

Social Media Pages and Groups

• MI Ed Terps Facebook group: Network, connect, share resources, ask questions, and discuss ethics and other topics with educational interpreters who live and work in Michigan
• National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE) Facebook page (NAIE can also be found on Instagram and Twitter, both at @naie.org); there is an additional members’ only NAIE Member Network Facebook page
• Effective ASL Interpreting Hub Facebook group based on the Effective Interpreting series of books
• Atomic Hands Facebook page provides ASL vocabulary and information for STEM topics

For Parents and Families

• Google Sheet: Education Companies Offering Free Subscriptions due to School Closings (updated regularly)
• Educational Resources for School Closures from Michigan State University Extension offers several resources, including at-home activities for birth through high school
• Coronavirus Information and Resources from the Council on Exceptional Children – Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (CEC-DCD) includes resources for families during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a Virtual Resources LiveBinder with online and at-home activities
• Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) offers accessible educational videos for students who are DHH; many resources are also available for learning American Sign Language (ASL)
  • How to View DCMP Media
  • Print and Share DCMP Media Lists
  • How to Set Up and Use Student Accounts
• National Hands & Voices has developed several topic-specific tip sheets for families with children who are DHH; these tip sheets include activities families can do at home to support their children
• Michigan Hands & Voices offers several virtual events families may benefit from, including social and learning events
• Beginnings is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering parents of children who are DHH with impartial information
• Family Matters is an outreach effort from the MDE Office of Special Education that offers a Navigating Extended Time Away from School: Information for Families with Children Receiving Special Education Services guidance document

Social and Emotional Health Resources

• MDE COVID-19 Social and Emotional Learning Resources provided by the Michigan Department of Education
• TRAILS to Wellness COVID-19 Resources offers materials for students (and school personnel supporting those students) for self-care and managing emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Helping Children Cope with Changes Resulting From COVID-19 provides guidance and strategies for supporting children of all ages
• 'Stay Home, Stay MIndful’ offers free mental health resources from Headspace and Gov. Whitmer
• Zero to Thrive: Helping Families in Times of Crisis provides downloadable infographics to support parents and children during COVID-19
• Resources to Support Students With Hearing Loss During COVID-19 from Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) provides several resources, including links to social stories and strategies for managing stress and anxiety

Reading at Home

• The National Wildlife Federation publishes the Ranger Rick magazine for children through age 12. Through June 30, families can subscribe for three months of free access to magazines and website resources
• When School is Closed: Resources to Keep Kids Learning at Home from Reading Rockets; offers research-based reading strategies, lessons, and activities to support reading skill development for young children

Listening and Spoken Language

• Hearing Our Way is a magazine for kids and teens who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing; the magazine is available in print (by subscription) and digital versions
• AG Bell: Support for Families of Pre-School and School Age Children provides a list of easy activities that parents can do at home to build listening and communication skills
• The Listening Room offers free resources and activities that support the development of listening, speech, and language for individuals who have hearing loss; activities are provided for use with infants through adults
• Cochlear Americas Rehabilitation Resources offers free, downloadable aural rehabilitation materials and activities for use at home with infants through teens/young adults

American Sign Language

• Sign It is an online ASL curriculum that is free to families have a child that is DHH under 3 years of age
• Foundations for Literacy YouTube Channel offers playlists featuring ASL stories and songs
• MDE-LIO’s ASL Learning and Standards page offers a sample of available resources for students, family members, and professionals who are learning ASL

Cued Speech

• Northern Virginia Cued Speech Association offers a list of cued children’s books

Accessibility

• See Hear Communication Matters Facebook page offers several resources, including options for adding accessibility to materials that have already been created

Talking With Children About COVID-19

• Talking to Kids About Coronavirus: ASL and English Resources from American Society for Deaf Children
• 10 Tips for Talking About COVID-19 With Your Kids from PBS News Hour
• Talking With Children About Coronavirus Disease 2019 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource from the National Association of School Psychologists
• Several ASL stories on YouTube explain social distancing and other practices related to minimizing the spread of coronavirus:
  • Social Distancing Story
  • Coronavirus Social Story
  • Coronavirus: An ASL Social Story

For Students

• CSD Learns offers free Learner resources for students to start building their own educational foundation for career and life success
• Scholastic Learn at Home offers resources for students and families, including day-by-day projects to keep children reading, thinking, and growing
• Global Digital Library (GDL) is an open-source digital library that offers free eBooks in more than 40 languages, readable on the web, mobile, or for downloading and printing

ASL Stories

• Rocky Mountain Deaf School’s YouTube channel features ASL stories and eBooks
• The Educational Resource Center on Deafness in Texas offers 28 ASL videos on their ASL Storytelling YouTube Channel

COVID-19 Information for Teens

• Annie Urasky, director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights Division on Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing (DODDBHH), gives a message in ASL titled DODDBHH Updates: COVID-19 regarding updates on state actions related to COVID-19 in Michigan
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Did You Know? video from ASL Services
• The CDC provides ASL and captioned YouTube videos on its #COVID-19 ASL YouTube playlist

Supporting Students Who Are DeafBlind

Michigan DeafBlind Resources

• DeafBlind (DB) Central: DB Central at Central Michigan University provides information and resources, guidance and consultations, training, family support, observing services and providing recommendations
• iCanConnect Michigan: iCanConnect provides people with both significant vision and hearing loss with free equipment and training. iCanConnect is a national program (icanconnect.org).
• Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP): For individuals age 14 or older; BSBP provides counseling and training in skills for daily living without vision. Depending on need and eligibility for specific services, BSBP may also provide some types of adaptive equipment, computer software, and postsecondary education.

National and International DeafBlind Resources

• DeafBlind International: Provides information and conferences, and promotes appropriate services.
• National Center on Deaf-Blindness: Offers an information clearinghouse of articles, modules, webinars, and census.
• National Family Association for Deaf-Blind: Provides information, support, and advocacy for families of individuals who are DeafBlind.
• Helen Keller National Center: Provides training and resources to people age 16 and older who have combined vision and hearing loss.
• California Deaf-Blind Services (CDBS): Provides services for California but offers a great newsletter and resources.
• Perkins School for the Blind – Communication: Offers several communication resources in addition to blogs, professional development, and activity suggestions. Online classes are also offered.
• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI): Offers resources to buy or download, a symposium on DeafBlindness, online training, and more.

Interpreter and Intervener Resources

• DeafBlind Interpreting: National Training & Resource Center: Provides training and information with the goal of increasing the number of interpreters who can provide support in the DeafBlind community.
• National Intervener Association: Provides information on interveners and DeafBlindness; also provides links to higher education training programs.
• DeafBlind Intervener Certificate Program: Central Michigan University offers an online intervener certification program, which is taught using a cohort model.

DeafBlind Research

• National Knowledge Center for DeafBlind Issues – Research Overview: Swedish organization offering more than 3,950 scientific articles on DeafBlindness.