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(3.2) Does my child have to be deaf in order to be eligible for special education as a student with a hearing impairment?

(3.2) Does my child have to be deaf in order to be eligible for special education as a student with a hearing impairment?

No. Your child is eligible if they meet the criteria for either deafness or hearing impairment. Deafness is a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.[1] Hearing impairment is an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness.[2]

  1. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.8(c)(3), 5 C.C.R. Sec. 3030(b)(3)[]
  2. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.8(c)(3); 5 C.C.R. 3030 (b)(3)[]