DHH Terms

Teacher of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (TOD) - a certified special education teacher with specialized knowledge of language and learning development that provides assessment and direct instruction to students who are deaf and hard of hearing

Signing ParaProfessional - a trained assistant who works under the direction of a certified teacher of the deaf in supporting students in the general education classroom and reinforcing students’ goals and objectives by summarizing and synthesizing the spoken language into sign language as needed

Interpreter - A person who conveys the spoken message to the person with a hearing loss by using sign language.

DHH - Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Deaf: a term used to describe persons who have a hearing loss greater than 90 dB HL. It also may be used to refer to those who consider themselves part of the Deaf community or culture and choose to communicate using American Sign Language instead of spoken communication.

Hard of Hearing: the term to describe those with mild to severe hearing loss.

Communication:

American Sign Language (ASL) - a visual/gestural language used by many deaf people in the United States and Canada. Its grammar and syntax are not the same as English.

Signed Exact English (SEE) - is a system of manual communication that strives to be an exact representation of English vocabulary and grammar.

Oral Communication - communication through oral (spoken) language by using lip reading, speech, and auditory skills.

Total Communication - communication that uses both sign language and oral communication simultaneously.

Hearing Devices:

Hearing Aid - an electronic device that brings amplified sound to the ear. A hearing aid usually consists of a microphone, amplifier, and receiver.

Cochlear Implant - a medical device that is surgically implanted and bypasses damaged inner ear structures and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, helping individuals who have severe to profound hearing loss to interpret sounds and speech.

BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) - is a type of hearing aid based on bone conduction. It is primarily suited for people who have conductive hearing losses who cannot otherwise wear 'in the ear' or 'behind the ear' hearing aids.