Texas Transition Conference Doug H. Dittfurth Outreach Development Specialist DARS/Office for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services

Building Partnerships and Improving Services

February 2013: Texas Transition Conference 3 Leading Indicators to English and Reading Issues Age of Onset Age of Identification Severity of Loss Initiation of Amplification Intervention Initiation of Educational Intervention Level of Intelligence Parental Involvement

The first years of life are when basic language skills develop and the first two to three years of life are generally recognized as a critical period for language learning. There is no substitute for natural language learning and language learning that begins at age three or four is not natural. “Raising and Educating a Deaf Child,” M. Marschark, 1997 February 2013: Texas Transition Conference 4

 Frustration  Floundering  Failure  Achievements  Accolades  Accomplishments February 2013: Texas Transition Conference 5

February 2013: Texas Transition Conference 7

Deafness RSs can…Hearing Loss RSs can…  Provide information  Local, state, federal resources  Provide training  To agency, employers, consumers  Provide advocacy  With employers  With schools  With general community  Provide information  Local, state, federal resources  Providing training  To agency, employers, consumers  Coping strategies  Provide technology  Training, demos, on-the- job assessments, etc. 9 February 2013: Texas Transition Conference

12 Hearing Loss Resource Specialists contact information: 14 Deafness Resource Specialists contact information: ' February 2013: Texas Transition Conference 10