The ASL Dictionary includes 4,800 signed words accompanied by easy-to-follow videos to teach users Sign Language. It features common English phrases, the entire numerical system, dates, symbols, and 765 multiple meaning words, as well as 55 translated idioms and the finger spelled alphabet. The ASL Dictionary proves to be an excellent tool for children who are hearing impaired and for their parents to learn to communicate using ASL Sign Language. Available for download on Android, iPhone and iPad for $2.99. For more information, go here.

ASL Dictionary app has 4,800 signs with videos, phrases, and idioms for $2.99 on Android and iOS, helping people learn ASL.

Special Needs App of the Day: ASL Dictionary

The ASL Dictionary includes 4,800 signed words accompanied by easy-to-follow videos to teach users Sign Language. It features common English phrases, the entire numerical system, dates, symbols, and 765 multiple meaning words, as well as 55 translated idioms and the finger spelled alphabet. The ASL Dictionary proves to be an excellent tool for children who are hearing impaired and for their parents to learn to communicate using ASL Sign Language. Available for download on Android, iPhone and iPad for $2.99. For more information, go here.


ASL Dictionary app has 4,800 signs with videos, phrases, and idioms for $2.99 on Android and iOS, helping people learn ASL.

Special Needs App of the Day: ASL Dictionary

Your third-grader has moderate hearing loss and wears hearing aids in both ears. The audiologist said he's a good candidate for an FM system, so you requested one at the IEP meeting. The school agreed, ordered it, and now it sits in his backpack because his teacher forgets to wear the microphone. By the time he gets off the bus, he's exhausted from straining to hear all day. Or maybe your daughter is deaf and uses ASL. She has a qualified interpreter, but she sits in the back corner of the classroom where she can't see the teacher's face or the board when students are presenting. The interpreter is excellent, but the placement makes accessing visual information nearly impossible. Accommodations only work when they're implemented consistently and positioned correctly. Here's what makes a difference for students with hearing loss, and how to talk to teachers about what your child needs. The Accommodations That Matter Most. Not all accommodations carry equal weight. Some are foundational. Others are helpful but secondary. If you're working with a teacher who's never had a student with hearing loss, start with the accommodations that create baseline access. Preferential seating isn't about being close to the teacher. It's about clear sightlines to the teacher's face, the board, and other students during discussions. For students who speech-read or use an interpreter, that usually means the front row, slightly off-center, facing the main instructional area. For students with hearing aids or cochlear implants, it means distance from noise...

Practical accommodations for students with hearing loss, from FM systems to visual alerts, and how to communicate needs to teachers.

Classroom Accommodations That Work for Students with Hearing Impairments

Your third-grader has moderate hearing loss and wears hearing aids in both ears. The audiologist said he's a good candidate for an FM system, so you requested one at the IEP meeting. The school agreed, ordered it, and now it sits in his backpack because his teacher forgets to wear the microphone. By the time he gets off the bus, he's exhausted from straining to hear all day. Or maybe your daughter is deaf and uses ASL. She has a qualified interpreter, but she sits in the back corner of the classroom where she can't see the teacher's face or the board when students are presenting. The interpreter is excellent, but the placement makes accessing visual information nearly impossible. Accommodations only work when they're implemented consistently and positioned correctly. Here's what makes a difference for students with hearing loss, and how to talk to teachers about what your child needs. The Accommodations That Matter Most. Not all accommodations carry equal weight. Some are foundational. Others are helpful but secondary. If you're working with a teacher who's never had a student with hearing loss, start with the accommodations that create baseline access.  Preferential seating isn't about being close to the teacher. It's about clear sightlines to the teacher's face, the board, and other students during discussions. For students who speech-read or use an interpreter, that usually means the front row, slightly off-center, facing the main instructional area. For students with hearing aids or cochlear implants, it means distance from noise...

Your fifth-grader isn't getting a qualified interpreter. The one assigned to her classroom learned ASL through an online course last summer and struggles to keep up when the teacher moves between students. You've asked for someone certified, and the district says they're "working on it." Three months in, you're still waiting. Or maybe your third-grader with moderate hearing loss was placed in the general education classroom without an FM system, and the teacher keeps forgetting to wear the microphone. By the time he gets home, he's exhausted from straining to hear all day. You know something's wrong, but you're not sure what you can demand and what's just nice to have. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes specific protections for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and they're legal requirements, not suggestions. Here's what schools must provide and how to make sure your child gets it. What IDEA Requires for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students. IDEA covers all students with disabilities, but it includes language tailored to the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The law recognizes that communication access isn't a bonus. It's the foundation of everything else. Under IDEA, your child's IEP team must consider: Communication needs and the child's preferred mode of communication Linguistic needs, including opportunities to interact directly with peers and staff in the child's language (whether that's spoken English, ASL, or another signed language) Academic level and full range of needs,...

The specific IDEA protections that apply to deaf and hard of hearing students, including qualified interpreters and appropriate placement.

IDEA Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Public Schools

Your fifth-grader isn't getting a qualified interpreter. The one assigned to her classroom learned ASL through an online course last summer and struggles to keep up when the teacher moves between students. You've asked for someone certified, and the district says they're "working on it." Three months in, you're still waiting. Or maybe your third-grader with moderate hearing loss was placed in the general education classroom without an FM system, and the teacher keeps forgetting to wear the microphone. By the time he gets home, he's exhausted from straining to hear all day. You know something's wrong, but you're not sure what you can demand and what's just nice to have. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes specific protections for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and they're legal requirements, not suggestions. Here's what schools must provide and how to make sure your child gets it. What IDEA Requires for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students. IDEA covers all students with disabilities, but it includes language tailored to the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The law recognizes that communication access isn't a bonus. It's the foundation of everything else. Under IDEA, your child's IEP team must consider:   Communication needs and the child's preferred mode of communication  Linguistic needs, including opportunities to interact directly with peers and staff in the child's language (whether that's spoken English, ASL, or another signed language)  Academic level and full range of needs,...

When a child is diagnosed with hearing loss, the first question most families ask is: how will my child communicate? What follows is often a flood of recommendations that don't agree with each other. The audiologist talks about cochlear implants and auditory-verbal therapy. The early intervention coordinator mentions total communication. A Deaf adult you meet at a family event speaks passionately about American Sign Language. Each person is certain their approach is the right one, and many families leave those conversations more confused than they arrived. This article walks through the major communication approaches for deaf and hard of hearing children: what each one involves, what the research shows, and what families need to know before choosing. No advocacy. No single path presented as best. Just the information that helps you make a decision grounded in your child's needs and your family's reality. What Communication Approach Means. A communication approach is the method your child will use to understand language and express themselves. It's the foundation for how they'll learn to read, participate in school, and connect with family and community. Some approaches prioritize spoken language. Others prioritize visual language. Some combine both. The approach you choose shapes the kind of support your child receives in early intervention and school, the professionals you'll work with, and often the community you'll become part of. That's why the decision feels big, because it is. But here's what audiologists and educators don't always say: many families adjust their approach as their child grows....

ASL, cochlear implants, total communication, oral approaches: understand all options to make an informed choice without judgment.

Communication Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Family Decision Guide

ASL, cochlear implants, total communication, oral approaches: understand all options to make an informed choice without judgment.

May is Healthy Vision Month, and you can celebrate with Lily's Picturebook, a distinctive app that features white-on-black and black-on-white images designed for the visually impaired. Lily's Picturebook also includes over 50 different word signs from American Sign Language (ASL) and simple, interactive games. The idea for this app, created by Rosemary Sanford, came from Lily's mother, whose daughter lost much of her vision after being born 4 months premature. Lily loves the iPad, and the app is a way for her to learn language. Lily's Picturebook's creator is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group dedicated to promoting family-friendly apps. The app is easy to use, and even children without visual impairments might enjoy the game and learning about sign language and Braille. It is especially ideal for any siblings of visually impaired children to also use the app, so they can create a better understanding and learn how to communicate with their sibling. Typically, visually impaired children see black and white easier than other colors because of the great contrast between light and dark. When images are easier to see, it makes learning more enjoyable and motivating. In addition to the games, the introduction to Braille and ASL brings this app to another level. The videos of the ASL signs can be enlarged for easier viewing, and it is another component that makes the app friendly for individuals with hearing loss. Lily's...

Celebrate Healthy Vision Month with Lily's Picturebook, an app for visually impaired children featuring ASL signs and interactive games.

Special Needs App of the Day: Lily's Picturebook

 May is Healthy Vision Month, and you can celebrate with Lily's Picturebook, a distinctive app that features white-on-black and black-on-white images designed for the visually impaired.    Lily's Picturebook also includes over 50 different word signs from American Sign Language (ASL) and simple, interactive games. The idea for this app, created by Rosemary Sanford, came from Lily's mother, whose daughter lost much of her vision after being born 4 months premature. Lily loves the iPad, and the app is a way for her to learn language.    Lily's Picturebook's creator is a member of Moms with Apps, a collaborative group dedicated to promoting family-friendly apps. The app is easy to use, and even children without visual impairments might enjoy the game and learning about sign language and Braille. It is especially ideal for any siblings of visually impaired children to also use the app, so they can create a better understanding and learn how to communicate with their sibling.   Typically, visually impaired children see black and white easier than other colors because of the great contrast between light and dark. When images are easier to see, it makes learning more enjoyable and motivating.   In addition to the games, the introduction to Braille and ASL brings this app to another level. The videos of the ASL signs can be enlarged for easier viewing, and it is another component that makes the app friendly for individuals with hearing loss.    Lily's...

Celebrate Healthy Vision Month with Lily's Picturebook, an app for visually impaired children featuring ASL signs and interactive games.

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Special Needs
Articles

Special Needs App of the Day: ASL Dictionary

Classroom Accommodations That Work for Students with Hearing Impairments

IDEA Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Public Schools

Communication Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Family Decision Guide

Special Needs App of the Day: Lily's Picturebook

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Special Needs Articles

Special Needs App of the Day: ASL Dictionary

Classroom Accommodations That Work for Students with Hearing Impairments

IDEA Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Public Schools

Communication Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Family Decision Guide

Special Needs App of the Day: Lily's Picturebook

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
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