SPEED/ECHO Program for the Hearing Impaired

Program Description
The Program for the Hearing Impaired serves students who are enrolled in 
early childhood through high school and are diagnosed as deaf or 
hard of hearing.  Students served are residents of school districts 
within the SPEED and ECHO joint agreements.

A specially trained, Illinois certificated teachers of deaf and hard of 
hearing functions as part of the home district's educational team.  
He/she works with the student within the home school's environment. The 
length of educational sessions and number of sessions is based on need, 
which is determined by the student's educational team.

Student goals are focused on the development of compensatory strategies
needed to be successful in school and life.  Student diagnostic services 
are available to all SPEED and ECHO school districts through the referral 
system.  Another service of the Program is to analyze and recommend 
environmental supports and to train the students' teachers in the 
strategies needed throughout the school day to guarantee student success.  
Inservices regarding the impact of a hearing loss on the child's and 
his/her family's life are available to the student's classmates and 
educational personnel. An introduction to signing can be obtained as part 
of an individual class' unit of study.