The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of standardized psychoeducational diagnostic instruments to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing impairments. Nineteen students were evaluated: 14 males and 5 females between the ages of 7 and 13. Results indicated that 12 were functioning at grade level, 2 had cognitive delays, and 2 had learning disabilities. Of the 3 remaining students, 2 had unilateral hearing loss and 1 had a precipitous high-frequency hearing loss; these students were used as controls. Students with hearing impairment were found to demonstrate learning disabilities with a frequency similar to that found in students with normal hearing. These results suggest that standardized instruments can be used effectively to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing loss.
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