Identifying Dual Sensory Loss Among Students With Extensive Support Needs

Abstract

Very little is known about how unidentified dual sensory loss (DSL) may affect education and academic outcomes for students with extensive support needs (ESN). We used data from a teacher survey on over 100,000 students with ESN who take U.S. statewide alternate assessments to identify the number of students with known and suspected DSL and the differences in characteristics between those groups. Students with ESN and suspected DSL (n = 870) struggled to access the general education curriculum more than their peers with ESN and known DSL (n = 649) and had fewer academic skills than their peers. We conclude with implications for practice and future research.

Keywords

hearing impairments and deafness vision impairments access to general education curriculum severe/profound disabilities defining and diagnosing disabilities

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