Early Intervention for Babies with Hearing Loss

YOUR RIGHT TO MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE
"Parents deserve to receive complete, unbiased information about all communication options in order to make the best choice for their child and their family. But how much of a 'choice' is it, really, if we say, 'Well, you can have X, Y, or Z, but the only thing you can really get easily, and for free, in this area of the country is X?' That doesn't sound like too much of a choice to me," says Elizabeth Anne Boschini on www.cochlearimplantonline.com.

Here are some resources for parents and professionals:

• Article 3.1- the law that pertains to Early Intervention in Indiana (i.e., First Steps).
• The Procedural Rights and Safeguards for First Steps. The complaint process is explained in the Appendix, and a sample complaint letter can be found on page 28.
• AG Bell’s Children’s Legal Advocacy Program (CLA Program) supports families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing by providing assistance to families who need help obtaining appropriate services in their communities. CLA represents children and families in select cases where there is the opportunity to set precedent that will benefit others. Through the CLA Program, AG Bell also seeks to raise public awareness that children with hearing loss should have the opportunity to learn to listen and talk, and that both the early intervention and education systems should support families’ choices.
• Beginnings, a nonprofit which presents unbiased information about communication options, has just released new video samples of all communication methodologies and they want YOUR feedback. Click here to view the video clips.