Hearing impairment that is so severe that it adversely affects educational performance. A person is impaired in processing lingustic information through hearing, with or without amplification.
Language is more than communication—it is identity, history, and community. Sign Journey empowers students to lead inclusive conversations, build sustainable accessibility chapters, and create tangible impact through education and community engagement.
Star Wars Day, celebrated annually on May 4, is an unofficial international holiday dedicated to honoring the beloved Star Wars film franchise. Star Wars has inspired generations of scientists and engineers to pursue careers in robotics, aerospace, and physics, aiming to turn fictional technology into reality.
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) face unique challenges in English education. Some do not have access to spoken English or American Sign Language (ASL) inputs that promote language skill development early in life.
Phoebe & Jay, an animated PBS KIDS series that premiered in February 2026, aims to foster and improve early literacy skills in children aged three to five.
Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) has many resources to help teachers and their students recognize the rich history and contributions of people who are deaf or hearing impaired, as well as those who are autistic. One of DCMP’s offerings is No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie. Another is the award-winning documentary Autism Goes to College from the Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.
Teachers can do a great deal to increase the success of all students in their classrooms. Explore these resources and discover what’s possible.
The ASL App, by Ink & Salt, presents videos made by people who are deaf to help users learn a new visual, spatial language in a way that is easy, intuitive, and well paced. Users can drag their finger on the videos to control the speed, and when they need to know a sign right away, they can use the search index.
The AI app Facing Emotions assesses the emotion it sees on another person’s face to help someone who is blind or visually impaired “see” the emotion of the person they are talking with.
QuickClasses, from Described and Caption Media Program (DCMP), are three-week asynchronous, online classes for professionals working with students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, low vision, or deaf–blind.
April is Autism Awareness Month, and Apple is marking the occasion by posting a digital art gallery of works created by artists on the autism spectrum. The project, which is curated by the nonprofit Art of Autism, is being unveiled over the course of the month. “Created on iPad Gallery” features the work of 15 artists from the autistic community who hail from across the US and Canada. The participants have differing abilities and are different ages. In addition to sharing the work of these artists, teachers and parents can tap these free programs to support educating children with autism and other special needs:
Home Curriculum for Early Autism Education
Media to Help Children with Autism and Visual Impairment or Hearing Loss