Working with Dual Diagnoses: A Survey of Teachers Serving Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children Who Have Autism Spectrum Disorder

Although a sizable minority of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) are also diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is little research examining teachers’ feelings of aptitude for working with these students, nor the instructional strategies used with this population. This study reports results from a researcher-designed survey of teachers working with children who are both DHH and have ASD. Our results suggest that teachers working with this population felt under-resourced, under-prepared, and under-supported in their work with dually diagnosed students. Perhaps as a result, participants tended to use instructional strategies common to their certification area. We identify a need for cross-training teachers across disability areas. In addition, we call for research that tests the applicability of practices in either Deaf Education or ASD Education for dually diagnosed children who may have needs that are unique from children either group.