title: Considerations, conceptualizations, and challenges in the study of concomitant learning disabilities among children and adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing.
abstract: In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the identification of and provision of appropriate services to children and adolescents who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) and who have concomitant learning disabilities (LD). Although it is unclear just how many youths who are D/HH also might have educationally significant learning problems, results from limited survey research and clinical practice provide evidence that such a group exists and that a significant portion of the school-age population of children and adolescents who are D/HH comprise a subgroup of youths who have concomitant LD. The overriding interest of those who advocate the cause of children and adolescents who are D/HH with concomitant LD is in finding effective ways to help these youths acquire future academic competence and attain competent levels of psychosocial functioning and emotional well-being. With creative research efforts and efficacious approaches to psychoeducational practice, we can seize the opportunity to establish high-quality diagnostic and educational services for children and adolescents who are D/HH and who have accompanying LD and set the stage to optimize positive developmental, academic, vocational, social, and economic outcomes for these youths.
authors.affiliation: CASCADES Institute, Spectrum Consulting, LLC, 1770 North Research Parkway, North Logan, UT 84341, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mauk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mauk