After reading Chapter 12, you should be able to:

• Define hearing impairment, deaf, and hard of hearing.
   
• Contrast conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
   
• Explain the various assessment procedures used to measure hearing loss.
   
• Describe the difference between prelingual and postlingual hearing impairments.
   
• Summarize the historical evolution of educational services for children and youth with hearing impairments.

• List possible causes of hearing loss.
   
• Identify representative academic, social, and language characteristics of individuals with hearing impairments.
   
• Compare among oral, manual, and total communication approaches for instructing students with hearing impairments.
   
• Describe the concept of the Deaf culture.
   
• Summarize educational services for persons with hearing impairments across the life span.
   
• Explain how technology benefits individuals with hearing impairments.