Deaf or Hard of Hearing
“Deaf or hard of hearing”, which may be referred to as a hearing impairment, means the following:
(1) A disability that, with or without amplification, adversely affects the student's:
(A) ability to use hearing for developing language and learning;
(B) educational performance; and
(C) developmental progress.
(2) The hearing loss may be:
(A) permanent or fluctuating;
(B) mild to profound; or
(C) unilateral or bilateral.
(3) Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may use:
(A) spoken language;
(B) sign language; or
(C) a combination of spoken language and signed systems.