Deaf and Hard of Hearing

WHOM DO WE SERVE?

We serve children from birth to age 26 in the Downriver/Dearborn area school districts consisting of: Allen Park, Dearborn, Dearborn
Heights #7, Ecorse, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Huron, Lincoln Park, Melvindale - Northern Allen Park, River Rouge, Riverview, Southgate, Taylor, Trenton, Woodhaven-Brownstown, and Wyandotte. This includes participating private, parochial, and public charter school academies within these areas.

Our program provides a continuum of services for students with any type or degree of hearing loss that interferes with access to and progress in general education to the degree where the student requires special education programs/services. We are an auditory/oral program utilizing audition in conjunction with the use of hearing assistive technology and speech to develop spoken language for communication and learning. Our primary focus is developing speech, language, and auditory skills.

If you have specific questions or concerns regarding a child's hearing loss and the educational impact, please contact that child's school district.

Mission Statement & Contact

Mission Statement

The Trenton Oral Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing is committed to providing specialized instruction to children with hearing loss.

The program, through a cooperative partnership with families, school, and community, develops skills in listening and spoken language.

Students are encouraged to develop their potential in academic, social, and communication skills needed to become productive members of society.

Melissa Behnan
Director, Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Contact Information

2601 Charlton Road, Trenton, MI, 48183
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Phone: 734-676-4570, Fax: 734-692-6362

Kristen Wheeler - Office Administrative Assistant (DHH)

Wheelerk@trentonschools.com

Educational Audiology

Educational Services

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The Trenton Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides a range of services including:

Audiology

Educational Audiology

Our Audiologists

Samantha Kesteloot, Au.D.
kesteloots@trentonschools.com
734.692.6384

Louise Mann, M.A., CCC-A
mannl@trentonschools.com
734.362.1062

Stephanie Sanders, Au.D.
sanderss@trentonschools.com
734.362.1063

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Educational Audiological Services

What is Educational Audiology?

According to the Educational Audiology Association (edaud.org), Audiologists are trained to diagnose, manage and treat hearing problems. Educational audiologists collaborate with clinical audiologists and school professionals to facilitate listening, learning and communication access via specialized assessments; monitor personal hearing instruments; recommend, fit and manage hearing assistance technology; provide and recommend support services and resources; and advocate on behalf of the students.

Educational Audiologist

What does an Educational Audiologist do?

Conduct student educational audiological evaluations
Work in collaboration with Local Education Agency (LEA) teams
Discuss the educational implications of hearing loss with parents and educators
Conduct Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) evaluations for students
Configure and customize HAT to optimize the use for individual students
Provide technical assistance and support to LEA staff on the application of HAT and resolution of technical issues

Center-Based Classrooms

Trenton Public Schools has DHH center-based classrooms for students that have a moderate to severe educational impact as a result of their hearing loss. These classes are housed in Trenton Public School buildings and provide mainstreaming opportunities for students in the general education setting. The focus of these classrooms is integrating speech, language, and audition instruction throughout the school day and across the curriculum.

Outreach Teacher Consultant Services

Outreach services are typically provided in the student's home district and vary depending upon the student's needs. Teacher Consultants for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TCDHH) work collaboratively with families, teachers, and other school staff members to provide a range of necessary services. These services may include, but are not limited to, direct educational services and support for the use and care of Hearing Assistive Technology for the student's use in school. Hearing Assistive Technology enables the student to have improved access to auditory information in the classroom. The type of Hearing Assistive Technology provided depends upon the student's degree of hearing loss and is determined by an educational audiologist.

Parent-Infant Services

Parent Infant Services

A team of professional Early On interventionists working in conjunction with DHH professionals and educational audiologists providing support and forming partnerships with families of children aged birth to age three in the development of speech, language, and auditory skills.

What Is Early On?

Early On is Michigan's system for helping infants and toddlers, birth to age 3 and their families who have developmental delays or are at risk for delays due to certain health conditions. It's designed to help families find the social, health, and educational services that will promote the development of their infants and toddlers with special needs.

Early On emphasizes early identification and early referral to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities, to minimize their potential for delay, and to recognize the significant brain development that occurs during a child's first three years of life.

The goal of early intervention is "to enable young children to be active and successful participants in the early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings...

For Parents & Referral Process

For Parents

Bear Lake Camp, Summer 2022

This camp experience takes place every summer. If no links are listed below, we are awaiting the applications to be made available for the upcoming summer.

Referral Process

In order to determine eligibility for hearing services, the following information is required:

ENT Report (Ear-Nose-Throat doctor, must be MD or DO)
Audiologist Report - clinical audiogram
Assessment by the local school district identifying educational impact

The parent/guardian must provide a copy of a current ENT report and audiological report. The reports must be dated within one year to be deemed current. Written parental consent is necessary before an educational evaluation can be conducted by the educational team, which consists of the deaf and hard of hearing consultant from the Trenton Oral Program for the DHH and professionals from your child’s school district. The parent/guardian is an important part of the team as well.

The evaluation for DHH eligibility may include auditory, vocabulary, or other language testing. Depending on the student’s needs, other school personnel may complete additional testing. When the evaluation is complete, the parents/guardian, DHH professional, classroom teacher, and other school personnel will review the results of the testing, determine eligibility for services, and make educational recommendations. If the student is found eligible for services, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is developed.

If you have specific questions or concerns regarding a child's hearing loss and the educational impact, please contact that child's school district.

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing