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Establishing the American School for the Deaf in CT

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Establishing the American School for the Deaf in CT

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This article talks about Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet who established the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut. The school is still open today and offers education for deaf and hearing-impaired students ages 3-21.

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Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project

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Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a Congregationalist minister, is acclaimed today for his role in pioneering education for the deaf in the United States and establishing the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut. Born in Philadelphia in 1787, Gallaudet was the oldest of eight children. His parents, Peter Wallace Gallaudet and Jane Hopkins Gallaudet (a descendant of early colonial settler Thomas Hooker), relocated to Hartford, Jane's birthplace, in 1800. He attended the Hartford Grammar School, earned a bachelor's degree at Yale College in 1805, and completed is master's degree there as well.

Traveling Minister Finds a New Mission

After graduating with a distinguished record, Gallaudet tried his hand at law, working for a prominent firm in Hartford, but poor health forced him to resign. He then earned a degree in divinity from Andover Theological Seminary (now Andover Newton Theological School) in Massachusetts, but his continued health problems prevented him from taking a permanent position as a pastor. Instead, he became a traveling minister, visiting communities throughout the Northeast as his health permitted. He also taught basic education in religion and American history to children in towns that did not have appointed schoolteachers.

While visiting his family in Hartford, Gallaudet became acquainted with Alice Cogswell, a deaf-nonspeaking nine-year-old. He taught her to write basic words by pointing to objects and using a stick to draw letters in the dirt. Her father, physician Mason Cogswell, encouraged Gallaudet's education of his daughter and made his extensive library available to him. Gallaudet also began to read about European experiments in which educators were attempting to develop a system of signs and signals that would enable the deaf and mute to communicate. Eventually, Cogswell asked Gallaudet to travel to Europe to study these schools for the deaf.

A French Connection

Gallaudet first tried to visit the Braidwood schools for the deaf in England and Scotland, but the Braidwood family had no interest in helping a potential competitor for students learn their methods. During that trip, however, Gallaudet met a French Catholic priest, Abbot Roch-Ambroise Cucurron Sicard, head of the Royal Institution for Deaf-Mutes in Paris. At Abbot Sicard's invitation, Gallaudet journeyed to France and studied with the school's faculty. His tutors included Laurent Clerc, a deaf priest who was among those working on a manual communications system, an early version of sign language.

Father Clerc joined Gallaudet on his return to the United States, and the two traveled throughout New England, tutoring the deaf and raising funds for a school. Cogswell and his friends also helped raise the money needed to open the American Asylum for Deaf-Mutes (the school's name in its incorporation papers, filed in 1816). Located in Bennett's City Hotel on Prospect Street in Hartford, the school officially opened on April 15, 1817, as The Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons. The first class included Alice Cogswell.

The American School for the Deaf

Gallaudet, the school's first principal, liked neither the name nor the location of the school. Fortunately, a grant from the United States Congress enabled the school to move to a three-acre campus in West Hartford, and the school's board renamed it the American School for the Deaf. Gallaudet's personal life also flourished. In 1821, he married Sophia Fowler, a deaf graduate of the school who was originally from Guilford. They had eight children, including Edward Miner Gallaudet, who would go on to found the school in Washington, DC, now called Gallaudet University.

Thomas Gallaudet resigned as principal of the American School for the Deaf in 1831, after many conflicts with the school's board of directors over such matters as an increase to his salary (he was paid less than some of the school's teachers) and expansion of the school's resources. Gallaudet served as chaplain to both Hartford's city jail and the Hartford Retreat for the Insane before his health deteriorated, leaving him bedridden for the last year of his life. Gallaudet died in 1851 and was buried in Hartford's Cedar Hill Cemetery.

The work of the American School for the Deaf continues today. Situated on more than 50 acres, this residential campus offers a range of educational programming for deaf and hearing-impaired students ages 3-21.
Emily E. Gifford is an independent historian specializing in the history of religion and social movements in the United States.

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connecticut asylum for the education and instruction of deaf and dumb persons

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Gallaudet's Vision Advances Deaf Education | Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project

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Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a Congregationalist minister, is acclaimed today for his role in pioneering education for the deaf in the United States and establishing the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut. Born in Philadelphia in 1787, Gallaudet was the oldest of eight children.

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This article looks into the deaf history in Mystic, CT. In 1869, the Whipple Home School was built in Ledyard, Connecticut teaching the deaf how to lip read and speak. The next location in Mystic was turned into a residential school where deaf students lived and attended school. The were originally taught lipreading and speaking, no usage of sign language.

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Did you know that Mystic, Connecticut has some deaf history?! I never knew this until a few years of living here. I bumped into some older Deaf adults who all told me about their former deaf school… which happened to be right here in Mystic. It used to be The Whipple Home School. Read more about Mys

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Personal Accounts of Life with Hearing Loss

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Personal Accounts of Life with Hearing Loss

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A book containing 100 stories from the lives of deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. Read about the challenges they and their families face, moments of success, and follow as they follow a broken path to the Deaf/HoH communities.

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Read as individuals within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities share their experiences. Students from Kent State University share their stories and opinions on various Deaf/HoH topics.

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As deaf and hard-of-hearing students build community and find their voice, increasingly robust programs and organizations at Kent State are opening opportunities for success in their careers-and for hearing students to work with deaf populations.

By Kim Catley
Illustration by Chris Hicks, BA '14, MA '16

hen Richard Costes, BA '06, talks about his first day at a school for deaf children, he describes a room filled with young children crying, trying desperately to be understood, while he sat in a corner playing alone. On his second day, he walked up to his teacher and asked, "Will you play with me?"

The teacher scooped him up, marched down the hall and into the administrator's office and called his parents. When they arrived, the teacher said, "This child can speak. He is too smart to be here with all of these other deaf kids."

That one sentence, suggesting that deaf people weren't smart, stuck with him.

Mr. Costes was born deaf, but grew up in a hearing environment. He told himself he wasn't deaf. He refused to learn sign language-an attitude that was supported by his school, which prioritized speech. He also declined any assistance in the classroom and his grades often suffered as a result.

"That's a lot of self-loathing for a big part of your identity," he says. "It wasn't until college, when I took an ASL (American Sign Language) class-because I thought it would be easy-that I realized how wrong I was."

r. Costes' shift in perspective mirrors a larger evolution in deaf education. As Pamela Luft, PhD, associate professor of special education at Kent State's School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, explains, early American deaf education was sign language-based. That changed in 1880 when, at the Milan Conference of Deaf Educators, delegates banned the use of sign language in schools worldwide and voted that oralism, or lip reading, would be the sole method of instruction at deaf institutions.

This continued until the mid-20th century when penicillin was introduced. Now, there was a treatment for the childhood diseases that had previously led to deafness. Instead of going deaf as older children with language skills, much of the deaf population was born deaf, or lost their hearing as pre-verbal infants.

Oralism was no longer as successful and sign language was reintroduced, although the debate between the two methodologies remained.

y the late 1980s and early 1990s, the culture was shifting. In 1990, Ohio passed a law recognizing ASL as a full visual-spatial language-one that is linguistically complete and shares no grammatical similarities to English-and the state began offering grants to increase the skills of school interpreters working with deaf children.When Dr. Luft arrived at Kent State in 1995, the field of deaf education was recognizing, and increasingly valuing, ASL as a true language that would support bilingual/bicultural approaches to deaf education. She saw enough interest to expand the ASL curriculum and offer a minor. "You can't become fluent in two two-hour courses," she says.

Dr. Luft also had several Deaf adults (using the capitalized word preferred by individuals who identify as part of the Deaf community), approach her about wanting to teach ASL. She quickly saw a need and worked with the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies faculty to establish the first four-year program in ASL-now one of the largest ASL programs in the nation.

"I tried to make sure that most of the ASL faculty we hired were Deaf," she says. "I never wanted an ASL, deaf education, or interpreting student to graduate feeling uncomfortable communicating with a deaf person because they hadn't ever interacted with one."

Is it deaf or Deaf?
Identity is fluid and can change over time or with setting. Some individuals and organizations use the term deaf (lowercase 'd') in an all-inclusive manner, to include people who may identify as Deaf, deaf, deafblind, deaf with disabilities, hard of hearing, late-deafened and hearing impaired. Others make the following distinction:
Lowercase 'd' deaf refers to the physical aspect of deafness-anyone with physical hearing loss.
Uppercase 'D' Deaf refers to the cultural aspect, the Deaf community and individuals who identify as part of the Deaf community.
Note: Uppercase Deaf individuals usually are physically deaf, but not always. CODAs (Children Of Deaf Adults) tend to be culturally Deaf, but have full hearing. In general, to identify as Deaf you have at least some knowledge of ASL and are involved in the Deaf community itself, such as going to Deaf events, seeing other Deaf individuals and /or participating in Deaf politics.

oday, Kent State's programs reflect the variety of communication styles and needs present in the modern Deaf community. This may mean students who use hearing aids and cochlear implants sitting next to students who communicate exclusively in ASL. Teachers may work with deaf students in self-contained classes, while others work in an inclusion setting.

Kent State students who are interested in working with the Deaf community can choose from three distinct majors on campus. Students can major in ASL in the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies-just as they might major in Spanish, Arabic, or any other foreign language-to work and communicate with deaf populations in a professional setting, or combine the major with an education minor to teach ASL to deaf and hearing populations.

The ASL/English Interpreting program in the School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences trains students to work as community interpreters (in a range of environments, such as medical, legal, religious, performing arts, social services and education) or as educational interpreters (Pre-K-12).

And students who specifically want to teach deaf children can enroll in the Deaf Education program in the School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, which provides the coursework and field experience necessary to be licensed in the field of special education in the area of deaf education.

"Our Deaf Education program is unique in placing students in deaf education classrooms for their last two semesters of coursework, with linked assignments they must complete in these placements," Dr. Luft says. "And the ASL/English Interpreting program is unique for requiring a one-semester final practicum that is supervised. Many other state programs have students find their own practicum activities and sites without supervision, which can significantly reduce quality control of students' skills to address the unique needs of deaf learners. Our programs are highly regarded, and our graduates are sought after. Many are able to choose the jobs they want and often have offers before they graduate."

"There is a big difference between 'accessibility' and 'inclusivity.' "

C. Richard Costes, BA '06
Theatre studies major

My story: Born deaf, but raised in a hearing environment; he didn't learn sign language until college. He is now an actor performing throughout Chicago and a consultant for theatres looking to make their shows more accessible to deaf patrons.

Getting access: "When I started at Kent State, I only used note takers, because I didn't want to admit I needed more help. It was only towards the end of my college career that I realized there was nothing wrong with getting more assistance. That's when I requested note takers, FM [frequency-modulated] devices and captioning. The captioning improved my learning a thousandfold."

All the difference: Professors at Kent State helped him embrace his identity. "College is a place for you to find out who you are; it's where you become the person you'll be for the rest of your life."

I'd like the hearing world to know: "There is a big difference between 'accessibility' and 'inclusivity.' Accessibility means everyone has a point of entry; for the Deaf community, this means captioning or interpreters. Inclusivity means all those [deaf and hard-of-hearing] people are not just watching or listening from a distance; we are part of the conversations and we are part of the work being done."

t the same time that Kent State has expanded the pathways for students hoping to work with the Deaf community, the university also has seen a surge in the number of deaf and hard-of-hearing undergraduate students over the years, although the numbers fluctuate. A robust Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office ensures that deaf students have access to the university's full scope of academic programs.

Kate Croteau, BIS '17, graduated from Kent State last December and enrolled in the university's Cultural Foundations of Education graduate program the following spring. She's also studying political science, and hopes to eventually work in a community center focused on LGBTQ+ and Deaf youth.

Ms. Croteau works with SAS to access transcriptions, closed captioning and priority seating, as well as Power Points and lecture notes before class, peer note taking, speech reading, and extended-time testing.

"Before getting accommodations, I assumed that the way I learned-and struggled-was normal, and that's how everyone else did it, too," she says."Realizing that I could embrace my accommodations, use them to the best of my ability, and could advocate for them any time they weren't being appropriately offered really reshaped the way I was able to focus on and enjoy my education."

"Being Deaf is not a disability; it is a point of pride."

Stefanie Amiruzzaman, BA '12, MEd '15
ASL major, with a minor in fine arts; MEd in special education with a concentration in deaf education

My story: Born hearing, she became deaf at 9 months old from bacterial meningitis. "My parents wanted me to learn both sign language and English. My mom attended a sign language class to learn, and she purchased a Signed English book to teach me." She is a current doctoral student in the Evaluation and Measurement program at the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration.

Getting access: Note takers, captioning services for videos, and interpreters. "I love the access that interpreters provide for my education. I would be lost or struggle if it was not for them."

Tri-lingual: "I want my son to grow up having respect and involvement in the Deaf community. On the other hand, my husband, who is hearing, is originally from Bangladesh, and his family still lives there. So, I am teaching my son, Aleo, both ASL and English, while my husband is teaching him both Bangali and English. Aleo's first sign in ASL was 'milk,' his first Bangali word was 'ma' (mother), and his first English word was 'mama.'"

I'd like the hearing world to know: "Being Deaf is not a disability; it is a point of pride, along with its own official language, and a close-knit community."

Leah Subak, PhD '14, an ASL/English interpreter and coordinator with SAS, says the office works to keep classroom accommodations-which include transcriptionists, interpreters, note taking and closed captioning-in line with national best practices. They also bring in speakers to connect the campus and Deaf communities. SAS even crosses over with the academic programs on occasion when students observe the professional interpreters or build their skills in a practicum placement with the office.

hile accommodation services are critical for deaf and hard-of-hearing students to access their academics-and the ASL, ASL/English Interpreting, and Deaf Education programs ensure a strong field of professionals-there are also opportunities at Kent State to build and strengthen the Deaf community.

For example, Elexis Blake, BA '18, teamed up with Nebeyat Mamay, BA '18, to found the Deaf Power Organization at Kent State in 2016. Its goal is to create a community for all deaf and hard-of-hearing students. "We even welcome CODAs (Children Of Deaf Adults) and hearing ASL signers into our organization," she says, "to create a stronger community that will help us advocate for Deaf awareness at KSU."

These kinds of connections are what elevate a campus or community from accessible to inclusive.

Richard Costes experienced this distinction in the classroom of Carol Robinson, PhD, an associate professor of English at Kent State University at Trumbull. While he was beginning to use sign language, it was Dr. Robinson's use of texts by Deaf authors that made him realize he belonged to a community. He started to see his deafness as part of his identity.

After attending Kent State at Trumbull for two years, he transferred to the Kent Campus to finish his degree in theatre. Now, Mr. Costes is an actor and director. He also consults with theatres looking to make their shows more accessible for deaf patrons.

This past spring, he performed the role of Snout in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." When a group from the Illinois School for the Deaf attended a show, the students were thrilled to see a deaf actor in the production. Afterward, they bombarded Mr. Costes with questions about his career. He was happy to share, in hopes of inspiring the next generation of deaf actors.

"I've spent the last 10 years trying to integrate myself into the Deaf community and culture," he says. "I'm trying to embrace the part of me that for nearly two decades I kept buried."

"Even something as simple as repeating yourself makes a world of difference, as we are used to hearing, 'never mind.' "

Austin Hale, BA '2
Communication studies major, with an applied communications concentration

My story: Severe hearing loss since birth; he began using hearing aids at age 2.

Why Kent State: Signed up for Kent State's College Credit Plus program to take college courses as a high school student. "I received accommodations that far outclassed the ones my high school offered. The positive experience, more inclusive environment and close proximity of Kent convinced me to join."

Getting access: Priority seating, closed captioning and real-time transcription. "Being able to lip read the professor, read captions in the videos and have a transcription of what was said make it difficult to miss things."

Changing communications: "I am working toward an applied communications degree with the hope that my perspective and experience dealing with the frustrations of hearing loss would allow me to contribute to the profession in a useful way."

I'd like the hearing world to know: "Any gesture of understanding or patience is greatly appreciated. Even something as simple as repeating yourself makes a world of difference, as we are used to hearing, 'never mind.'"

"We are fully capable of doing anything! The only thing we cannot do is hear."

Elexis Blake, BA '18
Psychology and ASL major

My story: Born deaf, she uses a cochlear implant to hear. She is now a case coordinator for Easterseals-Community Center for the Deaf, and an ASL teacher. She helps the Deaf community gain independence through case management, advocacy, vocational support and community outreach.

Course change: She started at Kent State as an accounting major, but switched to psychology and ASL her junior year. "I suffered from clinical depression, and the experiences I went through were even more challenging because I was Deaf. I want to create an opportunity for the Deaf community to have equal access to mental health counseling."

Getting access: Getting access: ASL interpreters and note-taking services. "Having an interpreter provides me an opportunity to be challenged and thrive educationally and linguistically."

Changing communications: "I am working toward an applied communications degree with the hope that my perspective and experience dealing with the frustrations of hearing loss would allow me to contribute to the profession in a useful way."

I'd like the hearing world to know: "Deafness is not a disability in the eyes of the Deaf community. We are fully capable of doing anything! The only thing we cannot do is hear. We are just like you, and we are proud to be who we are!"

"We need to prepare future educators and interpreters with academic skills to understand and address the unique needs of deaf learners."

Jacqueline Gee, BS '15, MEd '16
Educational studies major; MEd in cultural foundations of education

My story: Born hearing to an extended family of deaf individuals, she is a CODA (Child Of Deaf Adults). Immersed in Deaf culture at home, ASL was her first language. She is a current doctoral student in cultural foundations of education in the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration.

Challenges: At school, she struggled with not knowing how to navigate between the Deaf and hearing worlds; had to take remedial English before entering college. "How could my parents give me something they didn't have? And schools were unprepared for 'diverse learners' who looked like me."

Big influence: "I met Dr. Kay Amey [assistant professor of geography at Kent State Ashtabula] years ago at KSU and, at that time, I couldn't envision doing anything other than interpreting. A college education seemed impossible, but she gave me a helping hand and the push I needed to work for it. She taught me that faculty have the power to change lives. When we envision the potential for our students, amazing things can happen!"

I'd like the hearing world to know: "We need to prepare future educators and interpreters with academic skills to understand and address the unique needs of deaf learners."
Tips to Communicate with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing There is no "one size fits all" approach to communication, nor is there a "typical" deaf person. Each individual brings their own set of communication needs and preferences, based upon the setting and purpose of the interaction. Communication is possible, even when accommodations (e.g., interpreters) are not present.
Ask the individual about their communication needs. Bridging deaf/hearing communication is a daily occurrence for deaf people; they are always your best counsel. Writing, texting, gestures, speech, sign language, technology and visual aids are all possibilities to explore.

Find a user-friendly setting. Background noise, lighting, pace of conversation, number of speakers, accents and facial hair all influence communication. An individual's familiarity with the subject matter and the availability of visual prompts, such as pictures and charts, also guide the communication method.

Remember that hearing aids and cochlear implants do not restore hearing to "normal." While some users are able to use a telephone or recognize music, others are only able to pick up on environmental sounds.

Get the attention of the deaf individual before speaking. If the individual does not respond to the spoken name, a tap on shoulder or another visual signal is appropriate.

Provide a written outline of the main topics to be discussed. This is especially helpful for individuals who depend on speech reading to pick up on keywords in a conversation.

Speak clearly, at a normal pace; do not yell or over enunciate.

Look directly at the individual while speaking. Do not cover your mouth or look around while speaking.

Avoid standing in front of a light source, which can make it difficult to see your face clearly.

If you need to repeat, rephrase the thought. Some words are harder to understand than others.

Use visual aids, gestures, and body language when appropriate. One picture truly is worth a thousand words.

Use open-ended questions to allow opportunities for both parties to check each other's understanding of a topic.
5 Facts about Hearing Loss
1 There are 466 million people-over 5 percent of the world's population-with significant hearing loss.*
34 million of those are children. Unless action is taken, by 2030 there will be nearly 630 million people with disabling hearing loss. By 2050, the number could rise to over 900 million.

2 An estimated five out of every 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss or acquire it soon after birth. Hearing loss can have a significant impact on a child's development and educational achievements. Early identification followed by prompt and suitable interventions can help to ensure that children with deafness and hearing loss enjoy equal opportunities in society.

3 80 percent of the world's 70,000,000 deaf have no access to education. Most deaf and seriously hearing-impaired children rarely receive any schooling in developing countries. Source: World Federation of the Deaf

4 Chronic ear infections are a leading cause of hearing loss. Over 30 percent of hearing loss in children is caused by diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis and ear infections. An estimated 330 million people globally suffer with chronic ear infections; if left untreated, they can lead to hearing loss and life-threatening complications.

5 Noise is a major avoidable cause of hearing loss. Some 1.1 billion teens and young adults (ages 12-35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices and exposure to damaging levels of sound at entertainment and sport venues.
*Significant hearing loss is defined as: Adults (15 years and older): hearing loss greater than 40 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear; Children (0-14 years of age): hearing loss greater than 30 dB in the better hearing ear.
Students in Kent State's ASL/English Interpreting program got hands-on experience interpreting for deaf visitors during Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness Day at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

To improve English literacy and comprehension, Deaf children need to learn ASL as their first language say Dr. Katherine Amey, assistant professor of geography and geology at Kent State at Ashtabula, and Jacqueline Gee, lecturer of ASL & Deaf Culture and Community at the Kent Campus, in this TEDx Lizard Creek talk.
Back to Fall/Winter 2018-19

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Listening to the Deaf Community | Kent State Magazine | As deaf and hard-of-hearing students build community and find their voice, increasingly robust programs and organizations at Kent State are opening opportunities for success in their careers-and for hearing students to work with deaf populations.

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SIB SHOPS acknowledge that being the brother or sister of a person with special needs is for some a good thing, others a not-so-good thing, and for many, somewhere in-between. They reflect a belief that brothers and sisters have much to offer one another — if they are given a chance. Sibshops are a spirited mix of new games (designed to be unique, off-beat, and appealing to a wide ability range), new friends, and discussion activities.

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Find a Sibshop Near You Training Sibshops provide young brothers and sisters with peer support and information in a lively, recreational setting. For the adults who run them and for the agencies that sponsor them, Sibshops are evidence of their loving concern for the family member who will have

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This guide supports parents of children with hearing loss to fully understand all the different areas of hearing loss. This resource provides guidance in different areas and provides support for ways in which they can enhance communicative effectiveness for their child.

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Support Group for Families of Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children!

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Support Group for Families of Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children!

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Fostering Joy is a family/professional support group celebrating the joy of raising a child who is deaf or hard of hearing.

Join their Facebook page and have access to support and resources to positively engage in the growth and development of your child!

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Fostering Joy - Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children | Facebook

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This is a group for families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH). To join, you must be the family member of a deaf/hard of hearing child. There are no exceptions to this rule as we...

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If you're looking for more information, refer to this link for a list of websites, contact information, and organizations/agencies related to your child's hearing loss.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Resources | Parent’s Guide to Hearing Loss | CDC

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This section includes website addresses, contact information, and brief descriptions for organizations that provide information related to children with hearing loss and their families.

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It may become more difficult for a sibling to understand their sibling's hearing loss, and this post provides ways in which talking about hearing loss may be easier. Information is also provided on how to make special time, how to tackle feelings of sacrifice, common worries, and sibling problems.

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Siblings sometimes report that they feel left out of things because the child with hearing loss, or other disabilities, requires so much attention from parents. Everyone working with a family affected by hearing loss needs to be aware that sibs need attention too. So what can we do?
Talk about hearing loss
Parents and professionals working with families need to talk directly and honestly with siblings. We need to explain what hearing loss is, at the level the child understands, and answer questions honestly. Teach the sibling how to monitor technology and let them help. Try and explain why it is necessary for the child with hearing loss to use technology and why he needs to go to therapy. A sibling may be a good communication partner and may be able to be an assist in therapy. Since parents should be part of the therapy session, therapy time is not a good time for the parent to spend with the sibling alone, but the sibling could attend therapy and be part of a communication triad. Not every sibling will be good at this but many will.
Make special time for sibs
Although the child with hearing loss may not feel that going to therapy is a privilege, the sibs may feel that they are not getting their fair share of parent time. They are right; it is not fair. However, it is something that cannot be avoided. It is probably impossible to find equal time for each child, but each child in the family should have special time - time they can spend with parents doing something they want to do. It doesn't have to be a big deal event or a lot of time, but every child needs time alone with parents. A few minutes at bed time, or an occasional "date" they can look forward to and can talk about afterwards by looking at photos will help. Grandparents can be a big help here too by spending some time with the child with hearing loss so parents can spend time with the siblings.
Sibs should not feel they have to sacrifice for the child with hearing loss
It is tempting to try and tell a normal-hearing child how lucky he is to have normal hearing but this is something we should try and avoid. Yes, having normal hearing is sparing him some things his sib with hearing loss would likely be happy to give up, but he did not choose this and should not be made to feel bad when he wants that extra attention. Sometimes sibs feel as if they cannot get their parents' attention, and they may wonder what they need to do to get parents to focus on them. They may wonder if they have to be super good because there is a child with a disability in the family, or if being bad will get them attention. They may question if they are allowed to feel jealous, angry, or annoyed at their sibling. They may feel they cannot ask for things they want or need because the child with hearing loss needs so much. It's a lot of pressure for a kid.
Things siblings worry about
Siblings may worry about how the child with hearing loss will manage in school. If language is delayed they may worry that the child will not do well. Will she have friends? Will she be bullied? What is my responsibility? Do I have to look out for my sibling? Do I need to invite my brother with a hearing loss to play with me and my friends? Does he get an extra turn at bat because he has a hearing loss? What about when playing board games? How many extra tries does he get? I think the answer should be that every child has the same number of chances - the child with hearing loss has to learn he has to play by the same rules as everyone else. But if he does not understand what he was supposed to do, the typical sibling should try and help him figure it out.
Many sibling problems are the same
The problems of siblings with hearing loss may be no different from those of children with normal hearing, but sometimes they are, and sometimes they require special consideration. There is no doubt that having a child with a disability adds extra stress to parenting. It also adds extra stress to being a sibling. We just need to be aware of the stress involved and watch the siblings to make sure they are also being the best they can be.

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Providing Support for Siblings of Children with Hearing Loss | Jane Madell |hearinghealthmatters.org/hearingandkids

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Siblings sometimes report that they feel left out of things because the child with hearing loss, or other disabilities, requires so much attention from parents. Everyone working with a family affected by hearing loss needs to be aware that sibs need attention too. So what can we do?