May was Speech-Language-Hearing Month and June is National Aphasia Awareness Month. If you have a child with hearing disabilities, the following resources can help you find assistive technology, peer support, and valuable information.
Texas Hands & Voices
Texas Hands & Voices (TXHV), headquartered in Austin, is a chapter of Hands & Voices (H&V). (The original Hands & Voices, a nonprofit network for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children, was founded in Colorado in the 1990s. The organization now has a presence in 43 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces.)
“What works for your child is what makes the choice right,” says Michaela Hamaker, TXHV Executive Director. “A central part of our work is the Guide By Your Side (GBYS) program, which offers free, one-on-one support by trained Parent Guides—peers who also have children with hearing disabilities. Services include emotional support, sharing of resources, and simple companionship.”
Texas Hands & Voices also holds family nights and other events in different cities. See their online calendar for upcoming programs, or subscribe to their monthly e-newsletter. (The newsletter page includes links to previous issues.)
Texas School for the Deaf
If you have a deaf (or proudly Deaf) child and an interest in going beyond standard school accommodations, Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is an option. As described in its mission statement, the school is a place where students can “learn, grow and belong in a language-rich environment that maximizes each individual’s potential to become successful life-long learners.” TSD offers bilingual education in English and ASL, and emphasizes:
- Early language acquisition
- Whole-person development
- Critical thinking
- Dignity and respect for diverse abilities
- Active partnerships with families, alumni, and communities
Located in Austin, TSD offers education (with school-week residential living) for students from second grade to post-secondary age.
The school also hosts annual summer camps and other programs, which are, in TSD’s words, “specifically tailored to accommodate [Texas] children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, … 3 to 22 years old. … These camps are organized to provide inclusive and supportive environments where participants can engage in various activities.” Registrations are already complete for summer 2026, but you can email the Summer Camps and Programs coordinators to request information on future programs.
BridgingApps App Search Tool
Our own website’s App Search Tool can be used to find digital technology for hearing-impaired children learning to navigate the world. And if your child has other disabilities as well, the Search Tool lets you do multiple assistive-tech searches from one spot.
Also, if you like your options pre-organized, the Tool’s Lists section offers apps-list collections on various topics. See AAC [Augmentative and Alternative Communication] apps and Deaf or Hard of Hearing Apps.
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