Hearing loss is often said to be an invisible disability. When we pass an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) on the street, we probably would not know he was deaf.
Unfortunately, when we do interact with someone who is deaf, we may notice some traits that lead us to believe the person we are talking with has an intellectual disability (abbreviated ID) or “low IQ” .
In reality, hearing loss is A CHALLENGE of HEARING,
NOT a problem with THINKING.
Nevertheless, when we are talking with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, our misunderstanding of her challenges can lead us to misjudge her intelligence.
Speech and Deafness and Language and Deafness LINK look at why individuals who are deaf have difficulty with speech and language, sometimes even into adulthood.
High Expectations for Deaf Education 