Hearing Impairment, Deafness, and FES-UA
A Florida family's guide to funding support
From LSL specialists to assistive technology — what FES-UA covers for D/HoH learners.
💡 Quick Answer: Does Hearing Impairment Qualify?
Yes. "Hearing impairment, including deafness" is one of the 23 qualifying conditions in Florida Statute 1002.394. The statute also lists "dual sensory impaired" separately for students with combined vision and hearing loss. Documentation can be an audiologist evaluation, an IEP with hearing impairment eligibility, or a physician diagnosis. FES-UA can cover Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) specialists (explicitly named in the statute), speech-language therapy, academic tutoring designed for D/HoH learners, assistive technology (FM systems, captioning tools), and accessible curriculum.
If your child has a hearing impairment — from mild hearing loss to profound deafness — FES-UA can help fund educational support services.
What makes this category particularly useful: Florida law specifically names "listening and spoken language specialists" as an approved FES-UA service. For families pursuing auditory-verbal therapy or other LSL approaches, this is significant.
Hearing Impairment Is One of the 23 Qualifying Conditions
Florida Statute 1002.394 lists "Hearing impairment, including deafness" as one of the disability categories that qualify for FES-UA.
The statute also separately lists "Dual sensory impaired" for students with combined vision and hearing loss — a distinct eligibility category that provides additional recognition for students with both conditions.
Source: Florida Statutes 1002.394
What Documentation Qualifies
To apply for FES-UA with a hearing impairment, you typically need ONE of the following:
Option 1: Audiologist evaluation
A comprehensive audiological evaluation documenting:
- Type and degree of hearing loss
- Configuration (which frequencies are affected)
- Impact on speech perception and communication
This is the most specific documentation for hearing impairment.
Option 2: IEP with hearing impairment eligibility
If your child has an Individualized Education Program from a Florida public school with "Hearing Impairment" or "Deaf/Hard of Hearing" as the eligibility category, that qualifies.
Option 3: Physician diagnosis
A diagnosis letter from an ENT, audiologist, or other physician documenting the hearing loss. Should include type and degree of loss.
For cochlear implant users:
Documentation of cochlear implantation and audiological evaluation demonstrating hearing loss (pre-implant or aided thresholds) qualifies.
The Communication-Modality Landscape
Families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children navigate different communication approaches. Understanding these helps with service planning:
Listening and Spoken Language (LSL)
Focus on developing spoken language through listening. Includes:
- Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT) — emphasizes listening without visual cues
- Auditory-Oral approaches — listening with some lipreading
Commonly used by families whose children have cochlear implants or hearing aids and are developing spoken language.
American Sign Language (ASL)
Visual-manual language with its own grammar and structure. Some families choose ASL as the primary language, others as a supplement to spoken language.
Total Communication / Cued Speech
Combines multiple modalities — spoken language, sign, visual cues, lipreading. Cued speech uses hand shapes near the mouth to disambiguate similar-looking speech sounds.
Bilingual-Bicultural (Bi-Bi)
Emphasizes fluency in both ASL and English (written). Views ASL as the natural language of deaf individuals and English as a second language.
Why this matters for FES-UA:
FES-UA can fund services across these approaches. The choice is yours — FES-UA doesn't mandate a communication modality.
Florida's LSL Specialist Provision
Here's something significant: Florida Statute 1002.394 specifically lists "listening and spoken language specialists" as an approved FES-UA service category.
This matters because:
- ✓ LSL specialists (certified LSLS AVEds and LSLS Cert. AVTs) provide specialized auditory-verbal therapy
- ✓ This service is often expensive and not covered by insurance
- ✓ FES-UA explicitly authorizes this expense
If your child uses cochlear implants or hearing aids and is developing spoken language through listening, FES-UA can fund LSL services from qualified specialists.
How Families Use FES-UA for Hearing Impairment
Listening and Spoken Language Specialists
For children on the LSL path:
- Auditory-Verbal Therapy
- Parent coaching on LSL techniques
- Carryover strategies for home and school
The therapist must be qualified (ideally LSLS certified) and an approved FES-UA provider.
Speech-Language Therapy
SLP services address:
- Speech production and articulation
- Language development (vocabulary, grammar, pragmatics)
- Auditory skill development
- Reading and writing connections to spoken language
The SLP must be licensed in Florida.
Academic Tutoring Designed for D/HoH Learners
Tutoring for deaf and hard-of-hearing students should include:
- • Language scaffolding — pre-teaching vocabulary and concepts
- • Vocabulary frontloading
- • Visual supports and graphic organizers
- • Reading strategies for language differences
- • Explicit English grammar/syntax instruction (especially for ASL users)
Assistive Technology
FM systems and remote microphone systems, captioning tools and services, visual alert systems, speech-to-text apps, hearing aid/CI accessories for educational use.
Accessible Curriculum
For homeschool families: curriculum with visual supports, closed captioning, and adaptations for language-accessible instruction.
Families in Miami and Orlando use FES-UA for LSL services and academic tutoring — addressing both the auditory-language development and academic progress.
The Reading-Gap Reality
This is important for families to understand: deaf and hard-of-hearing students often face reading challenges.
Why this happens:
Reading in English is built on a foundation of spoken language. Children who hear typically develop a vocabulary of ~10,000 words before they start reading. D/HoH children may start school with significantly smaller vocabularies, depending on:
- Age at identification and amplification
- Communication modality and consistency
- Quality of early intervention
This vocabulary and language gap affects reading acquisition. Many D/HoH students read below grade level — not because of cognitive limitations, but because of language access gaps.
How FES-UA helps:
Targeted tutoring can address:
- ✓ Vocabulary development (systematic, explicit)
- ✓ Background knowledge building
- ✓ Reading comprehension strategies
- ✓ Written expression
- ✓ English grammar and syntax (especially for ASL users)
This is why academic tutoring — not just LSL or speech therapy — matters. The language work and the academic work need to connect. For more about reading approaches, visit our reading tutoring page.
Co-Occurring Conditions and Dual Sensory Impairment
Hearing impairment can co-occur with other conditions:
Dual sensory impairment — combined hearing and vision loss (listed as a separate FES-UA eligibility category)
Autism — elevated rates of hearing loss in autistic populations
Intellectual disability — some syndromes involve both
Cerebral palsy — elevated rates of hearing impairment
Usher Syndrome note:
Students with Usher syndrome have hearing loss and progressive vision loss. They qualify under both "Hearing impairment" and potentially "Visual impairment" or "Dual sensory impaired."
If your child has hearing impairment plus other conditions, document all of them. For related information, see our speech-language impairment guide.
Matrix Codes and Hearing Impairment
Your child's FES-UA funding depends on matrix code, which evaluates support intensity across self-care, ambulation, communication, and behavior.
The "communication" domain is directly relevant. D/HoH students with significant communication support needs may score higher in this domain.
However, a student with mild hearing loss who communicates effectively with hearing aids may receive a lower matrix code. The evaluation looks at functional support needs, not the diagnosis label.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hearing impairment qualify for FES-UA?
Yes. "Hearing impairment, including deafness" is one of the 23 qualifying conditions in Florida Statute 1002.394.
What documentation do I need?
An audiologist evaluation, an IEP with hearing impairment eligibility, or a physician diagnosis documenting the hearing loss.
Can FES-UA pay for Auditory-Verbal Therapy?
Yes. Florida law specifically lists "listening and spoken language specialists" as an approved FES-UA service.
Does my child's cochlear implant affect eligibility?
No. Cochlear implant users qualify based on their underlying hearing loss. The implant doesn't disqualify them.
Can FES-UA fund ASL instruction?
FES-UA can fund educational services. If ASL instruction is part of your child's educational plan, discuss with your SFO about approved providers.
Can FES-UA pay for FM systems?
Yes. Assistive technology for educational use is an approved FES-UA expense.
How much funding will my child receive?
Funding depends on matrix code, which evaluates support intensity. Students with significant communication support needs may qualify at higher levels.
Can tutoring help with reading gaps?
Yes. Targeted tutoring addressing vocabulary, language, and reading comprehension is often the most impactful FES-UA use for D/HoH students beyond early childhood.
My child has hearing loss and vision loss — is that a separate category?
Yes. "Dual sensory impaired" is listed as a separate eligibility category in Florida Statute 1002.394.
Does the LSL specialist need to be in Florida?
The provider must be an approved FES-UA provider. For telehealth, verify state requirements and Step Up approval.
Ready to Get Started?
If your child has a hearing impairment and you're approved for FES-UA — or working on your application — we can help with tutoring designed for D/HoH learners.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your child's needs and how FES-UA can fund their support.
Book a Free Consultation →Sources: Florida Statutes 1002.394, Step Up For Students, AG Bell Association
Last updated: May 2026