SHIPS Speech & Hearing in Preschool
Our “SHIPS: Speech & Hearing in Preschool” is a partnership program between the State of Maine and hear ME now! to provide communitybased education for children with hearing loss
Our goal? To establish cost effective, community-based and inclusive educational systems serving Maine children who are deaf or hard of hearing and who communicate using spoken language.
- Provides comprehensive, ongoing training resources to Maine’s early childhood center professionals to optimize the listening and language skills of preschool children with hearing loss.
- Using a combination of onsite visits and distance technology — training and coaching are based upon the individual needs of students and the staff working with them.
- Promotes a network of qualified community-based Maine preschools with access to appropriate resources and expertise in auditory oral education.
This innovative program is featured in the U.S. Department of Education / U.S. Office of Special Education Program’s September 2011 report, “Children Who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing: State of the Educational Practices (p. 5).
Educators: Our SHIPS program offers different levels of support by hear ME now! and related levels of commitment from participating community preschools. Our participation is based upon your curriculum and goals!
Parents: Your child will benefit from…
- An auditory oral Teacher of the Deaf as a supporting member of the classroom team
- Classroom staff that understand your child’s hearing technology
- Fun activities and lessons that encourage listening in a classroom environment
- Classroom staff with experience helping young children with hearing loss develop friendships
- A community of other families and professionals that understand hearing loss
Contact us if you’d like more information about our program, “SHIPS: Speech & Hearing in Preschool.”
