Accommodations for deaf and hard of hearing students

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Deaf and hard of hearing accommodations give a student full access to what is said and heard in class: a remote microphone, captions, an interpreter or real-time captioning, seating with a clear view, visual alerts, written directions and breaks for listening fatigue. Write each one in the IEP with what, when, how much and who provides it, and check it does not change the standard.

Accommodations for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing depend on how the student communicates and what they can hear with their devices. A student who uses ASL needs an interpreter and visual access. A student with a cochlear implant in spoken English may need a remote microphone and captions. Many students need some of both. The teacher of the deaf and the educational audiologist recommend them from the student's evaluations.

The IEP team must consider the student's language and communication needs, including chances for direct communication with peers and staff in the student's language and mode.^[1] The IEP must also list the accommodations and supplementary aids the student needs.^[2] Interpreting services and audiology are related services, so they appear on the services page as well.^[3] The 16 examples below show the wording. Each is an illustration to adjust from the student's own evaluation.

How to write an accommodation the classroom can follow

Question	Weak	Better
What?	FM system	Teacher wears the remote microphone transmitter
When?	When needed	During all instruction, including videos and announcements
How much?	Extra time	1.5 times the standard time on tests with interpreted directions
Who provides it?	Not stated	Classroom teacher wears it; the para checks the connection each morning

"Preferential seating" alone is the most common weak accommodation in a hearing plan. Preferred for what? Near the teacher, away from the hallway door, with a view of classmates' faces? Say it.

Accommodation or modification

An accommodation changes access. A modification changes what the student learns or how much. Captions are an accommodation: the student gets the same content in a different form. Excusing the student from all oral discussion grades is a modification if participation in discussion is part of the standard.

Some cases depend on what is tested. Signing a math test's items is usually an accommodation. Signing a reading comprehension passage may change what is measured, because the student is no longer reading English print. Many states call that a modification or limit it. Check your state's accommodation manual. For more, see accommodations vs modifications.

Communication access accommodations

These give access to spoken language and sound.

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Accommodation or modification	Effect on grading and testing
1	Teacher wears the remote microphone transmitter during all instruction and passes it to peers who speak in whole-class discussion. The para checks the connection each morning.	Accommodation	None. Allowed on most tests for oral directions.
2	ASL interpreter for all instruction, assemblies, field trips and school-sponsored activities, provided by the district.	Accommodation (and a related service)	None. Interpreted directions on tests follow state rules.
3	Captions turned on for all videos and recorded media shown in class. Teacher previews media and requests captions or a transcript if missing.	Accommodation	None.
4	Real-time captioning (CART) for lectures in courses with a high amount of teacher talk, provided by the district.	Accommodation	None.
5	Teacher repeats or rephrases peers' questions and comments before answering.	Accommodation	None.

Weak: "Use FM system."

Better: "Teacher wears the remote microphone transmitter during all instruction and passes it to peers who speak in whole-class discussion. The para checks the connection each morning."

Presentation accommodations

These make information visual and easy to follow.

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Accommodation or modification	Effect on grading and testing
6	Directions and assignments given in writing as well as orally, posted on the board or in the class site, for every assignment.	Accommodation	None.
7	Teacher faces the class when speaking and does not talk while writing on the board or walking behind the student.	Accommodation	None.
8	Key vocabulary list for each unit given to the student and interpreter 3 school days before the unit starts. Provided by the classroom teacher.	Accommodation	None.
9	Copy of teacher notes or a peer note-taker's notes for lecture classes, given at the end of each lesson, because the student cannot watch the interpreter and write at the same time.	Accommodation	None. See the note-taking accommodation guide.

Weak: "Visual supports."

Better: "Directions and assignments given in writing as well as orally, posted on the board or in the class site, for every assignment."

Setting and timing accommodations

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Accommodation or modification	Effect on grading and testing
10	Seating 6 to 10 feet from the teacher, away from the door and noisy equipment, with a clear view of the interpreter and classmates' faces; set at each seating change by the classroom teacher.	Accommodation	None.
11	Visual or vibrating alert for fire alarms and lockdowns in every room the student uses, plus a staff member assigned to alert the student.	Accommodation	None.
12	One 5-minute break after 45 minutes of listening-heavy instruction, because of listening fatigue. Student signals the teacher.	Accommodation	None.
13	Group work in a quieter space or with the remote microphone placed in the group, for small-group activities.	Accommodation	None.

Weak: "Preferential seating."

Better: "Seating 6 to 10 feet from the teacher, away from the door and noisy equipment, with a clear view of the interpreter and classmates' faces; set at each seating change by the classroom teacher."

Testing accommodations

The IEP must list testing accommodations for state and district tests, and they must match what the state allows.^[4]

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Accommodation or modification	Effect on grading and testing
14	Test directions signed by the interpreter in ASL, for all classroom and state tests.	Accommodation	None.
15	1.5 times the standard time on tests with signed directions or captioned audio, because of interpreting and caption lag.	Accommodation	None.
16	Listening sections of foreign language tests removed, with no replacement task.	Modification	Changes the standard. A captioned or transcript version, or a signed language option where offered, would be the accommodation.

Item 16 shows a common slip. Removing a listening section to avoid a hard problem changes what is tested. Ask the teacher of the deaf for an equivalent version first. For testing accommodation wording in general, see the testing accommodations guide.

Goals that go with accommodations

An accommodation is support the adults provide. A goal is a skill the student learns. If the teacher must remember to turn the microphone on, that is an accommodation; teaching the student to remind the teacher is a goal. See IEP goals for deaf and hard of hearing students and working with an educational interpreter. Templates are on the hearing technology goals and auditory skills goals pages. Paste any draft goal into the goal checker.

Making sure accommodations happen

Train each teacher on the remote microphone in the first week, with the audiologist or teacher of the deaf. A microphone left in a drawer is the most common failure.
Give every teacher a one-page summary of accommodations and who provides each. The IEP at a glance template works well.
Check devices daily. Federal rules require schools to make sure hearing aids and external implant parts worn at school are working.^[5] See hearing aid check data.
Track a few weeks each semester with the accommodation tracking sheet.

Some states require a separate communication plan alongside these accommodations; see communication plans for deaf and hard of hearing students. For students with visual impairments, see accommodations for visual impairment, and for who owns each section, the low-incidence disabilities guide.

Frequently asked questions

What are common accommodations for a hard of hearing student?

A remote microphone worn by the teacher, captions for all media, seating with a clear view of speakers, written directions, repeating peers' comments, notes for lecture classes, breaks for listening fatigue, and visual alerts for alarms. The right set comes from the student's evaluation.

Is an interpreter an accommodation or a related service?

Interpreting is listed as a related service in federal rules, so it goes on the services page. Many IEPs also mention it in the accommodations section, such as interpreted test directions, so every teacher sees it.

Is signing a reading test an accommodation?

It depends on what is tested. Signing math or science items usually keeps the same standard. Signing a reading passage may change what is measured, and many states limit it. Check your state's accommodation manual.

Who is responsible for the remote microphone?

The IEP should say. Usually the classroom teacher wears it, a para or teacher checks it daily, and the educational audiologist maintains it. Students can learn to remind teachers as a goal.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.34: Related services, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.160: Participation in assessments, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.113: Routine checking of hearing aids and external components of surgically implanted medical devices, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.