Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology IEP goals for Deaf or Hard of Hearing
90 vision, hearing & assistive technology templates across 3 skills: sign language & visual communication, hearing technology self-management, auditory skills (Deaf & hard of hearing). Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
90 templates · 3 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Sign Language & Visual Communication Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Get a person's attention the visual way
Getting attention visually
By the annual IEP review date, during play and routines, when the child wants to tell an adult or peer something, the student will get the partner's attention by tapping their shoulder or arm, waving in view, or tapping the table, then wait for them to turn before signing independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by direct observation collected daily during play.
Sign the names of familiar objects and actions
Early sign vocabulary
By the annual IEP review date, given pictures or real objects of familiar items and actions from daily routines, the student will sign the name of the object or action independently with at least 80% accuracy on target signs produced, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Hearing Technology Self-Management Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Tell an adult a hearing device is off
Reporting a device that is off
By the annual IEP review date, when a hearing aid or processor falls off, stops working, or is switched off during the preschool day, the student will tell or show an adult that the device is off, using words, a sign, a gesture, or a picture card independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by frequency recording collected daily and reviewed weekly.
Put on hearing aids or a processor
Putting devices on
By the annual IEP review date, at arrival or after nap, with the device and its case at the child's spot, the student will take the device from the case, place it on the correct ear, and seat the earmold or coil, performing at least 5 of 6 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily during arrival.
Auditory Skills (Deaf & Hard of Hearing) Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Show a response to everyday sounds
Detection: environmental sounds
By the annual IEP review date, during play and routines, when an everyday sound happens (such as a knock, a drum, a dog bark, or running water) out of the child's view, the student will show they heard the sound by stopping, turning, pointing to their ear, or saying or signing that they heard it independently in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each session with the teacher of the deaf.
Detect speech sounds with a play response
Detection: speech sounds
By the annual IEP review date, given speech sounds (such as m, oo, ee, ah, sh, s) spoken at a normal voice level at 3 feet with the speaker's mouth covered, mixed with silent turns, the student will make the play response (such as putting a peg in a board) each time a sound is spoken and wait when there is no sound independently with at least 90% accuracy on sound and no-sound trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each session with the teacher of the deaf.
Braille, low vision tools, orientation and mobility, hearing technology, auditory skills, sign communication, assistive technology, and keyboarding. Goals for students who are deaf or hard of hearing cover listening and spoken language, sign language, self-advocacy about access (checking equipment, asking for repetition), and language skills that hearing loss can affect. The communication mode in each goal should match the student's IEP communication plan.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 40 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 12 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 31 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 6 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
What areas do goals for deaf or hard of hearing students usually address?
Listening and auditory skills, receptive and expressive language in the student's communication mode, vocabulary, self-advocacy about access and equipment, and sometimes reading and writing when language delays affect them.
Should self-advocacy be an IEP goal?
Often, yes. Reporting a dead battery, asking for a repeat, or choosing a seat with a clear view of the speaker are observable, countable skills, and they matter more as the student moves toward independence.
Which access skill goals fit students with Deaf or hard of hearing?
Braille, low vision tools, orientation and mobility, hearing technology, auditory skills, sign language, assistive technology, and keyboarding, depending on how the student accesses learning. The evaluation and the specialists on the team decide which apply.
Who writes access skill goals?
Usually the specialist for the area, such as a TVI, O&M specialist, teacher of the deaf, or AT specialist, with the classroom team. Classroom staff often record real use of the skill during lessons.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
Pro tracks every goal on your caseload and drafts the report for you. Free for 14 days.
Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.