The program for deaf and hard of hearing provides a continuum of educational and support services for hearing impaired students in Umatilla, Morrow, Grant, Baker, Union and Malheur counties.

Resource rooms provide direct academic instruction to severe and profoundly hearing impaired students. Mainstreamed preschool classrooms, in cooperation with Head Start, focus on the development of speech, audition and language skills. Itinerant services are provided to students who need academic support, language, auditory skills training, speech instruction, hearing aid wearer training and deaf awareness training.

Consultation services are provided to parents to help them learn how to communicate with their children and understand their children’s hearing loss. Staff also consults with school personnel about appropriate teaching methods to use with hearing impaired children. Educational interpreters are assigned to those students who need interpretation in order to access the presented curriculum.

Support for children with deafblindness and their families is available through the regional deafblind consulting teacher. Deafblindness is an ‘access to information’ disability, and the earlier the student is provided support, the earlier the opportunities available to the student to become more independent.

Tonya Smith
Director of Regional Inclusive Services & Related Services
541-966-3145
tonya.smith@imesd.k12.or.us

Patty Jo Lathrop
Administrative Assistant
541-966-3194
pattyjo.lathrop@imesd.k12.or.us

Eastern Oregon Regional Inclusive Services General Referral Form