Of Sensory Impairments

Sensory Impairments include hearing and vision categories.  Since most teaching involves significant visual and auditory components, these impairments can severely restrict learning outcomes.

A) Characteristics of Sensory Impairments

Visual Impairments (adapted material image from fredshead.info)

• Generally behind sighted peers in academics
• Relatively unimpaired in language ability 
• Concept development can depend on tactile experiences
• Unable to use visual imagery, spatial information
• May display withdrawn, dependent, socially immature or repetitive movements

Hearing Impairments

• Academic levels significantly below hearing peers
• Reading most affected, spelling problems, limited writing production
• Dependence on EA, Withdrawal, less social maturity, difficulty making friends
• Voice quality problems, language expression and comprehension difficulty, poor speech production
• Intellectualy ability similar to hearing peers

B) Identifying Sensory Impairments
While severe vision loss is easily identified, mild losses are harder to assess.  School examinations and referrals to eye doctors when appropriate, can determine the extent of problems and modifications required.


Visual Impairment Symptoms (Hallahan and Kauffmann, 2003)

• Complaints about eyes, vision, blurriness, dizzyness, headaches
• Appearance of crossed, encrusted, red-rimmed, inflamed or watery eyes
• Behaviour like excessive eye-rubbing, blinking, squinting, holding books close, distance vision problems or close use of eyes for reading 

Hearing Impairment Classifications and Symptoms
Hearing impairments are typically hidden and become apparent only when communication is required.
Subsets are: deafness which is loss so severe that speech cannot be understood through the ear unaided, and hard of hearing which describes loss that makes it difficult not impossible to understand through the ear unaided.  Symptoms include:

• hearing loss, poor auditory reception, speech recognition depressed, impaired speech discrimination, cognitive delay, articulation problems, lower achievement scores and a range of other symptoms that can be explored further at the Canadian Association for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology site and the ASHA website.

C) Classroom Adaptations and Modifications
The involvement of Educational Assistants (EAs) like sign language interpreters, brailleists and recorders is very important for effective intervention with sensory impairment.  They will typically benefit the entire class, they can assist with reading and writing outputs and provide a range of consultation and support for teachers.  Recent budget cuts have reduced the allocation of these resources, requiring teachers to ensure they are familiar with effective modifications.

Visual Impairment
A classroom workshop by a visually impaired secondary student, Alex Jurgensen, provided a range of helpful strategies for teaching visually impaired and other sensory impaired students with excerpts captured below:

i) Strategies

• Advance preparation is required - for instance, modified texts require several month's lead time
• TBS model - Strong collaboration between teacher, braillist and student
• Ematerials - Software that produces text to voice and ensure comments are produced in-line
• Avoid fill-in-the-blanks instruments
• Review IEP for any students with sensory impairments
• When organizing groups, consider right mix of partners good at explaining exercises
• Use tactile versus visual descriptors

ii) Blindness in Society

• Don't worry about cliches, no need to adapt
• Directions should be done in adapted fashion (eg. clock-face technique, Cardinal Directions)
• Use common sense to determine exceptions
• Apply fairness in assessment - the impaired student must have the mats to be tested on them
• Be yourself

Hearing Impairment

• Use Assistive Learning Devices (ALDs) - Assist amplification, communications, alerting
• Include interpreters in IEP team process
• Check student understanding regularly
• Seat the interpreter so the student can see teacher and interpreter
• Be sensitive to interpreter "time-lag"
• Provide copies of all visual materials before class
• Brief the interpreter on topics and format

Of Gifted and Talented Needs

Giftedness definitions vary and educational programs are typically underidentified and underserved for the gifted and talented especially those from diverse cultural backgrounds.  Prevalence rates are generally accepted as 2% in schools.  Students generally spend time in general education classrooms providing teachers the challenge to adapt curriculum to challenge and reward them.


In BC, the definition is: "a student who possesses demonstrated potential abilities that give evidence of exceptionally high capability with respect to intellect, creativity, or the skills associated with specific disciplines.  Students who are gifted often demonstrate outstanding abilities in more than one area... However, they may also have accompanying disabilities and should not be expected to have strengths in all areas of intellectual functioning." (BC Ministry of Ed, 2002).



Renzulli and Reis (1991) suggested three interlocking trait clusters:

1. High Ability 
2. High Creativity 
3. High Task Commitment

Gardner and Hatch (1989) suggest the popular model of multiple intelligences - eight areas of ability (as illustrated in the graphic by Mark R. Kaser).

Causation is attributed to a combination of biological and environmental factors with positive effects accorded to genetics, nutrition and high stimulation/high expectation home environments.

Some myths held about these students (as illustrated in the Far Side cartoon above) include that they are:

• Geeks and Nerds
• Weak, Socially inept
• Holding Narrow interests, Emotional instability
• Bored with antagonism toward educators
• Able to excel without Special Education

A) Characteristics of the Gifted

A wide range of characteristics exist and an interesting paradox, as well, in that certain positive behaviours like curiosity and certainty they are rights can be interpreted as annoying or disruptive to teachers or other students.

Clark (2002) in Growing up Gifted, presented a comprehensive summary with 4 main domains:

1. Cognitive Function - including advanced comprehension, unusual retentiveness, comprehensive synthesis, an evaluative approach to self/others, unusual intensity, flexible thought processes, high levels of language/verbal ability
2. Affective Function - including keen sense of humour, advanced levels of moral judgement, unusual emotional depth and intensity, high expectations of self/others, idealism and a sense of justice, strongly motivated by self-actualization needs and leadership ability  
3. Physical Setting/Sensing Function - including unusual quality of input due to heightened sensory awareness, unusual discrepancy between physical/intellectual development, low tolerance for the lag between their standards and their athletic skills and Cartesian split
4. Intuitive Function - including early involvement and concern for intuitive knowing, open to experience and experimenting with psychic and metaphysical phenomena, creative approach in all areas and an ability to predict; interest in future

B) Identifying Giftedness and Talented Students
Assessment starts with awareness of behaviours displayed by gifted students.  Recognition should result in further assessment, tests, interviews, portfolio collections and assessments and ultimately referral to professionals.

Clark provides a list of these behaviours with samples including:

• Visual or Performing Arts ability
• Leadership abilities like organization, risk-taking, cockiness, synthesis
• Creative abilities like vivid imagination, controversial questions, love of novelty
• Academic abilities like fascination with a field, inventing new codes/systems, unusual abilities in reading/math
• Cognitive ability like talking a lot, daydreaming, solving problems, seem to be a loner, often have a better reason than you do for not doing what you want done (OMG - better have my 9 year old assessed :)

Another generally accepted assessment tool is an IQ or Intelligence Quotient test.  A score of 145+ indicates gifted and a score of 160+ indicates genius.  The normal range is 85 to 115 with above average at 130.  However, these tests are culturally biased and subjective so teachers should use caution in their application.

Teachers need to

C) Classroom Adaptations and Modifications
Consistently stressed in the literature is the need for differentiated programming that matches student needs, that core content is also important, that specialized curricula is required and that acceleration, moving at a more rapid pace, is the intervention best supported by research (Van Tassel-Baska, 1989).

A sample of curricula goals for gifted children (Cline S. and Schwartz D. 1999. From Diverse Populations of Gifted Children) includes:

• More elaborate, complex, in-depth study of major ideas and themes
• Development of productive thinking skills 
• Encourage exposure to specialized resources
• Promote self-directed learning
• Evaluate students with stress place on their abilty to perform at a level of excellence

Clark (2002) suggests that all programs for the gifted "provide differentiation, flexible grouping, continuous progress, intellectual peer interaction, continuity, and teachers with specialized education."  A positive consideration is that many children other than the gifted ones can also benefit from special methods like enrichment, research skills instruction, activities geared to different ability levels, compacted curiculum, open-ended and conceptual questions and the application of the latest technologies. 

Teachers need also to pay attention to the Socio-Emotional needs of these children who may suffer anxiety, peer acceptance, introversion, perfectionism or lack of motivation or could benefit from a relationship where conceptual topics can be comfortably raised.  Peer tutoring can be an effective method, used in moderation, of engaging gifted students and can improve their acceptance as leaders.


Some helpful resources for gifted secondary student lesson plans and curriculum can be found at Education World, Science and Math lessons at goENC.com and technology application in the classroom at rtec.org.

Of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders

Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) are typically identified due to discipline problems.  Still they are likely the most underidentified in the school system.   There is no single definition in Canada, but commonalities include the presence of one or more factors listed below to an intense degree for a long period (6 weeks or more):

• Inability to learn that cannot be explained
• Inabililty to build /maintain relationships (e.g. loners, commitment issues)
• Inappropriate behaviour under normal circumstances (e.g. delinquents)
• General pervasive unhappiness (often depression)
• Tendency to develop physical symptoms in response to fears (eg. phobias, anorexia/bulimia)

The third factor skews male and the last two female.  Other labels include "emotionally disturbed or behaviourally disordered" (Council for Children with Behavioural Disorders).

A) Characteristics of EBD
The causes of EBD can include biological, phenomenological and sociological/ecological factors including economic disadvantage, school, family and community causes among others.  EBD behaviours can be categorized into two groups:

Externalizing Behaviours

• Aggressiveness, temper tantrums, defiance
• Jealousy, disobedience, noncompliance
• Lying, stealing, trust issues
• Argumentative, lack of self-control, destructive

Internalizing Behaviours

• Withdrawn, apathetic, restricted activity levels
• Fixation, social avoidance, fearful, anxious
• Inferiority, sad, moody, depressed
• Self-conscious, overly sensitive
• Irritable, inapproriate crying

B) Identifying EBD
As an underreported problem, teachers should over-refer given that depression often underlies EBD.  As well, suicide is a risk factor and abuse a potential causality that must be considered.  As well, Nelson, Benner, and Cheney (2005) reported in a research review that language deficits are a common co-occurence.  Speech language pathologists should be involved in planning and intervention, when this correlation is suspected.

Instruments and assessment approaches that can be considered include:

• Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBA) - described as "an analysis of the contingencies responsible for behaviour problems" the FBA considers specific behavours and patterns within the environmental context of physiology, classroom environment and curriculum and instruction.
• Clinical Interviews
• Observation including systemic documentation by teachers
• Rating scales
• Personality tests

C) Classroom adaptations and modifications
Social skills development is important for students with EBD.  A series of approaches including social skills development are suggested in External Influences on Learning - a presentation by the author and colleagues featured below that covers FAS, Tobacco, Toxins, Nutrition as factors and offers recommendations on approaches for teachers and parents.

Control Theory (Gardner) suggests a wheel analogy (see also above presentation) with four sectors: Belonging, Power, Freedom and Fun and a diagonal diagnostic that can provide guidance on what is really driving behaviour.  For instance, rebellious kids seemingly seeking power may be defused by providing more freedom of choice in classwork.

Other adaptations that assist effective classroom management include clear posted rules, support from Special Ed teachers and mental health professionals and:

• Preventive discipline - "positive attitude that nurtures student's learning of personal, social and academic skills" (Sabatino, 1987)
• Positive behaviour supports (PBS) - The Good Behaviour Game, Contingency Contracting and Individual Behaviour plans
• Physical accomodations - Seating near teacher, quiet work areas, stored materials away, traffic patterns that lesson contact and disruptions
• Positive reinforcement and peer tutoring
• Medication - While sometimes overused and side effects and monitoring are key, medication has been proven to be effective with problems like attention and aggression
• Cultural factors

See the sidebar for other resources on EBD.

Parent Resources for Exceptional Children

For ADHD

Boys represent the vast majority of ADHD diagnosis, behaviour problems and failing in school.  To counter these trends, a recommended resource that parents may find helpful is the website and book Mentoring Boys by author Barry McDonald.

As a parent of two boys, his premise that we should get past "boys will be boys" to an understanding of how teachers and parents can mentor them for school success resonates.  Parent resources can be found here and 12 tips for parents here.

Another boy-centric resource that parents may find interesting is Boys Adrift, by Dr. Leonard Sax, also the author of Why Gender Matters.  In this resource, he discusses the 5 factors contributing to "the decline of boys" including video games, endocrine disruptors and prescription drugs.  He covers his research and suggests remedies.

Like all "pop culture" resources, viewers need to consider all the opinions and views critically.  To view video of Dr. Sax on NBC's Today Show, click below.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

For Learning Disabilities
The All kinds of Minds Parent Toolkit covers learning attention, math, reading, writing and provides extensive resources.  All Kinds of Minds is a not-for-profit organization that translates the latest research from neuroscience and other disciplines on how children learn — and vary in their learning — into a powerful framework for educators and parents.


For Social Skills
Michelle Garcia Winner has developed some very impressive resources based on her concept of Social Thinking including You are a Social Detective and SuperFlex.   Her premises include that in order for children to act social they need to think social.  


While her work has focused on Aspergers Syndrome, ASD and other barriers to social skills, the concepts are easily translated to other children.  In fact, reinforcement of social behaviours in the general classroom setting can be most effective for those with disabilities.  


Highly recommended.  Visit here for more on Social Thinking.

Of Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities (LD) are the largest category of exceptionalities representing 40% of all disabilities.  An invisible handicap impacting the processing of information, by definition LD impacts students with an IQ of 85+ (e.g. average intelligence).  LD is generally seen as a neurological problem that affects how the brain perceives and processes information.

A computer analogy provided by Dr. K. Heikilla may help here.  LD occurs beyond the input stage of information at the processing, storage and output stages.

A) Characteristics of LD students


There are 7 academic/ language impacts (Smith, 2009):

1. Reading Skills
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Mathematical Calculations
4. Mathematical Reasoning
5. Written Expression
6. Oral Expression
7. Listening Comprehension

Other common characteristics of LD include:

• Socio-emotional problems
• Attention difficulties and hyperactivity
• Memory, cognition, metacognition difficulties
• Motor skills or perceptual ability difficulties 

B) Identifying LD students
The main criterion for identifying learning disabilities is a "severe discrepancy between ability and achievement that cannot be explained by another disabling condition or lack of learning opportunity." (Polloway, Smith et al. (2009). Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities.)

The main perceptual skills an LD student may be impacted by are:

1. Identification - Dyslexia - learning limited by numbers and letters being jumbled, e.g. not related to spatial orientation (More on dyslexia at BC Health Link).
2. Discrimination - Ability to notice increasingly subtle likeness and differences of items
3. Sequencing - Ability to recognize meaningful order and item position (spelling/math)
4. Closure - Ability to fill in gaps by activating prior learning to create meaningful whole (humour/sarcasm)
5. Figure-Ground - Ability to priortize items, to focus on relevant, ignore the relevant

Here is a video, My Life with a Learning Disability, where Andrew tells of his experience and how he wishes that learning in school had no time limit.
Check the sidebar for more LD resources and links.   I hope these resources will help students and parents understand the experience of having LD as told by students who have it.

Teachers should also ensure that other factors are not the primary cause for the behaviour or outcomes.  They should screen for cultural and linguistic differences and ensure that the indicators are not just unco-operative behaviour.

Teachers should also use assessment tools as a diagnostic on the correct identification of LD and to identify the type of perceptual skill that is affected so they can intervene appropriately.

Parents and students should be assured that no single cause is usually identifiable for their child.  Pinpointing the cause is not critical to developing effective plans and strategies for assisting LD.

C) Classroom modifications and adaptations 


At the secondary level, students with LD continue to need basic skill assistance as well as strategies that make them more efficient learners.  Application of Life skills is also recommended.

Other adaptations include:

• Use of graphical organizers (tables, fishbone diagrams, webs, event maps or story maps)
• Accessing less advanced texts from publishers
• Highlighting and summarizing key ideas
• Text to voice programs like Read Please
• Voice to text programs like Dragon Speaking
• Seating and physical accomodations
• Incorporation of Educational Assistants where possible

A Learning Disability Case Study completed by this blog author and colleagues can be found in this post.  A series of websites, tapes, books and audio are suggested as well as classroom accommodations.

Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a complex condition with no visible physical characteristics and a huge social and ethical debate around appropriate intervention.  Dr. K. Heikilla describes the condition as a neurological one impacting the brain's attention centres as the brain lacks beta waves that focus attention.

Healthlink BC defines ADHD as follows: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition in which a person has trouble paying attention and focusing on tasks, tends to act without thinking, and has trouble sitting still. It may begin in early childhood and can continue into adulthood. Without treatment, ADHD can cause problems at home, school, work, and with relationships. In the past, ADHD was called attention deficit disorder (ADD).










A) Characteristics of ADHD students

1. Limited sustained attention 
2. Reduced impulse control
3. Excessive task-irrelevant activity
4. Deficient rule following
5. Greater than normal task variability during task performance

One very interesting aspect that has been published is the similarity between ADHD "symptoms" and the "traits" of gifted people.  In his book Engaging Minds and his lectures, Dr. Brent Davis frames this as a question of "Are we ritalinizing our geniuses?"  A difficult consideration for any parent.

Here is what we do know medically about ADHD based on research.  The condition is attributed to neurological causes including anatomical, chemical, physiological and pyshcological including reduced brain activity, lesser neurotransmitter activity and dysfunction or differences in the frontal lobes affecting "executive function." Still, much more research is needed on these models.  See CHADD for more.   (image credit: www.scienceblogs.com - The Neuroscience of ADHD)

B) Identifying ADHD
Incidence estimates vary but ADHD is the most common child psychiatric disorder with the Canadian Pedriatric Society states 3-7% amongst school age children.

ADHD has a genetic thread as it often runs in families which can be a helpful reference during diagnosis.

The identification process usually involves referral by a teacher or parent to the school team or school psychologist based on concerns over attention problems.  The teacher will use assessment measures and document behaviour over time in different settings.  Ultimately, a physician or psychiatrist involvement is required as ADHD is not an exceptionality category in the Canadian education system.

The assessments and documentation should help identify the type of ADHD and identify other factors that may exist which can include aggression, LD, Giftedness and Developmental Disabilities.  This process is critical to the right plan and adaptations.

The major strategies for intervention are medication and structural adaptations (covered in the next section).  The medical aspects are briefly touched on here since stimulant and anti-depressant medications are often prescribed including Ritalin, Adderal and Concerta.

So how does a parent decide whether to try medication?   Only after considerable thought and exploration of other interventions.  Significant school and home disruptions by the child's behaviour may indicate a stronger case for medication.  Side effects versus the benefits from addressing the impairment the child faces should be considered.  Will they suffer worse outcomes without the medication?
Other considerations include the child's age, supervision ability, costs, past interventions, the child's concerns and feelings and even competitive sports performance.

If a course of medication is decided upon, then the school team and parents need to monitor the behaviour impacts and any side effects like appetite loss.  Dosages or types of medication may need to be adjusted to find the right mix and substance abuse monitored.   Strong communication lines need to be in place with the physician as results are monitored.  Barkley (1999-2000) reports a 90% success rate for individuals that continue to try different stimulants after one fails.

It is important for parents to educate themselves and for those involved to be aware that the presence of ADHD may not necessarily be proven by positive response to the medication and that some children with ADHD may show no response at all.

C) Classroom adaptations and modifications
The literature related to ADHD generally suggests some of these approaches:

• Proactive classroom management around groups, physical management and behaviour
• Mutual rules development (5-6 maximum) and consistent rules application and consequences
• Positive language, patience, periodic review, positive reinforcement for abiding
• Spending time to develop relationship and teaching to their strengths and interests
• Routines, clear rules and choices during free times, flexible pacing and workload
• Respectful treatment of students
• Teaching cognitive strategies like note-taking, Power Point etc and apply skills to real world
• "Grandma's Law" - A clear reward following a desired behaviour
• Negative reinforcement - removing an aversive stimulus like homework for desired behaviour

As featured in the Parent Resource post, an excellent resource on classroom strategy for boy-centric problems is Barry Macdonald's Mentoring Boys.  Tips include:  consideration of the active learner style of many boys through physical environment, activity centres, novelty, fun, encouraging mistakes and calculated risks, clear goals and enabling boys to take on responsiblity and give input on school tasks.

As well the incorporation of Tactile-Kinesthetic Activities including:  role-play, performances, manipulatives, picture-taking for projects, note-taking strategies, field trips, models and dioramas, artifacts or foods related to theme and means of allowing students to get in touch with their feelings and gut reactions (journals).

More on Gardner's Multiple Intelligences can be viewed here.

Local Health and Disability Resources & Contacts

Here are some helpful resources from the Vancouver Coastal Health website with a focus on Vancouver, Burnaby and the North Shore.

HealthLink BC24-hour, confidential health information and advice. Phone: 811 Deaf or hearing-impaired: 1.866.889.4700 Web: www.healthlinkbc.ca
Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention CentreConfidential, non-judgmental, free emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including feelings which may lead to suicide. Phone: 604.872.3311 Deaf or hearing-impaired: 1.866.872.0113
Kids Help PhoneImmediate and caring support, information and, if necessary, referral to a local community or social service agency. Phone: 1.800.668.6868
Youth in BC Distress Line24-hour distress line staffed by counsellors and trained volunteers who are committed to helping youths in crisis. Phone: 604.872.3311

Vancouver Supported Child Development Program

Provides services to families with children from birth to age 19 who require extra support to attend child care or preschool programs. Offers individualized program plans to meet the child's specific needs, as well as information and referral services regarding licensed child care, preschool, out-of-school care programs, child care subsidies, and community resources. Also provides consultation services and workshops to child care providers who include, or wish to include, children with special needs. Offers a lending library which includes toys and information resources for service providers. Serves Burnaby and Vancouver.

Contact us

Address 2805 Kingsway, Vancouver 2805 Kingsway Vancouver, B.C V5R 5H9 Phone 604.709.4551 Fax 604.709.4553 E-mail home@centreforability.bc.ca Web Visit this program's external website

Odyssey I - Substance Misuse Program - Burnaby

Provides substance misuse programs for youth and their families. Offers individual and family counselling, support groups as needed, educational workshops, skill development, recreation, peer support, and peer counselling. Prevention activities include panel talks, peer counsellor training, and social/recreation programs for high-risk youth.

Contact us

Address 518 Howard Ave, Burnaby 518 Howard Avenue Burnaby, B.C V5B 3R1 Phone 604.299.6377 Fax 604.299.4984 E-mail odyi@bcg-gv.bc.ca

Burnaby Hearing and Deaf Services & Support

Contact us

Address 4211 Kingsway , Burnaby 4211 Kingsway Burnaby, B.C. V5H 1Z6 E-mail feedback@vch.ca

Child and Adolescent Program - North Shore - Central Community Health Centre

Provides mental health assessment and treatment for youth and families experiencing behavioural, emotional and/or social difficulties. Services include consultation, individual, group, and family therapy, recreation therapy, psycho-pharmacological treatment and parent education. Both office and community-based services are available.

Contact us

Address Central Community Health Centre 132 W Esplanade North Vancouver, B.C V7M 1A2 Phone 604.904.4336

Services for the Visually Impaired - West Vancouver School District - 1075 21st Street, West Vancouver (serves N. Van too)

The teacher for the visually-impaired supports students whose visual acuity is not sufficient for the student to participate with ease in everyday activities. Serves students who are blind, legally blind, partially sighted, have low vision, and/or cortically visually impaired. It is not intended to include students described as having visual perceptual difficulties unless they also have a vision loss as described above. Services may include: functional vision assessment; participation on Individual Education Planning teams to define goals, objectives and strategies pertaining to student vision needs; modifications and/or adaptations directly related to the students visual impairment; collaboration with district and school-based special education staff and other professionals.

Contact us

Address 1075 21st Street, West Vancouver 1075 21st Street West Vancouver, B.C V7V 4A9 Phone 604.981.1000 Fax 604.981.1001 E-mail info@sd45.bc.ca Web Visit this program's external website

School Health Program

Provides immunization, health information to school-aged children, staff and parents. Nurses also provide referrals for a variety of assessments such as dental, hearing, speech, nutrition and mental health. Individual consultation also provided through a nurse.

Find this service near you

Click on a link below for contact information and more details about the service(s) offered at each location.

Location	Address	City
Three Bridges Community Health Centre	1292 Hornby Street	Vancouver
North Community Health Centre	1651 Commercial Drive	Vancouver
Raven Song Community Health Centre	2450 Ontario Street	Vancouver
Pacific Spirit Community Health Centre	2110 W 43rd Avenue	Vancouver
South Community Health Centre	6405 Knight Street	Vancouver
Evergreen Community Health Centre	3425 Crowley Drive	Vancouver

Audiology Services - North Shore - Central Community Health Centre

Provides audiology services for children aged 0 -19 years and for dependent adults requiring professional caregiver support, such as frail elderly and developmentally disabled adults. Services include full hearing assessment, hearing screening for newborns and school-age children, fitting and follow up of amplification devices, counseling and education on hearing loss and community education of hearing loss.

Contact us

Address Central Community Health Centre 132 W Esplanade North Vancouver, B.C V7M 1A2 Phone 604.983.6704 Fax 604.983.6839 E-mail feedback@vch.ca

Providing Resources and Independence for Youth with Disabilities - Mobile - Burnaby

Provides one-to-one and group support to children and youth with special needs. Goals are to increase independence of clients by enhancing their life skills, socialization, and community access, and to support families in maintaining their children at home.

Contact us

Address Mobile - Burnaby 4949 Canada Burnaby, B.C V5G 1M2 Phone 604.874.2938 Hearing Resource Teachers - North Vancouver School District - 721 Chesterfield Ave, North Vancouver Provide direct services (hearing assessments and monitoring) and consultative services for students who have a diagnosed hearing loss. They work with children experiencing hearing loss to plan alternate teaching strategies as well as provide information and referral on assistive listening devices and community based hearing loss services, agencies and support groups. Also provides district and school based training to staff on hearing loss and related issues. Teachers are also accessed through the principal and the school based resource team. Contact us Address 721 Chesterfield Ave, North Vancouver 721 Chesterfield Avenue North Vancouver, B.C V7M 2M5 Phone 604.903.3444 Fax 604.903.3445 E-mail info@nvsd44.bc.ca