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STATE OF CONNECTICUT
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TO: Directors of Special Education, Pupil Personnel Services
Directors of Regional Educational Service Centers
Directors of Approved Private Special Education Programs
Executive Directors and Directors of Charter Schools
Superintendents and Headmasters of Endowed/Incorporated Academies
FROM: Charlene Russell-Tucker
Chief Operating Officer Cf/'Ir"11¥
DATE: September 28, 2012
SUBJECT: Section 11 of Public Act 12-173: Required Language and Communication Plan for
Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students
Effective July 1, 2012, Section 11 of Public Act (P.A.) 12-173, entitled An Act Concerning
Individualized Education Programs and Other Issues Relating to Special Education, requires that
the individualized education program (IEP) for any child identified as deaf or hard of hearing
shall include a language and communication plan (LCP) developed by the child ' s planning and
placement team (PPT). Any student with an identified hearing loss, regardless of the primary
disability indicated on the IEP for the purposes of special education eligibility, should have an
LCP, which documents the considerations and/or actions discussed by the PPT.
The LCP shall address:
• the primary language or mode of communication chosen for the child;
• opportunities for direct communication with peers and professional personnel in the
primary language or mode of communication for the child;
• educational options available to the child;
• the qualifications of teachers and other professional personnel administering such plan
for the child, including such teachers' or personnel's proficiency in the primary language
or mode of communication for the child;
• the accessibility of academic instruction, school services and extracurricular activities to
the child;
• assistive devices and services for the child; and
• communication and physical environment accommodations for the child.
Box 2219 • Hartford, Connecticut 06145
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Required Language and Communication Plan for Deaf or Hard of Hearing
September 28, 2012
Page 2
Section 300.324(a)(2)(iv) of the Code of Federal Regulations (300 C.F.R. 324(a)(2)(iv)) pursuant
to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act has always required that the PPT
consider the following items regarding communication needs of a child who is deaf or hard of
hearing:
• the child's language and communication needs;
• opportunities for direct communication with peers and professional personnel in the
child's language and communication mode;
• academic level;
• full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language
and communication mode; and
• whether the child needs technology device and services.
Section 11 of P.A. 12-173 now requires documentation of the special considerations outlined on
page 1 of this document, through an LCP developed by the PPT, and included in the IEP of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing. This requirement is currently reflected on page 10 of
the IEP. The LCP, available to the field on the Connecticut State Department of Education
(CSDE) Web site (http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/ Special/
Language Communication Plan.pdf) since 2009 as a recommended best practice, will now be a
required element of the IEP and posted as an IEP form on the CSDE Web site. To assure that
each student's unique needs are identified and considered in the development of an appropriate
IEP, this plan must be developed at the initial PPT for each student who is deaf or hard of
hearing, reviewed at least annually and revised as appropriate.
In cases where the special considerations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing have not
been discussed or are not reflected in the current IEP, the PPT should reconvene as soon as
possible to develop the LCP that will be included in the IEP. If, however, the determination is
made that these special considerations have been discussed and reflected in the current IEP, the
special considerations should be reviewed and revised as appropriate at the next PPT meeting or
annual review (whichever occurs first), and the LCP form should be completed and included in
the IEP that is revised or developed at that meeting.
It is the expectation of the Department that an LCP will be included in the IEP for each student
who is deaf or hard of hearing on or before the first day of the 2013-14 school year. Please
direct any questions to Colleen Hayles at 860-713-6922 or via e-mail at colleen.hayles@ct.gov.
CRT:chg
Name of Student
Date
Language and Communication Plan
A tool designed to assist the planning and placement team {PPT} in meeting the individualized
education program requirement to address the special language and communication considerations
for students who are deaf or hearing impaired.
Regardless of the amount of the student's residual hearing, the ability of the parent(s) to communicate or the
student's experience with other communication modes, the PPT has provided educational opportunity and
considered the following :
1.) A. The language and communication needs of the student through :
D Assessment D Discussion D Observation
B. The student's primary language/communication mode is one or more of the following :
D Spoken Language D American Sign Language D English-based Manual or Sign System
2.) The availability of deaf/hard of hearing adult role models and a peer group of the student' s
communication mode or language .
Dete rmination/Action plan
3.) All educational options available for the student, the explanation of which has been provided by the PPT.
Options Di scuss ed
4.) The certification and qualifications of teachers, *interpreters and other personnel, required to deliver the
language and communication plan, as well as the proficiency in and the ability to accommodate for the
student's primary communication mode or language .
*Includes American Sign Language interpreter; English transliteration, oral interpreting, cued
language transliteration and deaf-blind interpreting.
Determination/Action Plan
ED638 Language and Communicati on Pl an
A ugust 201 2
Name of Student
Date
5.) The accessibility (related to communication) of academic instruction, school services and extracurricular
activities the student w ill receive .
Det ermin ation/ Action Plan
6.) The necessity and use of appropriate accommodations/modifications, including assistive devices/services,
communication accommodations and physical environment accommodations :
Assistive Devices/Services
D Captioned/Signed Media D Captioned Services (i.e ., CART, C-Print, Typewell)
D Frequency Modulation (FM) System D Hearing Aid/Cochlear Implant Monitoring
D Note Taking D Sound Field System
D Videophone/Captioned Telephone (Cap Tel) D Augmentative Communication Device
D Speech to Text D Other: _ __ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _
Communication Accommodations
D Specialized seating arrangements: - -- - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -
0 Obtain student' s attention prior to communicating through speech, sign and/or visual
D FM System
D Reduce auditory/visual distractions (i.e ., background noise)
D Enhance speech reading conditions (i.e, avoid hands in front of face and gum chewing ; well-trimmed
mustaches, etc .)
D Clearly enunciate speech/signs
D Allow time for processing information
D Repeat or rephrase information when necessary and check for understanding
Physical Environment Accommodations
D Noise reduction (carpet and other sound-absorption materials)
D Special use of lighting and seating
D Room design modifications
D Alerting devices (visual and auditory)
D Access to announcements via visual and auditory means (general and emergency information)
ED638 Language and Co mmuni cati on Plan
August 20 12