Resources

Resource Catalog

If there is a specific need that is not listed here or if you have a suggestion for a resource, please contact us to let us know!

Resources from Beginnings SC:

S.C. Resources (Mostly DHH-Specific)

  • BabyNet – The single point of entry for families birth-3 whose child has, or is suspected of having, a delay. Please call toll-free 1-800-868-0404.
  • Carter Hears – An educational consulting group that focuses on children with hearing loss by supporting families & professionals with customized service.
  • Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) – If your child is between the ages of 3 and 6 and meets the screening criteria, he/she might be eligible for additional early intervention and/or speech-language therapy.  Please call toll-free 1-800-289-7012.
  • Early Childhood Deaf or Hard of Hearing Virtual Library – The SC Department of Education, Office of Special Education Services (OSES), provides support for students, families, educators, and administrators. The Early Childhood Deaf or Hard of Hearing (ECDHH) Virtual Library serves to provide resources about serving young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.
  • Family Connection – State-wide family support network
  • First Sound – SC’s Newborn Hearing Screening program at DHEC
  • Let SC Hear – Let South Carolina Hear advocates for new legislation to require health insurance companies in SC to cover the cost of medically-necessary hearing aids for children.
  • SC AG Bell –  The SC chapter of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. SC AG Bell is a non-profit working to empower parents, adults, professionals, and other S.C. persons who have hearing loss.
  • SC Association of the Deaf (SCAD) – SC affiliate of the National Association of the Deaf, which advocates and informs people impacted by hearing loss.
  • SC Hands & Voices – There is no replacement for the support of another parent that has experienced life with a deaf or hard of hearing child.
  • Early Intervention Services-SC School for the Deaf and the Blind – Statewide Early Intervention Services provides family-centered assistance for children, ages birth through 5, who are deaf, blind, or sensory multi-disabled. Together with parents, we strive to help each child reach maximum pre-school potential and to be ready for elementary school.
  • Statewide DHH Education Support from the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind- "Through contracts with local school districts, our Statewide Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Education Program strives to meet the needs of students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind. Our team works with local special education directors, teachers, and medical professionals to ensure that students reach their maximum potential."
  • SC Vocational Rehabilitation – Through school-to-work transition services, SCVR prepares and assists eligible high school students with a hearing loss who are thinking about their future and are looking for assistance to succeed in the job market after graduation
  • Described and Captioned Media Program – An online lending library of captioned materials, described materials for people with vision loss, and sign language media to learn to sign, practice skills or increase your deaf child’s vocabulary.

National Resources:

  • ACI Alliance –The American Cochlear Implant Alliance is a not-for-profit membership organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for patients of all ages across the US.

  • AG Bell – Works globally to ensure that people who are deaf and hard of hearing can hear and talk.

  • American Society for Deaf Children – The premier source of information for people who must make decisions about deaf children: parents, families,  providers, educators, legislators, and advocates.

  • Hands and Voices – A national model for parent-to-parent support between parents with children that have a hearing loss

  • National Association of the Deaf – The nation’s premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America.

  • National Cued Speech Association – The NCSA supports a community of cuers who have come together to promote language accessibility through Cued Speech. 

Online Resources for Learning/Practicing ASL

This is only a selection of resources online.  Beginnings SC has no affiliation with any of these, although we wish we did!) 

  • ASLNook.com -  Great videos in ASL from a cute family.  “A nook like no others…Words, pictures, and stories come to life with the magic of American Sign Language (ASL). We welcome anyone who wants to learn ASL. Within our cozy nook, you will learn many new signs such as the alphabet, colors, emotions, animals, and beyond.”

  • Lifeprint.com– This is the home of ASLU-America Sign Language University.  Dr. Bill has created a volume of information, signs, videos, practice, and workshops.

  • ASLPro-This is another site that just keeps getting bigger and bigger, better and better.  They “provide free, easy-to-use reference and learning tools to enhance in-classroom learning for ASL Educators and their Students.”

  • Signing Savvy-An online dictionary with great blog posts about language, Deaf community, signing, etc. For free, you can use the search tool and look up individual signs.  With a paid membership you can search for phrases (more accurate for signing ASL,) print flash cards, create practice flashcards to practice online, etc.

  • Handspeak.com– Another great site!  Free, online resources for language learners, teachers, parents, and well, anyone.

Practice Fingerspelling

YouTube videos to practice ASL

Additional Resources:

  • ADA Law – The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is one of America's most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life -- to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services.

  • Advanced Bionics – Cochlear implants

  • American Deaf Culture – Culture and language intertwine, with language reflecting characteristics of culture. Learning about the culture of Deaf people is also learning about their language.

  • ASHA: Audiologist Roles and Responsibilities

  • ASL Nook – An online hub of videos where a Deaf family teaches ASL in a casual, fun way to put people at ease in learning the natural language of the Deaf.

  • Cochlear – Delivering over three decades of implant innovation to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Cochlear is built upon a foundation of success.

  • Early Intervention Team – An old African proverb says that it "takes a village to raise a child." Early intervention also "takes a village." It helps to have a team of professionals working with the family to ensure that the child's needs are met.

  • Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative – Focused on extending the benefits of periodic hearing screening to young children in a variety of health and education settings.

  • Family Support & Cultural Competence

  • Gallaudet Clerc Center Family Resources

  • Gallaudet Clerc Center Spoken Language Resources

  • Hearing Aid Cleaning and Care – Thank you to Girl Scout Troop #1519 for suggesting this great resource!

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – A law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

  • Making a Plan For Your Child – IFSP Considerations for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

  • MED-EL – A  leading manufacturer of innovative medical devices for the treatment of various types and degrees of hearing loss.

  • Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids – The FDA has approved the sale of OTC hearing aids. What does that mean? Who is eligible? Learn more here.

  • Phonak – Passionate about creating hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally.

  • Reading and Understanding Your Child’s Audiogram – An audiogram is a visual representation of an individual’s hearing; learn how to read them here through interactives.

  • RIT: Educating Deaf Children – Serves as a source of expert advice for parents, teachers, and others interested in the raising and educating of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

  • VL2 – A Science of Learning Center funded by the National Science Foundation in the United States. Studies visual language and learning, as well as the advantages of being bilingual in English and American Sign Language (ASL).