Working Together—with Families

Early interventionists, audiologists, physicians, and deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) adults—all these, and more, are stakeholders in the well-being of DHH infants, toddlers, and their families. Dr Marilyn Sass-Lehrer has compiled a volume that mentors us across disciplines in working positively and collaboratively with parents as they embark on this journey. From an outsider's perspective, it may sometimes appear that it takes a village of professionals to raise a deaf or hard-of-hearing (D/HH) child. Physicians, audiologists, teachers of the DHH, deaf mentors, speech-language pathologists: all of these professionals—and more—contribute unique and valuable expertise. In reality, of course, it is the family who raises the child, and Early Intervention for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families: Interdisciplinary Perspectives rests securely on the foundation of family-oriented support. Collectively, this edited volume addresses how professionals can work collaboratively across disciplines to provide exemplary early intervention services, working in partnership with families. Each of the 10 chapters is clearly written and contains minimal jargon, which will enhance the appeal of this text to readers across disciplines. The book is organized into two parts. Part I focuses on the foundational knowledge required by early intervention providers, including approaches to continuing professional development, the role of legislation and research in shaping practice, and collaboration with DHH communities. Part II addresses the move from theory to practice, that is, the implementation of early intervention services, from hearing screening, to developmental assessment, to individualized programming. The chapter sequencing is entirely logical and follows the family's journey. The contributing authors represent a range of disciplines involved in early intervention, and include researchers, professionals, and parents of DHH children. They draw on recent empirical data to underscore the central message that recurs across the chapters: families are different, and they need professionals who will meet them at their current levels of coping and understanding, and who will support them as they learn to make informed decisions for their child and family. Although most of the content pertains to early intervention programming across borders, it has an admittedly American perspective at certain points. For example, the discussion of legislation (Raimondo & Yoshinaga-Itano) is focused on U.S. legislation and policies. However, Sass-Lehrer is to be commended for including a final chapter on early intervention in developing countries (Störbeck & Young). The content of this particular chapter reminds us that early intervention is effective only when it is delivered with cultural understanding, respect, and sensitivity. One unique feature of this book is the problem-based learning approach utilized throughout. Each chapter contains a vignette—a problem—pertaining to how an early interventionist could apply evidence-based information to a question of practice. Possible steps the practitioner could take, guided by evidence, are outlined throughout each chapter. Guiding questions, competencies addressed, suggested activities, and valuable recommended resources are included in each chapter. Embedded in this framework, the book would be an outstanding professional development resource for the practicing early interventionist and student alike. A book on best practice in any sphere of Deaf Education eventually touches on the question of methodological bias and divergent philosophical perspectives. In this respect, Marilyn Sass-Lehrer has modeled exemplary practice herself. The vignettes represent a range of family (and practitioner) ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds. Even with this diversity—and perhaps because of it—the reader is continually guided by the recurrent central tenet of working collaboratively with other professionals to help families realize and develop their own resources and abilities. This book achieves the editor's aim of providing a valuable resource for specialists and program administrators in the early hearing detection and intervention process. Moreover, it is a “must read” for students and faculty involved in the professional preparation of specialists across disciplines whose goal is to work with DHH infants, toddlers, and their families.

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