And What Changed My Perspective..... 

As teachers of the deaf, we are trained to think about language access, amplification, IEP goals, and service delivery. We are not always trained to think deeply about cultural transition, immigration stress, or what school looked like in a family’s country of origin.

Yet across the country — in rural districts, suburban programs, and large cities — more and more of us are serving Spanish-speaking families of deaf and hard of hearing students who are dealing with these layers of change.

This is not a trend. It is a reality.

These are the challenges that teachers of the deaf are dealing with when working with families from Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico:

Declining specialized placements that would benefit their child.
Lack of advocacy in meetings.
Satisfaction with minimal support.

I recently did a training with The Online Itinerant community and shared how my perspective of what these students need has shifted and how I've changed the way I support these families. What follows is a deeper reflection on that training, along with practical steps you can implement immediately that will help you support your Spanish speaking families.

The Story That Changed My Understanding

I live in central Wisconsin. While much of Wisconsin’s population centers around Madison and Milwaukee, the middle and northern parts of the state are more rural — and many communities have a significant Spanish-speaking population due to migrant work and agricultural industries.

Over the years, I served deaf or hard of hearing students who:

• Moved to the area with little or no language

• Had never worn functioning hearing aids

• Were placed in mainstream settings without (what I would call) adequate support

• Had families who declined nearby deaf programs because they didn't want to put their child on a bus for more than 30 minutes

I remember one particular student who was exceptionally bright. She could have gone anywhere to college. Instead, she chose to stay and work in her family’s small restaurant in rural Wisconsin after graduation.  At the time, I didn't understand why she not pursue something "bigger" and take advantage of the scholarships and college opportunities that were available to her.

I decided that to better understand the perspective of her families from Mexico, I needed to see and experience first hand their background, their cultural values, and what education was like in their home country.

In May 2025, I traveled with a small group of educators to Cozumel, Mexico, where we connected with a local school where some of the deaf children on the island attended.  What we learned changed my approach to working with families.

In many parts of Mexico, outside large cities, options for deaf education are limited to three tracks:

1. Mainstream education with little to no support

2. A special education school serving students with intensive needs

3. Staying home

At the special education school we visited, the staff were dedicated and loving. Families were involved. But resources were scarce.

Some children had hearing devices, however none of them were functioning properly. Some devices had no batteries. Others had corroded batteries that had not been changed. The staff did not realize that the hearing aids needed batteries to work. There was no local audiologist; families would need to travel long distances for audiological testing and services.  The school had no books in classrooms, one computer for the entire school, and a single printer locked in the principal’s office (to protect against theft).

And yet — the commitment and dedication to these students was undeniable, even with so little.

We saw the cultural value of of family. We saw how family is considered foundational; generations live near one another, daily life is shared, decisions are made collectively, and children grow up surrounded by a tightly woven network of relatives who remain physically and emotionally close rather than moving far from home.

In that moment, my understanding changed.

The student who stayed home to be near her family? I understood because the value for family is deep.

The families who did not push for more services? I understood because even the most minimal services here far exceed the services and educational materials they had in Mexico.

The requirement to make big decisions on school placement? When families don't have other members to help make big decisions, things stay status quo.  The thought of putting a young child on a bus and routing them away from where the rest of their family may feel like abandonment.

Five Core Needs of Spanish-Speaking Families

Since my short visit to the school in Mexico, I've learned more about the true needs of immigrant families who have moved to the United States with their deaf or hard of hearing child.  Below, I've outline 5 core needs that I have learned every family needs.  Meeting these family needs first will open the door to stronger support and advocacy from families as well as build a true partnership between home and school.

1. Understanding the U.S. School System and How to Navigate it.

The American special education system is complex even for families who grew up in it.

For families new to the country:

• IEP processes are unfamiliar

• Evaluation procedures are unclear

• Advocacy norms are different

• Questioning authority may feel inappropriate

In many Latin cultures, respect for educators and principals is strong. Challenging decisions or pushing for additional services can feel uncomfortable or even disrespectful.  When families do not advocate, it may not be disengagement. It may be cultural respect combined with gratitude for simply getting any special support service at all for their child.

2. Early and Appropriate Intervention

Many children arriving from outside the U.S. have never received early intervention services. We know the impact of early language access. Families may not know:

• What early intervention includes

• Why language access must be urgent

• What services they are entitled to

In addition, they need this information in their own language.

3. Language Access During Meetings

Interpreters are not always provided. When they are, they may not be trained in educational or audiological terminology.

Even if someone is interpreting for a meeting, families may still receive:

• Incomplete interpretation

• Oversimplified explanations

• Reports that are not translated or not translated well

Some families may also have limited literacy due to their own interrupted education, making complex evaluation reports overwhelming.

4. Accessible Resources in Spanish

Handouts, training materials, and parent guides are often English-only.

Without access to clear, culturally relevant information, families cannot fully engage in decision-making. 

5. Ongoing Support

Perhaps most importantly, families need someone to walk alongside them.

Not someone to put American values on them.
Not someone to pressure.

Someone to explain the system.
Someone to clarify expectations.
Someone to gently help them build capacity.

Practical Tools You Can Use Immediately

During the training, I shared several tools and strategies that The Online Itinerant offers. Here are ways you can apply them.

Provide Structured Spanish Resources

The Online Itinerant has created a Spanish resource section that includes:

• Language-building activities

• Home inclusion guides

• Parent trainings

• A panel discussion with deaf adults translated into Spanish

Providing families resources in their home language will help ensure they have access to the information.  In addition, it sends a message of inclusion, of partnership, and of care.

If you do nothing else, ensure families receive:

• Translated summaries of evaluations

• Clear explanations of services

• Practical, visual home strategies

Connect Families to Advocacy Organizations

If your area has organizations that can support families in their native language, make sure they are connected to them.  If you, like me, are in an area with limited access to this type of support, check out Hands United.  Hands United is a nonprofit organization supporting immigrant families of deaf children in multiple languages.

They offer:

• Advocacy training

• ASL classes taught in multiple languages, including Burmese, Chuukese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Spanish, Tigrinya and Amharic

• Guidance navigating U.S. systems

• Community support

This can be especially helpful if you feel limited in how much advocacy guidance you can provide as a school employee.

Use Available Resources 

When working in a district with limited resources, I've learned to be creative with what I have access to.  During my training, I shared tools I’ve experimented with:

• Language-translation earbuds capable of real-time translation across 100+ languages.  These can be helpful in meetings when there are no language translators available.  Of course it doesn't replace a real person but can be very helpful in a pinch.

• Visual picture dictionaries with ASL and multilingual indexes.  My favorite is a picture dictionary called Signs For Me, indexed in English and a variety of languages: Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong, Tagalog, Lao and Cambodian.

• Small handheld sticker printers for creating visual supports, flashcards, and QR codes

These are not replacements for interpreters. But they can help:

• During informal conversations

• When building rapport

• When sending information home

The goal is not perfection. The goal is reducing communication barriers and building relationships.

Building Capacity Beyond Our Classrooms

On our visit to Cozumel, we realized something else.

Even staff at the special school did not know how to check hearing aid batteries or open battery doors.

That is not negligence. That is lack of access to training.

So our focus has shifted to capacity-building.  When we return in 2027 for the Conference & Networking Cruise, we are planning a service project and hearing clinic to provide testing, donated technology, family workshops and professional development.

Why does this matter for you?

Because understanding the system families came from changes how you serve them in your current district.

What This Means for Teachers of the Deaf

If you are feeling frustrated with a family, pause.

Ask yourself:

• What was school like where they came from?

• What did services look like?

• What were expectations around independence?

• What does advocacy look like culturally?

Then adjust your approach.

Instead of:
“Why won’t they send their child to the deaf program?”

Consider:
“What fears might they have about separation from family?”

Instead of:
“Why won't they advocate for more?”

Consider:
“Do they understand that advocating for more is okay?”

Instead of:
“They don’t seem concerned.”

Consider:
“They may feel grateful for what they are experiencing now compared to what they had.”

A softened heart does not lower standards. It strengthens partnerships.

Moving Forward Together

This work is not about politics. It is about children.

It is about language access.

It is about understanding.
It is about meeting families where they are — and walking with them.

We cannot fix every systemic barrier. But we can:

• Increase understanding

• Provide culturally responsive support

• Share accessible resources

• Build partnerships 

As our profession continues to evolve, cultural competence is no longer optional. It is part of ensuring access.

WATCH THE FULL TRAINING HERE

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ONLINE ITINERANT

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t some Spanish-speaking families advocate strongly in IEP meetings?

In many cultures, educators are highly respected authority figures. Questioning decisions may feel inappropriate. Additionally, families may feel grateful for services compared to what was available in their country of origin

 What are common educational options for deaf students in parts of Mexico?

Outside major cities, options may include mainstream placement with minimal support, a special education school, or staying home

Why might students arrive with non-functioning hearing aids?

Access to audiology services can be limited, batteries may be costly, and families may not have received training on device management 

How can I support families if I don’t speak Spanish?

Provide translated materials, connect families with reputable advocacy organizations, use trained interpreters whenever possible, and utilize visual supports to reinforce communication 

Is Mexican Sign Language the same as American Sign Language?

No. Mexican Sign Language is distinct from ASL and differs significantly.